Action words, or action verbs, simply express an action. The action is something you are doing and includes sleeping, thinking, sitting, and napping, even though you are not active. Non action words, or non action verbs, do not refer to an action, but represent a state of being, need, opinion, sense, or preference. Examples are the “be” verbs, like: am, are, was, were, is, has been, and had.
