Learning words that end with ing helps kids build phonics skills, ing words grammar and builds speech confidence through action ing words. These words help children recognize the /ɪŋ/ sound and use ing ending words confidently to read and build simple sentences.
This guide is full of verb ing exercises, words worksheets, ing words ending activities and games, and pictures ing exercise for practice makes learning easy and fun.
What Are Ing Words ?
ing words are called gerunds and present participles, “-ing words” are verbs with “-ing” added to them. They can show an action happening like running or playing . They can also act like a thing, as in Swimming is fun , or describe something, like a singing bird .
- Present participles: Used in continuous tenses, e.g., “She is eating.”
- Gerunds: Used as nouns, e.g., “Reading helps learning.”
How Are Ing Words Formed ?
“-ing words” are formed by adding “-ing” to the base verb, turning it into a present participle or gerund to show an action that is happening.
Rules for Adding -ing
These simple grammar rules help children form “-ing” words correctly during phonics lessons:
- Basic addition: Add “-ing” directly to most verbs. Examples: walk → walking, jump → jumping, talk → talking.
- Drop silent “e”: Remove the final “e” before adding “-ing”. Examples: make → making, dance → dancing, write → writing.
- Double the consonant: If the verb ends in a short vowel + single consonant, double the consonant. Examples: run → running, hop → hopping, swim → swimming.
- Change “ie” to “y”: Replace “ie” with “y” and then add “-ing”. Examples: lie → lying, die → dying.
Types of Ing Words and Their Usage
Words ending in “-ing” have three main uses in English: they can act as nouns (gerunds), verbs (present participles) or adjectives, helping children express actions clearly and effectively.
Gerunds (Noun Form)
Gerunds act like nouns and name activities you can do or enjoy.
- Swimming is good exercise.
- Reading books helps learning.
- Dancing makes me happy.
Present Participles (Verb “-ing” Form)
These are used with “be” verbs ing example to show actions happening now.
- She is running fast.
- They are playing outside.
- I am eating lunch.
“-ing” Adjectives
“-ing” words describe nouns and show what something is doing or causing.
- A smiling baby.
- The exciting game.
- A barking dog.
ing Words ending for kids
| Base Verb | -ing Word | Type | Example Sentence |
| Jump | Jumping | Present participle / Gerund | She is jumping high. |
| Write | Writing | Present participle / Gerund | I am writing a story. |
| Dance | Dancing | Present participle / Gerund | They are dancing happily. |
| Excite | Exciting | Adjective | It is an exciting game. |
| Play | Playing | Present participle / Gerund | We are playing outside. |
| Laugh | Laughing | Present participle / Gerund | The baby is laughing. |
| Bore | Boring | Adjective | This movie is boring. |
| Cook | Cooking | Present participle / Gerund | Mom is cooking dinner. |
ing words list ending for kids
Kid-friendly list of common “-ing” words, grouped for easy phonics practice and reading games. These focus on simple, everyday actions to build blending skills.
4 letter words ending with ing
- Sing – to make musical sounds.
- Ring – a circular shape or a bell sound.
- Wing – a part of a bird used for flying.
- King – a male ruler or leader.
- Ping – a short sharp sound.
- Ting – a light, clear ringing sound.
- Ding – a dent; a ringing sound.
- Bing – a loud ringing sound; also a search engine.
- Fang – a sharp tooth of an animal.
5 letter words ending in ing
Below is the list of five letter words ending in ing, kid friendly list make learning easier.
- Being – existing or living.
- Doing – performing an action.
- Going – moving from one place to another.
- Using – putting something to work.
- Aging – growing older.
- Owing – having to pay or give something.
- Dying – coming to an end of life.
- Tying – making a knot.
- Lying – resting flat / not telling the truth.
- Bring – to carry or take something to a place.
- Thing – an object, item, or matter.
- Cling – to hold on tightly.
- Fling – to throw or toss.
- Sting – to cause sharp pain; a insect bite.
- Swing – to move back and forth.
- Wring – to twist forcefully.
- Suing – taking legal action against someone.
- Ruing – regretting bitterly.
