Verbs 1: Four definitions

Definition #1

• A verb is an action word. It shows the action in the sentence.

Source: Sr. Mary Agatha, St. Gabriel’s Catholic School, 1968.

Definition #2• A verb is the central unit of any sentence or

clause, and all the other words in a sentence take grammatical form based on how they relate to it. A verb can express action (run, live, change), or states of being (is, are) or occurrences (happen, become). Sentences can have more than one verb. A clause is a sub-unit of a sentence that has one verb.

Source: The Brief Thomson Handbook (sec. 30c)

Definition #3

• A verb is a word that characteristically is the grammatical center of a predicate and expresses an act, occurrence, or mode of being, that in various languages is inflected for agreement with the subject, for tense, for voice, for mood, or for aspect, and that typically has rather full descriptive meaning and characterizing quality but is sometimes nearly devoid of these especially when used as an auxiliary or linking verb.

Source: www.merriamwebster.com

Definition #4

A definition that works is one based on structure and function rather than meaning.

Some structural and functional properties of verbs are:

1. If tense is marked anywhere in the clause it is marked on a verb, the first verb in the verb phrase.

2. If aspect is marked anywhere in the clause, it is marked on (and with) a verb.

3. In the present tense in a finite clause, the first verb in the verb phrase marks agreement with the subject in person and in number.

Definition #4: continued

4. Verbs occur in two main subclasses: auxiliary and lexical (main) verbs. The order of these auxiliaries and the main verb is fixed.

5. Only verbs can be operators. An operator precedes the subject in a yes-no question and immediately precedes the negative “not” and can contract with the negative “not.”

Source: Lynn Gordon: Engl 255 Textbook

Similarities in Verb Definitions

VERBS:

• Can express different ideas (actions, states of being, occurrences)

• Can change in form (past tense, agreement, etc.)

• Can behave in certain ways (form questions, negatives)

Differences in Verb Definitions

MEANING BASED DEFINITIONS:

• Confusing

• Examples:His reaction is wonderful.

Her understanding seemed clear.

More Differences

STRUCTURE/FUNCTION BASED DEFINITIONS:

• provide ways to test words to see if they are verbs.

• require evidence to prove that words are verbs. These tests can be challenging to learn, but produce consistently reliable results.

An Example

A test for the past tense:His reaction is wonderful. – His (hised?) – Reaction (reactioned?)– Is (was)– Wonderful (wonderfuled)?

Test result: “Is” must be the verb in this sentence.