From the extension Standard Rules
Standard actions concerning the actor's possessions
taking inventory taking removing it from dropping putting it on inserting it into eating
Standard actions which move the actor
going entering exiting getting off
Standard actions concerning the actor's vision
looking examining looking under searching consulting it about
Standard actions which change the state of things
locking it with unlocking it with switching on switching off opening closing wearing taking off
Standard actions concerning other people
giving it to showing it to waking throwing it at attacking kissing answering it that telling it about asking it about asking it for
Standard actions which are checked but then do nothing unless rules intervene
waiting touching waving pulling pushing turning pushing it to squeezing
Standard actions which always do nothing unless rules intervene
saying yes saying no burning waking up thinking smelling listening to tasting cutting jumping tying it to drinking saying sorry swinging rubbing setting it to waving hands buying climbing sleeping
Standard actions which happen out of world
quitting the game saving the game restoring the game restarting the game verifying the story file switching the story transcript on switching the story transcript off requesting the story file version requesting the score preferring abbreviated room descriptions preferring unabbreviated room descriptions preferring sometimes abbreviated room descriptions switching score notification on switching score notification off requesting the pronoun meanings
| action | noun | second noun |
| answering it that | touchable object | topic |
| asking it about | touchable object | topic |
| asking it for | touchable object | touchable object |
| attacking | touchable object | — |
| burning | touchable object | — |
| buying | touchable object | — |
| climbing | touchable object | — |
| closing | touchable object | — |
| consulting it about | touchable object | topic |
| cutting | touchable object | — |
| drinking | touchable object | — |
| dropping | touchable object | — |
| eating | touchable object | — |
| entering | touchable object | — |
| examining requires light | object | — |
| exiting | — | — |
| getting off | touchable object | — |
| giving it to | carried object | touchable object |
| going | object | — |
| inserting it into | touchable object | touchable object |
| jumping | — | — |
| kissing | touchable object | — |
| listening to | touchable object | — |
| locking it with | touchable object | carried object |
| looking | — | — |
| looking under requires light | object | — |
| opening | touchable object | — |
| preferring abbreviated room descriptions | — | — |
| preferring sometimes abbreviated room descriptions | — | — |
| preferring unabbreviated room descriptions | — | — |
| pulling | touchable object | — |
| pushing | touchable object | — |
| pushing it to | touchable object | object |
| putting it on | touchable object | touchable object |
| quitting the game | — | — |
| removing it from | touchable object | touchable object |
| requesting the pronoun meanings | — | — |
| requesting the score | — | — |
| requesting the story file version | — | — |
| restarting the game | — | — |
| restoring the game | — | — |
| rubbing | touchable object | — |
| saving the game | — | — |
| saying no | — | — |
| saying sorry | — | — |
| saying yes | — | — |
| searching requires light | touchable object | — |
| setting it to | touchable object | topic |
| showing it to | carried object | object |
| sleeping | — | — |
| smelling | touchable object | — |
| squeezing | touchable object | — |
| swinging | touchable object | — |
| switching off | touchable object | — |
| switching on | touchable object | — |
| switching score notification off | — | — |
| switching score notification on | — | — |
| switching the story transcript off | — | — |
| switching the story transcript on | — | — |
| taking | touchable object | — |
| taking inventory | — | — |
| taking off | touchable object | — |
| tasting | touchable object | — |
| telling it about | touchable object | topic |
| thinking | — | — |
| throwing it at | carried object | object |
| touching | touchable object | — |
| turning | touchable object | — |
| tying it to | touchable object | touchable object |
| unlocking it with | touchable object | carried object |
| verifying the story file | — | — |
| waiting | — | — |
| waking | touchable object | — |
| waking up | — | — |
| waving | touchable object | — |
| waving hands | — | — |
| wearing | carried object | — |
No names for kinds of action have yet been defined.
