Nouns are one of the most interesting parts of speech as they can sometimes act as verbs too. In this column, we are going to take a look at some words that can either be used as nouns or verbs. More often than not many people get confused with these words. Let us take a look at the example below for instance:
- The dance looks nice. (Noun)
- I dance every day. (Verb)
In the above examples, the word ‘dance’ in the first sentence is functioning as a noun. But in the second sentence, the word ‘dance’ now functions as a verb.
Other words that can be used as nouns and verbs include the following: Walk, worship, dream, fight, support, trust, refuse, jail, sentence, position, paint, comment, police, center, labor, catch, focus, attempt, kiss, school, use, ring, form, farm, book, dance, demands, school, silence, point, ring, plant, plan, move, file, fire, dialogue, scheme etc.
All the above words can be use as both nouns and verbs, depending on how it is being used in a sentence.
Examples:
- I have a dream. (Noun)
- I dream every night. (Verb)
- We listen in silence. (Noun)
- We silence their towns. (Verb)
- The fight was interesting. (Noun)
- The boys fight in the street. (Verb)
- The support we received from our English teacher was immense. (Noun)
- I shall support you tonight. (Verb)
- I am happy our demands were met by the Prime Minister yesterday. (Noun)
- The law demands that you surrender all the items you stole from the office. (Verb)
- In Economics, there is a difference between our wants and needs. (Noun)
- She wants to have fun tonight. (Verb)
These are just some of the examples that I could come up with. You can use the words above and form sentences of your own. In forming these sentences try using each word without changing the form in which they appear.
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There are many words in the English language that are both nouns and verbs. Find out from our list what they are. List of words that are objects and action words.
| access | dump | shelter | |
| ache | dust | make | shock |
| act | dye | man | shop |
| address | echo | march | show |
| aim | mark | sign | |
| alert | end | match | signal |
| answer | escape | mate | silence |
| arrest | escort | matter | sin |
| attack | esteem | mean | sip |
| attribute | estimate | measure | skate |
| auction | exchange | milk | sketch |
| back | excuse | mind | ski |
| bail | exhibit | mine | slice |
| balance | experience | miss | slide |
| balloon | eye | mistake | slip |
| ban | face | moor | smell |
| bandage | fall | move | smile |
| bank | favor | mug | smirk |
| bare | fax | nail | smoke |
| bargain | fear | name | snack |
| battle | feel | need | snow |
| beam | fight | nest | sound |
| bear | file | notch | span |
| beat | fill | note | spot |
| bend | film | notice | spray |
| benefit | finish | number | sprout |
| blame | fish | object | squash |
| blast | fix | offer | stain |
| bleach | flap | oil | stamp |
| block | flash | order | stand |
| bloom | float | pack | star |
| blow | flood | pad | start |
| board | floss | paddle | state |
| bomb | flow | paint | steer |
| bother | flower | park | step |
| bounce | fly | part | sting |
| bow | fold | pass | stop |
| box | fool | paste | store |
| bread | force | pat | storm |
| break | form | pause | stress |
| breed | frame | pay | strip |
| broadcast | freeze | pedal | stroke |
| brush | frown | peel | struggle |
| bump | function | pelt | study |
| burn | garden | permit | stuff |
| buy | gaze | phone | stunt |
| cake | gel | photograph | subject |
| call | glue | pick | suit |
| camp | grate | pine | supply |
| care | grease | place | support |
| catch | grill | plan | surf |
| cause | grimace | plane | surprise |
| challenge | grin | plant | suspect |
| change | grip | play | swap |
| chant | guarantee | plow | swing |
| charge | guard | plug | swivel |
| cheat | guess | point | tack |
| check | guide | poke | talk |
| cheer | hammer | pop | taste |
| chip | hand | post | tear |
| claim | handle | practice | tease |
| clip | harm | praise | telephone |
| cloud | harness | present | test |
| clue | hate | proceed | thought |
| coach | head | process | thunder |
| color | heap | produce | tick |
| comb | heat | progress | tie |
| combat | help | project | time |
| comfort | hide | promise | tip |
| conduct | highlight | protest | tire |
| conflict | hike | pull | toast |
| contest | hit | pump | touch |
| contract | hold | punch | tour |
| contrast | hop | push | tow |
| control | hope | question | trace |
| cook | hose | quilt | track |
| coop | hug | quiz | trade |
| copy | humor | race | train |
| cost | hunt | rain | transport |
| count | hurry | raise | trap |
| cover | ice | rant | travel |
| crack | impact | rate | treat |
| crash | inch | reach | trick |
