10 Beautiful Vivid Verbs to Boost Your Writing and Oral! | Primary School English

Verbs are one of the most overlooked parts of one’s word bank, even though they are used in almost every sentence. If you are therefore able to master the use of precise verbs in your writing, you can greatly improve the flow of your compositions and impress your reader.

How do vivid verbs accomplish this? Well, the power lies in the definition that precise verbs hold. In writing, the precise verb shows exactly what your character is doing and how he/she/it is carrying it out – all in one word. During an Oral examination, it helps you to communicate clearly with your examiner and not to mention, impress them by painting a clearer mental picture in his or her mind.

Eager to find out more? Here are ten beautiful vivid verbs that you can utilise in your writing and speaking to help you achieve that result!

1. Marvel

Meaning: to be incredibly surprised or impressed by something
Synonym: be amazed, be astonished, not believe one’s eyes

Sentence examples:

• “How is it possible to feel like I’m really in a jungle even though it’s only virtual reality?” marvelled Prashanth as he swirled around with his mouth agape.

• I marvelled at the massive dinosaur fossil that towered over me at the museum. It was definitely not what I had expected.ments section below. Till my next post, happy writing! (:

2. Amplify

Meaning: to add details to a story or statement
Synonym: expand, elaborate on, add to, develop

Sentence examples:

• “How do I amplify this part of the story to make the scene more vivid?” Penny asked her teacher inquisitively.

• The students began to doze off as the teacher began to amplify his point on the importance of writing a complete sentence.

3. Clasp

Meaning: to hold something tightly in your hands or arms
Synonym: grasp, grip, hold tightly

Sentence examples:

• With my sister’s trembling hand clasped in mine, we ventured warily out of our bedroom to figure out what had made the terrifying crash.

• Clasping the fallen leaf from the huge oak tree that her late grandfather had planted in the backyard, Joanne made a promise to continue caring for it.

4. Ignite

Meaning 1: to start to burn or to make something start to burn
Synonym: catch fire, burst into flames, erupt, light

Meaning 2: to cause a dangerous, excited or angry situation to begin
Synonym: trigger, spark, provoke

Sentence examples:

• With the strike of a match, the campfire was ignited and we gathered round it for an unforgettable night.

• The vivid memory of all the blood, sweat, and tears shed during training ignited a fireball of motivation in Harry to not only finish, but win the race.

• A shortage of food in the country has ignited a riot among the citizens.

5. Frolic

Meaning: to play and move around in a lively, happy way
Synonym: gambol, frisk, caper, romp

• The lively sight of children frolicking on the beach brought back delightful memories of his childhood and a smile began to spread across Tom’s face.

• It was the last day of school. My friends and I decided to frolick at the playground instead of heading straight home.

6. Illuminate

Meaning 1: to shine light on something and make it brighter
Synonym: light up, flood with light, brighten

Meaning 2: to make something much clearer and easier to understand
Synonym: explain, clarify, enlighten

Sentence examples:

• With a swipe of my thumb, I was able to illuminate the pitch black lift with the light of my smartphone.

• Bright flashes of lightning illuminated the entire theme park under the dark sky, signalling the need for all visitors to seek immediate shelter.

• Our teacher is able to illuminate the basic principles of quantum physics through the use of diagrams and sketches.

7. Glisten

Meaning: to shine and look wet or oily
Synonym: shine, sparkle, twinkle Sentence examples:

• The cerulean waters glistened under the bright sun, seemingly inviting me to take a dip in it.

• Her eyes widened and glistened with pure joy at the sight of the gift she had always wanted – a two-wheel bicycle.

• My face glistened with sweat after the exhausting but fun activity with my schoolmates.

8. Embrace

Meaning 1: to put your arms around somebody as a sign of love or friendship
Synonym: hug, hold, cuddle

Meaning 2: to accept a new idea, opinion etc. enthusiastically
Synonym: support, welcome

Sentence examples:

• Having finally found her after hours of being lost, I embraced my mother warmly and buried my tear-streaked face in her shoulder.

• “Play with me, Grandma!” Lucy pleaded with puppy eyes before embracing her grandmother cheerfully.

• Even though I had to be away from home for a few nights, I embraced the opportunity to attend the leadership training camp.

9. Cascade

Meaning: to flow downwards in large amounts OR to fall or hang in large amounts
Synonym: pour, gush, flow, drop

Sentence examples:

• Glancing up in alarm at the sound of gushing water, I gasped at the sight of water cascading down the stairs.

• The unfamiliar girl had sleek brown hair that cascaded down her back.

10. Reverberate

Meaning: (of a loud sound) to be repeated several times as it is reflected off different surfaces
Synonym: echo, resound, resonate

Sentence examples:

• The loud crash that reverberated through the house jolted me awake from my nap.

• Her fingers flitted over the piano keys skilfully, generating musical tones that reverberated around the room.

Do take note that some of the words have more than one meaning, so you should pay careful attention as to which meaning you are referring to when you use them in your sentences. Now that you are equipped with ten beautiful vivid verbs to use in your writing and to help you prepare for your oral examination, try creating sentences with them!

Have any other beautiful vivid verbs to share? Feel free to add them in the comments section below. Till my next post, happy writing! (: