Bloom’s Taxonomy provides a list of action verbs based on each level of understanding. This assists instructors when creating lesson and course objectives.
The following is a list of measurable action verbs that can be used when you are creating your learning objectives. Keep in mind that the goal is not to use different or creative verbs for each objective. That could be confusing to your students. Instead, try and identify the most accurate verb that relates to how you will assess your student’s mastery of the objective.
If you know what verb you want to use, but you are needing to know the Bloom’s level, you can use the “find” function (press: Ctrl-F, or Command-F on a Mac) in your browser to locate specific verbs on this chart.
| Remember | Understand | Apply | Analyze | Evaluate | Create |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cite | Add | Acquire | Analyze | Appraise | Abstract |
| Define | Approximate | Adapt | Audit | Assess | Animate |
| Describe | Articulate | Allocate | Blueprint | Compare | Arrange |
| Draw | Associate | Alphabetize | Breadboard | Conclude | Assemble |
| Enumerate | Characterize | Apply | Break down | Contrast | Budget |
| Identify | Clarify | Ascertain | Characterize | Counsel | Categorize |
| Index | Classify | Assign | Classify | Criticize | Code |
| Indicate | Compare | Attain | Compare | Critique | Combine |
| Label | Compute | Avoid | Confirm | Defend | Compile |
| List | Contrast | Back up | Contrast | Determine | Compose |
| Match | Convert | Calculate | Correlate | Discriminate | Construct |
| Meet | Defend | Capture | Detect | Estimate | Cope |
| Name | Describe | Change | Diagnose | Evaluate | Correspond |
| Outline | Detail | Classify | Diagram | Explain | Create |
| Point | Differentiate | Complete | Differentiate | Grade | Cultivate |
| Quote | Discuss | Compute | Discriminate | Hire | Debug |
| Read | Distinguish | Construct | Dissect | Interpret | Depict |
| Recall | Elaborate | Customize | Distinguish | Judge | Design |
| Recite | Estimate | Demonstrate | Document | Justify | Develop |
| Recognize | Example | Depreciate | Ensure | Measure | Devise |
| Record | Explain | Derive | Examine | Predict | Dictate |
| Repeat | Express | Determine | Explain | Prescribe | Enhance |
| Reproduce | Extend | Diminish | Explore | Rank | Explain |
| Review | Extrapolate | Discover | Figure out | Rate | Facilitate |
| Select | Factor | Draw | File | Recommend | Format |
| State | Generalize | Employ | Group | Release | Formulate |
| Study | Give | Examine | Identify | Select | Generalize |
| Tabulate | Infer | Exercise | Illustrate | Summarize | Generate |
| Trace | Interact | Explore | Infer | Support | Handle |
| Write | Interpolate | Expose | Interrupt | Test | Import |
| Interpret | Express | Inventory | Validate | Improve | |
| Observe | Factor | Investigate | Verify | Incorporate | |
| Paraphrase | Figure | Layout | Integrate | ||
| Picture graphically | Graph | Manage | Interface | ||
| Predict | Handle | Maximize | Join | ||
| Review | Illustrate | Minimize | Lecture | ||
| Rewrite | Interconvert | Optimize | Model | ||
| Subtract | Investigate | Order | Modify | ||
| Summarize | Manipulate | Outline | Network | ||
| Translate | Modify | Point out | Organize | ||
| Visualize | Operate | Prioritize | Outline | ||
| Personalize | Proofread | Overhaul | |||
| Plot | Query | Plan | |||
| Practice | Relate | Portray | |||
| Predict | Select | Prepare | |||
| Prepare | Separate | Prescribe | |||
| Price | Subdivide | Produce | |||
| Process | Train | Program | |||
| Produce | Transform | Rearrange | |||
| Project | Reconstruct | ||||
| Provide | Relate | ||||
| Relate | Reorganize | ||||
| Round off | Revise | ||||
| Sequence | Rewrite | ||||
| Show | Specify | ||||
| Simulate | Summarize | ||||
| Sketch | |||||
| Solve | |||||
| Subscribe | |||||
| Tabulate | |||||
| Transcribe | |||||
| Translate | |||||
| Use |