| crate | increase | reason | trim |
| credit | influence | rebel | trust |
| crush | insult | record | tug |
| cure | interest | refill | turn |
| curl | iron | refund | twist |
| curve | itch | reign | type |
| cut | jail | reject | upstage |
| cycle | jam | rent | use |
| dam | joke | repair | vacuum |
| damage | judge | repeat | value |
| dance | jump | reply | visit |
| deal | keep | report | voice |
| decay | kick | request | vote |
| decrease | kiss | rhyme | wake |
| delay | knit | ring | walk |
| delight | knock | riot | waltz |
| demand | knot | risk | watch |
| design | label | rock | water |
| dial | land | roll | wave |
| die | last | row | wear |
| dislike | laugh | ruin | whip |
| display | lead | rule | whisper |
| dive | leap | run | whistle |
| divorce | level | sail | wick |
| dock | license | sand | wink |
| double | lie | saw | wire |
| doubt | lift | scare | wish |
| drain | light | scratch | work |
| draw | limit | screw | worry |
| dream | link | search | wrap |
| dress | load | season | wreck |
| drill | loan | sense | X-ray |
| drink | lock | shampoo | yawn |
| drive | look | shape | yield |
| duck | love | share | zone |
Some words take on double duty by serving as more than just one part of speech. In today’s “English Learning Tips for Newcomers”, let’s take a look at words that are both nouns and verbs!
Nouns vs. Verbs
- Noun: a word that represents a person, place, thing or idea.
- Verb: a word that presents an action, state or occurrence.
Words that are both Nouns and Verbs
- Some words can be used as both nouns and verbs, depending on the context. Theses words can be further divided into 2 groups:
- Group 1: Some words, whether they are used as nouns or verbs, their pronunciation stays the same. Simple enough, right? You don’t need to worry too much about saying them incorrectly. For example,
| Answer | |
| As a Noun | As a Verb |
| /ˈansər/ | (same) |
| Can you give me an answer before 3 pm? | I want to answer that question. |
- Group 2: Some other words change pronunciation depending on whether they are used as a verb or a noun. This can be a bit tricky for English learners. For example,
| Record | |
| As a Noun | As a Verb |
| Record /ˈrekərd/ | Record /rəˈkôrd/ |
| He needs to provide his medical record. | I will record this meeting. |
Pronunciation rules for Group 2
- When it is used as a noun, the stress is placed on the 1st syllable.
- When it is used as a verb, the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Useful links
- A-Z list of words that are both nouns and verbs
- Some sentences for you to practice with
Before you go, also check out our previously published English Learning tips articles!
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Reference:
Pronunciation Changes in Words that are Both Nouns and Verbs
Pronunciation Changes in Words that are Both Nouns and Verbs
https://www.enchantedlearning.com/wordlist/nounandverb.shtml
In the world of grammar, some words do double-duty by serving as more than just one part of speech. Though we often spend a good deal of time drilling students on the big differences between nouns and verbs, some words can actually be both. In fact, it happens more often than you might think, and once you start to notice this phenomenon, you’ll see these special words everywhere.
The Difference Between Nouns and Verbs
A quick refresher: Nouns are words that represent a person, place, thing or idea. They often serve as the subject of a sentence; that is, the thing that performs an action. For example:
The girl hugged the cat.
In this sentence, the girl is a noun that stand for a person, and the person is performing the act of hugging.
Notice that there’s another noun in the sentence, too: cat. This noun is not performing the action but is instead being acted upon. This noun is the object.
Verbs, on the other hand, are the action words in a sentence. In the above example, hugged is the verb, or the action the girl performs. Verbs come in all sorts of tenses,but their function is always the same: to show what’s happening in the sentence.
When Nouns and Verbs Collide
Some words can be used as both nouns (things) and verbs (actions). Their usage may sometimes change their pronunciation, but it’s often simply context clues that make all the difference in your understanding. For example:
In this sentence, the first use of “attack” is a noun; the second is a verb. “Attack” is pronounced the same in both cases.
Though the boy tried to use his broken alarm clock as an excuse, the teacher would not excuse his absence on the day of the final exam.
In the sentence above, the first use of “excuse” is a noun; the second is a verb. Note that the pronunciation of the word changes depending on its usage. As a noun, “excuse” uses a softs “s” sound, but as a verb it uses a “z” sound instead.