"[direction]" - going
"adjust", same as "set"
"answer [text] to [someone]" - answering it that reversed
"ask [someone] for [something]" - asking it for
"ask [someone] about [text]" - asking it about
"attach", same as "tie"
"attack [something]" - attacking
"awake", same as "wake"
"awaken", same as "wake"
"break", same as "attack"
"brief" - preferring sometimes abbreviated room descriptions
"burn [something]" - burning
"buy [something]" - buying
"carry", same as "take"
"check", same as "examine"
"chop", same as "cut"
"clean", same as "rub"
"clear", same as "push"
"climb [something]" - climbing
"climb up/over [something]" - climbing
"close [something]" - closing
"close up [something]" - closing
"close off [something]" - switching off
"consult [something] on/about [text]" - consulting it about
"cover", same as "close"
"crack", same as "attack"
"cross", same as "enter"
"cut [something]" - cutting
"describe", same as "examine"
"destroy", same as "attack"
"discard", same as "drop"
"display", same as "show"
"disrobe", same as "shed"
"doff", same as "shed"
"don", same as "wear"
"drag", same as "pull"
"drink [something]" - drinking
"drop [things preferably held]" - dropping
"drop [something preferably held] at/against [something]" - throwing it at
"drop [other things] in/into/down [something]" - inserting it into
"drop [other things] on/onto [something]" - putting it on
"dust", same as "rub"
"eat [something preferably held]" - eating
"embrace", same as "kiss"
"enter" - entering
"enter [something]" - entering
"examine [something]" - examining
"exit" - exiting
"fasten", same as "tie"
"feed", same as "give"
"feel", same as "touch"
"fight", same as "attack"
"get out/off/down/up" - exiting
"get in/on" - entering
"get [things]" - taking
"get in/into/on/onto [something]" - entering
"get off/down [something]" - getting off
"get [things inside] from [something]" - removing it from
"give [someone] [something preferably held]" - giving it to reversed
"give [something preferably held] to [someone]" - giving it to
"go" - going
"go [direction]" - going
"go [something]" - entering
"go into/in/inside/through [something]" - entering
"hear [something]" - listening to
"hit", same as "attack"
"hold", same as "take"
"hop", same as "jump"
"hug", same as "kiss"
"i", same as "inventory"
"insert [other things] in/into [something]" - inserting it into
"inv", same as "inventory"
"inventory" - taking inventory
"jump" - jumping
"kill", same as "attack"
"kiss [someone]" - kissing
"l", same as "look"
"leave", same as "exit"
"light", same as "burn"
"listen" - listening to
"listen to [something]" - listening to
"lock [something] with [something preferably held]" - locking it with
"long" - preferring unabbreviated room descriptions
"look" - looking
"look [something]" - examining
"look at [something]" - examining
"look inside/in/into/through [something]" - searching
"look under [something]" - looking under
"look up [text] in [something]" - consulting it about reversed
"move", same as "push"
"murder", same as "attack"
"nap", same as "sleep"
"no" - saying no
"normal" - preferring sometimes abbreviated room descriptions
"notify" - switching score notification on
"notify on" - switching score notification on
"notify off" - switching score notification off
"nouns" - requesting the pronoun meanings
"offer", same as "give"
"open [something]" - opening
"open [something] with [something preferably held]" - unlocking it with
"out", same as "exit"
"pay", same as "give"
"pick up [things]" - taking
"pick [things] up" - taking
"polish", same as "rub"
"present", same as "show"
"press", same as "push"
"pronouns" - requesting the pronoun meanings
"prune", same as "cut"
"pull [something]" - pulling
"punch", same as "attack"
"purchase", same as "buy"
"push [something]" - pushing
"push [something] [direction]" - pushing it to
"push [something] to [direction]" - pushing it to
"put on [something preferably held]" - wearing
"put [something preferably held] on" - wearing
"put down [things preferably held]" - dropping
"put [things preferably held] down" - dropping
"put [other things] in/inside/into [something]" - inserting it into
"put [other things] on/onto [something]" - putting it on
