10 REALLY USEFUL

FROM THE MOVIES!

10 REALLY USEFUL ACTION VERBS

ACTION VERBS
FROM THE MOVIES!
When you’re learning a language, vocabulary is really important. However, what does it mean to learn a word? You can learn
the basic meaning, but it’s also important to know how to use the word in sentences. For example, some verbs go with a
preposition (to spend money on something), others are followed by an object (to trick someone), but then others aren’t (to
sleep). Just to help you with this, we’ve chosen 10 really important action verbs, and we’ve used them to describe famous
films. By associating the verbs with the movies, you’ll remember the words more easily. And as the verbs are in descriptions,
you’ll see how to use them properly! Ready? OK, let’s go! by Danielle Mistretta

1 To compete against someone 2 To spend (money on)

Meaning: If you “compete” against someone, you try to
beat this person at something or in a competition.
Example: In the movie, Pitch Perfect, the main character
Becca is in an a cappella group called The Bellas. They
compete against other a cappella groups in tournaments
across the country.
Film: Pitch Perfect (2012) is directed by Jason Moore and
stars Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson.
Meaning: If you “spend” money on something, you use
money to buy that thing.
Example: In the movie Confessions of a Shopaholic,
Rebecca loves to shop and spends a lot of her money
on clothes. As a result, she gets into debt and then has
to avoid tax collector Dereck Smeath, who follows her
around.
Film: Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009) is directed by P.J.
Hogan and stars Isla Fisher and Hugh Dancy.

3 To speak to someone 4 To shrink

Meaning: If you “speak” to someone, you say something
to them.
Example: In the movie A Quiet Place, the main characters
Lee and Evelyn Abbott can’t speak to each other or
make any noise. If they do, they could be heard by some
mysterious creatures that hunt their prey through sound.
Film: A Quiet Place (2018) is directed by John Krasinski
and stars John Krasinski and Emily Blunt.
Meaning: If something “shrinks”, it becomes smaller
in size.
Example: In Ant-Man, the superhero Scott Lang shrinks
to the size of an ant and becomes Ant-Man. He has a
suit that allows him to possess superhero strength and
control an army of ants. He uses his new powers to stop
his enemy from using the same suit for evil.
Film: Ant-Man (2015) is directed by Peyton Reed and stars
Raul Rudd, Michael Douglas and Evangeline Lilly.

22 / www.learnhotenglish.com / For Video-Phone speaking classes, e-mail classes@learnhotenglish.com

5 To pretend to be someone
Meaning: If you “pretend” to be someone
or something, you act as if you are that
thing, even though you aren’t really.
Example: In the movie The Proposal, book
editor Margaret pretends to be engaged to her
assistant Andrew, so she won’t be deported
back to Canada. Andrew has to agree to
the plan or he will get fired from his job.
Andrew and Margaret dislike each other and
constantly argue, but they have to convince
Andrew’s family that they’re really in love.
Film: The Proposal
(2009) is
directed by Anne
Fletcher and
stars Sandra
Bullock, Ryan
Reynolds and
Betty White.
7 To trick someone
Meaning: If you “trick” someone, you make
them believe something that isn’t true.
Example: In The Parent Trap, Annie and Hallie,
meet at summer camp. They eventually
realise that they’re identical twins. Annie lives
with her mother in London while Hallie lives
with her father in California. Annie and
Hallie decide to switch places when they
leave camp in order to trick their parents.
They hope that their parents will fall in love
again and reunite as one family.
Film: The Parent
Trap (1998) is
directed by Nancy
Meyers and stars
Lindsey Lohan,
Dennis Quaid
and Natasha
Richardson.
9 To steal something from someone
Meaning: If someone “steals” something
(money, jewellery, an object…), they take
it illegally or without permission.
Example: In the movie The Grinch, the
Grinch doesn’t like Christmas or his
neighbors who celebrate it. So, he dresses
up as Santa and steals all their Christmas
presents and decorations.
Film: The Grinch (2018) is directed by
Yarrow Cheney and Scott Mosier, and
stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Pharrell
Williams and Cameron Seely.
For more company classes or
6 To train someone
Meaning: If you “train” someone, you
teach them a special skill.
Example: In the movie The Karate Kid, Daniel
FROM THE MOVIES!
10 REALLY USEFUL ACTION VERBS
moves to California, where he’s bullied at
school. He becomes friends with a martial
arts master called Mr. Miyagi, who trains
Daniel in a form of karate so he can defend
himself and enter martial arts competitions.
Film: The Karate Kid (1984) is directed
by John G. Avildsen and stars Ralph
Macchio, William Zabka and Pat Morita.
8 To travel from one place to another
Meaning: If you “travel” somewhere, you
go there, usually over a long distance. GLOSSARY
Example: In the movie Leap Year, the main to beat vb
if you “beat” someone in a competition,
character Anna travels from the United States you do better than them
to Ireland in order to propose to her boyfriend an a cappella group exp a group of singers
who just sing without any instruments to
on Leap Day (February 29th). However, accompany them
to get into debt exp
because of the weather, her plane lands in if you “get into debt”, you owe money to
Wales, where her adventures really begin. the bank, businesses, other people…
a tax collector n
Film: Leap Year (2010) is directed by a person whose job is to collect tax –
the money you pay to the state to fund
Anand Tucker and stars Amy Adams and schools, hospitals, etc.
to hunt vb
Matthew Goode. if someone “hunts” an animal (for
example), they look for it so they can catch
or kill it
a prey n
an animal that is hunted by another animal
for food
a suit n
two meanings: 1. formal clothing that
consists of a jacket and trousers of the
same material; 2. a special form of clothing
that you wear for an activity or protection:
a spacesuit, a suit of armour…
evil adj
very bad
to be engaged exp
if you’re “engaged”, you’re going to marry
someone
10 To create something to deport vb if someone is “deported”
from a country, they are forced to leave
Meaning: If you “create” something, you that country
make something new or original. to be/get fired exp
if someone is “fired” from their job, they
Example: In the movie Back to the Future, are told to leave their job
to argue vb
scientist Doc Brown creates a time-machine if you “argue” with someone, you speak
that takes his friend Marty McFly 30 years back angrily with them
to bully vb
in time – to the 1950s. Marty has to find out if a weak person is “bullied”, they are
treated badly by other stronger or more
how to return to the future with the help of the powerful people
identical twins n
younger Doc Brown; he also has to make children who are born to the same mother
sure his parents fall in love or he won’t exist. and who developed from the same egg. As
a result, they look exactly the same
Film: Back to the Future (1985) is directed to switch places exp
if you “switch” seating places (for
by Robert Zemeckis and stars Michael J. example) with someone, you sit where
Fox and Christopher Lloyd. they’re sitting, and they sit where you’re
sitting
to reunite vb
if people “reunite”, they come together
after a period of separation
to dress up as exp
if you “dress up as” someone, you put on
clothes so you look like that person
to go back in time exp
if you “go back in time”, you return to
a period of history in the past: the 19th
century, the Roman Empire, etc.
For fantastic private tuition,
telephone e-mail classes@learnhotenglish.com / www.learnhotenglish.com /
classes,contact 23
 10 REALLY USEFUL
10 REALLY USEFUL ACTION VERBS
FROM THE MOVIES! EXERCISES

ACTION VERBS
FROM THE MOVIES!
EXERCISES
See if you can do these exercises, which will help you learn the verbs.

Answers on page 46

1 Description completion 2 Gap fill

Write the verbs from below next to the definitions. Complete the sentences with the verbs from the previous activity.
Remember to add “s” to the verb for the third person (he, she, it).
steal train trick create speak shrink 1. She pretends to be engaged to her assistant Andrew,
travel pretend spend compete so she won’t be deported.
2. She loves to shop and a lot of her
1. If you do this, you make someone believe something money on clothes.
even though it isn’t true = to someone 3. They switch places in order to their
2. If you do this, you become smaller = to parents.
3. If you do this, you use money to buy something = to 4. He a time-machine that takes his friend
money on something Marty McFly 30 years back in time.
4. If you do this, you take something illegally or without 5. He to the size of an ant and becomes
permission = to something from Ant-Man.
someone 6. They against other a cappella groups in
5. If you do this, you try to beat someone at something tournaments across the country.
or in a competition = to against 7. He all their Christmas presents and
someone decorations.
6. If you do this, you go to a place, usually over a 8. The main characters can’t to each other
long distance = to from one place to or make any noise.
another 9. He Daniel in a form of karate so he can
7. If you do this, you make something new or original = defend himself.
to something 10. She from the United States to Ireland in
8. If you do this, you teach someone a special skill = to order to propose to her boyfriend.
someone
9. If you do this, you say something to someone = to
to someone
10. If you do this, you act as if you’re something, even
though you aren’t really = to to be
someone

24 / www.learnhotenglish.com / Want to do an internship with Hot English? For more information, e-mail info@learnhotenglish.com