6 letter words ending with ing
| Making | creating something |
| Taking | getting or receiving |
| Coming | moving closer |
| Giving | offering something |
| Having | owning or holding |
| Seeing | using your eyes |
| Eating | having food |
| Riding | sitting and moving on something (like a bike) |
| Coding | writing computer instructions |
| Hiking | walking in nature |
| Acting | performing in a play or film, taking action |
| Adding | joining or combining |
| Asking | requesting or inquiring |
| Baking | cooking in an oven |
| Biting | cutting with teeth, sharp or harsh |
| Caring | showing concern or kindness |
| Crying | shedding tears, shouting |
| Ending | finishing, the final part |
| Giving | providing or donating |
| Going | moving or traveling |
| Hiding | concealing from view |
| Joking | saying something funny |
| Living | being alive, residing |
| Loving | feeling deep affection |
| Making | creating or constructing |
| Racing | competing in speed |
| Saving | rescuing, keeping for later |
| Taking | grasping or acquiring |
| Trying | attempting, testing |
| Wearing | having clothing on the body |
7 letter words ending with ing
| Amazing | very surprising or wonderful |
| Abusing | misusing , treating badly |
| Amusing | entertaining, causing laughter |
| Camping | staying outdoors in a tent |
| Dancing | moving body to music |
| Driving | operating a vehicle |
| Drawing | making pictures with pencil |
| Falling | dropping down from a height |
| Fishing | catching fish with a rod |
| Fearing | being afraid of |
| Feeding | giving food |
| Feeling | experiencing emotion or sensation |
| Finding | discovering |
| Grazing | animals eating grass |
| Hitting | striking |
| Jumping | bouncing up and down |
| Killing | causing death |
| Kissing | touching with lips affectionately |
| Leaving | departing |
| Meeting | encountering, assembling |
| Melting | becoming liquid by heat |
| Missing | failing to hit, longing for |
| Obeying | following commands |
| Opening | making accessible |
| Playing | having fun or taking part in a game |
| Pausing | stopping briefly |
| Posting | putting up, sending online |
| Praying | communicating with deity |
| Pulling | drawing toward |
| Pushing | pressing forward |
| Quoting | repeating words of another |
| Running | moving fast on feet |
| Reading | looking at and understanding words |
| Resting | relaxing, ceasing activity |
| Rotting | decaying |
| Rubbing | pressing with friction |
| Ruining | destroying |
| Rushing | hurrying |
| Singing | making music with voice |
| Scaring | frightening |
| Scoring | gaining points |
| Seating | placing on seats |
| Seizing | grabbing |
| Seizing | exchanging for money |
| Sending | causing to go |
| Sensing | perceiving |
| Serving | providing food, working for |
| Shaking | trembling, moving back and forth |
| Shaping | forming |
| Shaving | removing hair |
| Sharing | using jointly |
| Sighing | exhaling sadly |
| Sinking | going down |
| Sitting | resting on surface |
| Spacing | arranging with gaps |
| Skating | gliding on ice or wheels |
| Smiling | showing teeth when happy |
| Talking | using words to speak |
| Walking | going on foot slowly |
| Working | doing a task or job |
| Writing | forming letters or words |
ing starting words for kids vocabulary
Simple ones to blend /ɪ/ /ŋ/ sounds at the start:
- Ingot (metal bar)
- Ingle (fireside)
- Ingoing (entering)
- Ingraft (to graft a plant)
- Ingress (way in)
- Ingrain (fix deeply)
- Ingrown (grown inward, like a nail)
- Ingenue (innocent young girl in stories)
- Ingo (a credit union or savings group)
- Ingest (to take food or drink into the body)
- Ingrate (an ungrateful person)
- Ingrowth (growth inwards)
- Ingenuity (cleverness and inventiveness)
- Ingredient (a component part of a mixture)
Adding ing to words ending in e
When adding “-ing”, drop the silent “e” at the end of a word to make pronunciation smooth and easier for phonics blending.
- Make – making
- Take – taking
- Write – writing
- Dance – dancing
- Ride – riding
- Bake – baking
- Share – sharing
- Scare – scaring
- Save – saving
- Shave – shaving
- Come – coming
- Drive – driving
- Live – living
- Love – loving
- Hope – hoping
- Care – caring
- Use – using
Adding ing to words ending in y
When a word ends with the letter “y”, you can simply add “-ing” at the end without making any changes to the word.
- Play – playing
- Pray – praying
- Pay – paying
- Buy – buying
- Say – saying
- Cry – crying
- Try – trying
- Fly – flying
- Stay – staying
- Enjoy – enjoying
- Carry – carrying
- Study – studying
- Worry – worrying
50 ing words
Double consonant ing words
Double consonant “-ing” words follow the rule: for short-vowel verbs ending in consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC), double the final consonant before adding “-ing” to keep the sound crisp.
- Run – running
- Sit – sitting
- Hop – hopping
- Swim – swimming
- Stop – stopping
- Clap – clapping
- Shop – shopping
- Plan – planning
- Chat – chatting
- Rub – rubbing
- Plan – planning
- Get – getting
- Put – putting
- Cut – cutting
- Win – winning
- Begin – beginning
- Forget – forgetting
- Occur – occurring
- Prefer – preferring
- Admit – admitting
Action ing words
Action words ending in “-ing” show ongoing actions or movements, making them fun for kids to act out while practicing the /ɪŋ/ sound.
