English Verbs of Motion

Level: A2. Verbs of motion are the words you reach for all day: going to work, walking the dog, catching a bus. This page groups the motion verbs an A2 learner needs, each with a plain meaning and a short example, plus the irregular past forms that trip learners up.

By the end of this page you can…

…choose the right verb for how something moves, add the direction word that goes with it, and use the common irregular past forms like went, came and ran.

How this list was chosen

Every word here comes from the English frequency list (hermitdave/FrequencyWords), which ranks words by how often they appear in a large collection of everyday subtitles. From that list we kept the verbs of motion an A2 learner needs and grouped them by the kind of movement rather than by rank. The Rank column is the word’s real position in the list — a lower number means the word is more common.

Everyday movement

Up, down and across

Travelling

Moving things

Irregular past forms to learn

Many of the most common motion verbs do not add -ed in the past. Learn these forms as whole words:

For the full pattern and more verbs, see the past simple irregular verbs lesson.

Adding the direction

Most motion verbs are followed by a small word that shows the direction or place: go to work, come from China, walk across the road, climb up the stairs, jump over the wall. Choosing the right one is part of learning the verb — the prepositions of place lesson lists them. To say an action is happening right now, use the present continuous: she is running, they are driving (see present continuous).

Example sentences

Play each line, then say it aloud. These use the motion verbs in natural, everyday patterns.

1. I go to work by bus every morning.
   'Go to' + place for a routine.
2. Please come here for a moment.
   'Come here' moves toward the speaker.
3. We walked across the bridge together.
   'Walk across' with a direction word.
4. She runs in the park before breakfast.
   'Run' for fast movement on foot.
5. The children climbed up the big tree.
   'Climb up' moving upward.
6. Be careful not to fall on the ice.
   'Fall' means to drop down suddenly.
7. He drives to the office every day.
   'Drive' for controlling a car.
8. I ride my bike to the market.
   'Ride' for a bike, horse or bus.
9. Birds fly south when it gets cold.
   'Fly' for moving through the air.
10. We swim at the beach in summer.
    'Swim' for moving through water.
11. Turn left at the second corner.
    'Turn' + direction as an instruction.
12. Please carry this bag for me.
    'Carry' to hold and move something.
13. Bring your passport to the airport.
    'Bring' moves something toward us.
14. Push the door, do not pull it.
    'Push' and 'pull' are opposites.
15. Throw the ball and I will catch it.
    'Throw' and 'catch' work as a pair.
16. The cat jumped over the fence.
    'Jump over' a barrier.
17. We left home early and arrived on time.
    Irregular past: 'left'; and 'arrive'.
18. Follow me to the exit, please.
    'Follow' means to go after someone.

Recap cheat-sheet

A few patterns to remember before the quiz.

Quick recap before the quiz.

Practice

Practice

Verbs of motion practice

Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.

1 Match each verb to its meaning.

• climb Match for climb — choose — to hold and move somethingto move through waterto move up using your hands and feetto reach a place
• swim Match for swim — choose — to hold and move somethingto move through waterto move up using your hands and feetto reach a place
• carry Match for carry — choose — to hold and move somethingto move through waterto move up using your hands and feetto reach a place
• arrive Match for arrive — choose — to hold and move somethingto move through waterto move up using your hands and feetto reach a place

Check

Show answer

• climb → to move up using your hands and feet
• swim → to move through water
• carry → to hold and move something
• arrive → to reach a place

Linking a verb to its meaning helps you recall it faster.

2 Complete the past: Yesterday I ____ to the shop (go).

Check

Hint: irregular past of go

Show answer

went — The past simple of 'go' is 'went', not 'goed'.

3 Fix the exception: Every evening I go ____ after work (to my house).

Check

Hint: no 'to' with this word

Show answer

home — Say 'go home' with no 'to': go home.

4 Which verb moves toward the speaker?

go leave come escape

Check

Show answer

come — 'Come' moves toward the speaker or listener.

5 Which sentence is natural English?

I go to home now. I go home now. I going home now. I goes to home now.

Check

Show answer

I go home now. — Say 'go home' with no 'to'.

6 Put the words in order.

thecatoverjumpedfencethe

CheckReset

Show answer

the cat jumped over the fence — Subject + verb + direction + object: the cat jumped over the fence.

Quiz

Check yourself

Verbs of motion quiz

12 questions · pick an answer and you'll see straight away if it's right.

0/12 0 answered

1. 1What is the past simple of 'go'?

   A goed B gone C went D going
   Show answer

   went — The past simple of 'go' is 'went'.

2. 2Which verb means 'to move fast on foot'?

   A walk B run C drive D swim
   Show answer

   run — 'Run' is moving fast on foot.

3. 3Choose the natural sentence.

   A I go to shopping. B I go shopping. C I go at shopping. D I going shopping.
   Show answer

   I go shopping. — Say 'go shopping' with no 'to'.

4. 4You travel through water when you…

   A fly B swim C drive D climb
   Show answer

   swim — You swim through water.

5. 5What is the past simple of 'run'?

   A runned B ran C run D running
   Show answer

   ran — The past simple of 'run' is 'ran'.

6. 6Which word moves something away from you?

   A pull B push C catch D carry
   Show answer

   push — 'Push' moves something away from you; 'pull' moves it toward you.

7. 7Complete: Birds ___ south in winter.

   A fly B flies C flew D flying
   Show answer

   fly — Present simple for a fact: birds fly south.

8. 8Which verb moves away from the speaker?

   A come B go C arrive D catch
   Show answer

   go — 'Go' moves away; 'come' moves toward.

9. 9What is the past simple of 'fly'?

   A flyed B flied C flew D flown
   Show answer

   flew — The past simple of 'fly' is 'flew'.

10. 10Complete: We ___ across the road at the lights.

    A cross B crossed C crossing D crosses
    Show answer

    crossed — Past simple 'crossed' fits a finished action.

11. 11You control a car when you…

    A ride B drive C walk D fly
    Show answer

    drive — You drive a car; you ride a bike.

12. 12Pick the correct past of 'bring'.

    A bringed B brang C brought D broughted
    Show answer

    brought — The past simple of 'bring' is 'brought'.

Next

• More vocabulary: English Vocabulary hub
• Previous set: English Colours Vocabulary
• Grammar for motion verbs: Past simple: irregular verbs, Present continuous, Prepositions of place
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