A List of Verbs That Are Also Nouns
Though it’s hardly a complete list, you can share hundreds of examples of words that are both nouns and verbs with your students. Try these on for size:
| act
address aim answer back balloon bank battle bear bend blast block break brush catch challenge charge cheer color cook crack curl cycle dance design |
die
divorce double doubt dust echo end estimate face finish fish flood fool frown garden glue guard guess hammer hand head hug insult iron joke |
kick
kiss laugh loan love man march milk name number object order paddle peel permit play pop practice produce punch question quiz rhyme rock roll |
run
sand saw skate smell surprise thunder tie time toast trace train treat trick use vacuum value visit wake walk water wish work x-ray yawn zone |
Want to print a practice worksheet? Nouns that are also verbs worksheet
Additional Articles you May Like:
What is subject verb agreement?
What does a Pronoun Do?
Can you end a sentence with a verb?
Can a verb also be a noun? The short answer is: yes.
As we know a noun is a word that names things, such as persons, places and things, as well as feelings, ideas and acts. We also know that verbs are action words. We use verbs to describe what nouns do. So how can a verb also be a noun.
Let’s take a look at an example:
The word: play.
I like to play in the park with my friends.
Play is a verb in this sentence.
We’re going to see a play tonight at the theater.
Play is a noun in this sentence.
There are lots of words that can be both a noun and a verb. Here are some:
- Bait
- Love
- Peel
- Bowl
- Exit
- Fly
- Park
- Ship
We’ve created some worksheets in our grade 3 grammar section for students to practice writing sentences with words that are both nouns and verbs.
For further practice, we also have worksheets on identifying nouns, verbs and adjectives in sentences.
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English has numerous word pairs that are spelled alike, but pronounced differently according to whether the word is being used as a noun or as a verb.
SAME WORD AS NOUN & VERB
English
has numerous word pairs that are spelled alike, but pronounced differently
according to whether the word is being used as a noun or as a verb.
Some
examples are conduct, digest, escort,
insult, produce, and record.
With each
of these words, and others like them, the accent shifts according to the part
of speech.
There are
many, many more examples of words that can be both nouns and verbs. Here are a
few that you’re probably familiar with:
WORK:
Noun- I
have a lot of «work» to do today.
Verb- A person
must «work» hard to achieve his or her goal.
HELP:
Noun- It
looks like she needs some «help.» verb- Will you please
«help» me?
RAIN:
Noun- We
definitely need the «rain.» verb-
When it
«rains,» it pours.
POLISH:
Noun-
There is too much «polish» on that brass. Verb-
They
needs to «polish» their essays.
SLEEP:
Noun- I
need some «sleep.» verb-
I could
«sleep» all ay
HEAT:
Noun- Turn that «heat» off.
Verb- The
weather will really «heat» up later in the day.
FIGHT:
Noun- Did
you watch the «fight?»
Verb-
Don’t «fights» her — she’s not worth it.
DRINK:
Noun- I’m
so thirsty, I could use a «drink» of water. verb- She needs to
«drink» her juice.
LAUGH:
Noun- You
gave me a good «laugh.»
Verb-
It’s not right to «laugh» at people with disabilities.
PAINT:
Noun-I
like that «paint!» verb- Do you want to «paint?»
HOPE:
Noun- Her
pep talk gave me «hope.» verb- I «hope» we win!
COUGH:
Noun- She
has a bad «cough.»
Verb-
Please doesn’t «cough» in the food.
FALL:
Noun- I
love everything about «fall!»
Verb- I
watched the apple «fall» off the tree.
TASTE:
Noun- I
like the «taste» of chocolate.
Verb-
«Taste» that ice cream.
KICK:
Noun- I
got a «kick» out of that!
Verb-
Let’s «kick» a ball. COVER:
Noun- The
undercover cop is using a reporter job as a «cover.» verb-
«Cover» the food when you’re barbecuing outside.
WATER:
Noun-
This «water» tastes so refreshing!
Verb-Do
not «water» your lawn!
Study Material, Lecturing Notes, Assignment, Reference, Wiki description explanation, brief detail
English : Same word as noun and verb |
Asked
2 years, 11 months ago
Viewed
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For instance: One can attend an «auction», or you can «auction» something off.
asked May 11, 2020 at 8:46
1
Such words are called Gerund’s. Gerund is a non-finite verb form used to make a verb phrase that can serve in place of a noun phrase.
A gerund is an instance when a verb is being used in a very particular way – as a noun!
You do this by changing the infinitive form of the verb, and adding “ing” at the end.
Examples
«I enjoy writing – it’s my favourite hobby.”
answered May 11, 2020 at 10:27
1