Action words that end with ing
- Running (moving fast on foot)
- Jumping (pushing up into the air)
- Playing (having fun or doing a game)
- Eating (having food)
- Drinking (taking in liquid)
- Writing (making words on paper)
- Reading (looking at and understanding words)
- Singing (making musical sounds)
- Dancing (moving to music)
- Walking (moving step by step)
- Talking (speaking words)
- Laughing (showing happiness with sound)
- Crying (showing sadness with tears)
- Drawing (making pictures)
- Painting (coloring with a brush)
- Cooking (preparing food)
- Baking (cooking in an oven)
- Swimming (moving in water)
- Climbing (going up something)
- Driving (controlling a vehicle)
Adjectives that end in ing
Adjectives ending in “-ing” describe nouns by showing their qualities or effects, such as something that causes excitement.
Adjectives ending in ing
- Exciting (makes you thrilled, like a fun game)
- Boring (not interesting, like a long wait)
- Interesting (catches attention, like a new story)
- Amazing (wonderful and surprising)
- Smiling (showing happiness on face)
- Running (moving quickly, for water or nose)
- Shining (bright and glowing)
- Tiring (makes you feel weary)
- Surprising (unexpected and startling)
- Charming (pleasing and delightful)
Nouns that end with ing
Nouns ending in “-ing” are often called gerunds. They turn actions into things you can name or talk about, like “swimming” as a sport.
- Painting (art on paper)
- Building (making with blocks)
- Running (a race)
- Singing (a song)
- Drawing (pictures)
- Reading (a book)
- Writing (letters or stories)
- Dancing (steps to music)
- Swimming (pool time)
- Morning (time of day)
- Evening (night start)
- Meeting (group talk)
- Wedding (marriage party)
- Feeling (emotion inside)
- Ending (finish of story)
ing rhyming words for easy learning
Here are some “-ing” rhyming words for easy learning (same ending sound /ɪŋ/):
Simple Rhyming Words
- sing – ring – wing – king
- bring – swing – cling
- thing – string – spring
- ding – ping – zing
More Practice Words
- long – song – gong
- bang – hang – rang
- bring – fling – sting
Verb ing examples sentences
Here are some simple verb “-ing” example sentences for kids:
- She is running in the park.
- I am eating an apple.
- They are playing football.
- He is reading a book.
- We are watching TV.
- The baby is sleeping.
- She is dancing happily.
- He is writing a letter.
- The dog is barking loudly.
- Birds are flying in the sky.
How to teach ing words ending activities and games
Fun, hands-on activities help kids learn “-ing” endings easily through play, movement, and repetition.
Spelling Practice: Words Ending in “-ing”
Use letter tiles or magnets to build “-ing” words like running and jumping . Kids pick a base verb card (run, jump), add the “-ing” tile, and say the word aloud. These sort words by rules, such as drop “e” ( dance → dancing ) and double consonant ( hop → hopping ). Add a fun time challenge, spell 5 words in 2 minutes to earn stickers.
Fill-in-the-Blanks & Search Activities
Use picture worksheets where kids choose the correct “-ing” word. For example:
- “The boy is _ (run)” → running .
- “She likes _ (sing)” → singing .
You can also create a word search with words like jumping, playing and eating. Draw simple scenes or print worksheets and ask, “What is happening?” to help kids form sentences.
Ing words video and books
Little Dreamers Education youtube channel helps kids learn ing action words for kids and Ing As in King (Word Families Set 6) by Pam Scheunemann books help in practice.
“-ing” Word Hunt
Hide word cards around the room. Kids search for them, find them and read each word aloud (jumping, eating, reading).
Sing and Repeat
Use songs or rhymes with “-ing” words (jumping, clapping, running) to encourage repetition and make learning fun.
Draw and Describe
Kids draw a picture and write a sentence using an “-ing” word. Example: The boy is playing.
FAQ’s
1. What are 10 words with the ing form ?
Ten “-ing” words are running, jumping, playing, reading, writing, eating, singing, dancing, walking, and talking.
2. What are the words ending with “ing” ?
Words ending with “-ing” are action-based forms like running, jumping, reading, and playing. They usually show actions in progress or turn actions into things kids can talk about.
3. What’s the rule for ing ?
The rule for “-ing” is to add “-ing” to a verb to show an action happening now. Drop silent “e” (make → making), double the consonant after a short vowel (run → running), and keep “y” as it is (play → playing).
4. What 7 letter word ends in ing ?
A 7-letter word that ends in “-ing” is running, which means moving quickly on foot. Other examples include reading and writing, which describe everyday actions.
5. What is a 5 letter word with ing ?
A 5-letter word with “-ing” is going, which means moving from one place to another. Other examples include doing and being, which show actions or states.
6. When to use ing ?
We use “-ing” with verbs to show an action happening now (like I am running) or to talk about activities as things (like Swimming is fun).