"q" - quitting the game
"quit" - quitting the game
"read [something]" - examining
"read about [text] in [something]" - consulting it about reversed
"read [text] in [something]" - consulting it about reversed
"remove [something preferably held]" - taking off
"remove [things inside] from [something]" - removing it from
"restart" - restarting the game
"restore" - restoring the game
"rotate", same as "turn"
"rub [something]" - rubbing
"run", same as "go"
"save" - saving the game
"say", same as "answer"
"scale", same as "climb"
"score" - requesting the score
"screw", same as "turn"
"script" - switching the story transcript on
"script on" - switching the story transcript on
"script off" - switching the story transcript off
"scrub", same as "rub"
"search [something]" - searching
"set [something] to [text]" - setting it to
"shed [something preferably held]" - taking off
"shift", same as "push"
"shine", same as "rub"
"short" - preferring abbreviated room descriptions
"shout", same as "answer"
"show [someone] [something preferably held]" - showing it to reversed
"show [something preferably held] to [someone]" - showing it to
"shut", same as "close"
"sip", same as "drink"
"sit on/in/inside [something]" - entering
"sit on top of [something]" - entering
"skip", same as "jump"
"sleep" - sleeping
"slice", same as "cut"
"smash", same as "attack"
"smell" - smelling
"smell [something]" - smelling
"sniff", same as "smell"
"sorry" - saying sorry
"speak", same as "answer"
"squash", same as "squeeze"
"squeeze [something]" - squeezing
"stand" - exiting
"stand up" - exiting
"stand on [something]" - entering
"superbrief" - preferring abbreviated room descriptions
"swallow", same as "drink"
"sweep", same as "rub"
"swing [something]" - swinging
"swing on [something]" - swinging
"switch [something switched on]" - switching off
"switch [something]" - switching on
"switch on [something]" - switching on
"switch [something] on" - switching on
"switch [something] off" - switching off
"switch off [something]" - switching off
"take inventory" - taking inventory
"take [things]" - taking
"take off [something]" - taking off
"take [something] off" - taking off
"take [things inside] from [something]" - removing it from
"take [things inside] off [something]" - removing it from
"taste [something]" - tasting
"tell [someone] about [text]" - telling it about
"think" - thinking
"throw", same as "drop"
"thump", same as "attack"
"tie [something] to [something]" - tying it to
"torture", same as "attack"
"touch [something]" - touching
"transcript" - switching the story transcript on
"transcript on" - switching the story transcript on
"transcript off" - switching the story transcript off
"turn [something]" - turning
"turn [something] on" - switching on
"turn on [something]" - switching on
"turn [something] off" - switching off
"turn off [something]" - switching off
"twist", same as "turn"
"uncover", same as "open"
"unlock [something] with [something preferably held]" - unlocking it with
"unscrew", same as "turn"
"unwrap", same as "open"
"verbose" - preferring unabbreviated room descriptions
"verify" - verifying the story file
"version" - requesting the story file version
"wait" - waiting
"wake" - waking up
"wake up" - waking up
"wake [someone]" - waking
"wake [someone] up" - waking
"wake up [someone]" - waking
"walk", same as "go"
"watch", same as "examine"
"wave" - waving hands
"wave [something]" - waving
"wear [something preferably held]" - wearing
"wipe", same as "rub"
"wreck", same as "attack"
"x", same as "examine"
"y", same as "yes"
"yes" - saying yes
"z", same as "wait"
In addition to the tokens listed below, any description of an object or value can be used: for example, "[number]" matches text like 127 or SIX, and "[open door]" matches the name of any nearby door which is currently open.
Names of objects are normally understood only when they are within sight, but writing "any" lifts this restriction. So "[any person]" allows every name of a person, wherever they happen to be.
"[anybody]" - same as "[someone]"
"[anyone]" - same as "[someone]"
"[anything]" - same as "[thing]"
"[somebody]" - same as "[someone]"
"[something]" - same as "[thing]"