Learn English
Lexical Verb
Phonetics:
leksɪkl
vɜːb
Pronunciation:
Lexical Verbs: Sculpting the Essence of English Communication
Comprehensive Definition, Description, Examples & Rules
Introduction to Lexical Verbs
The primary verbs (or action words) in a sentence are known as a lexical verb. They may depict an action taken by the person or convey an emotion.
Lexical Verbs example:
Lexical verbs include words like “run,” “laugh,” “see,” “think,” “want,” “act,” “pull,” “walk,” “go,” “make,” etc.
The nighttime sky looks beautiful. The lexical verb in this sentence is “looks,” which describes the subject, “the nighttime sky” as it is at the moment.
Role of Lexical Verbs in English Grammar
The primary verb in the sentence is a lexical verb. It is known as the major verb since it has a concrete and semantic meaning. All verbs, excluding auxiliary verbs, are included in lexical verbs, which are open-class verbs. The primary action that the subject is involved in is indicated by the lexical verb. While an auxiliary verb is only employed in a sentence to support a lexical verb, the sentence doesn’t need to contain one. A lexical verb may be used by itself in a sentence.
Lexical verbs examples:
- You succeeded.
- He chuckled.
- They fled.
- She danced.
- He looked up the answer to my query on Google.
Importance of Lexical Verbs in Communication
Here are a few examples of how to employ lexical verbs in sentences:
Only lexical verbs in the subject + lexical verb format are used in simple tenses.
- I run.
- I ate.
- I moved my feet.
- I sang.
- I did.
Both an auxiliary verb and a lexical verb are used in the continuous or perfect tenses in the following format: subject + auxiliary verb + lexical verb. like as
- I had fled.
- I played a part.
- I had a meal.
- I laughed.
- I was on foot.
- I was sketching.
Characteristics of Lexical Verbs
Lexical verbs differ for:
- Tense: Give – gave
- Person: give – gives
- Aspect: is giving – has given
- Voice: give – is given
The structure of lexical verbs also varies:
This division is made into:
- Simple verbs: go, come, take
- Derived verbs: evaluate, escalate, hyphenate
- Compound verbs: put on, take away, get off
Characteristics of Syntax
- Lexical verbs may appear as the subject or object of a verb: will be speaking to her.
- Lexical verbs are utilised as the focal point of a clause: They closed the lid.
Characteristics of Semantics
Lexical verbs could signify:
- Actions: take, tear up, walk
- Procedures: deteriorate, grow, and burn
- Declares: rest, watch, and wait.
- Relationships: constitute, belong
Examples of Lexical Verbs
The lexical verb’s primary function is to serve as the sentence’s main verb. The verb gives the reader or listener important details tying the subject and the object together. While many auxiliary verbs can also double as main verbs, lexical verbs like “play,” “paint,” and “record” stand out because they always function as the lexical verb and provide extremely particular information.
Example 1: Running, Jumping, Singing
- Ramya is running to the ground
- Shreya was jumping on the bed.
- Mannu is singing the oldest song.
Example 2: Eating, Sleeping, Writing
- Indhu was eating the whole food.
- You were sleeping yesterday while class was going on.
- Everyone is writing their exams now.
Example 3: Talking, Laughing, Dancing
- Karthik is talking too much.
- You guys were laughing like anything.
- He is dancing very well.
Types of lexical verbs
The primary verbs (or action words) in a sentence are known as lexical verbs. They may depict an action taken by the person or convey an emotion. They can be divided into numerous groups, including linking, transitive, intransitive, dynamic, and static.
Verbs: Transitive and Intransitive
A direct object is required for a transitive verb to express action and to receive that action. An illustration is “Alan sees the candle.” The transitive lexical verb in the sentence is seen. Because it gets the action (sees), the candle is the direct object. While expressing action, intransitive verbs have no bearing on the direct object. The lexical verb is “dances” in the sentence “Alan dances,” for instance. Because a direct object is not involved, it is intransitive.
Connecting Verbs
The subject of a sentence is linked to information about itself using linking verbs. Many times, linking verbs express states of being. Here’s an illustration: “The sky changed to dark.” The linking verb in this instance is because it links the subject (sky) and the description (dark). The verbs appear, remain, is, and be are other examples of connecting verbs.
Mental Verbs
Verbs with dynamism convey motion. The verbs boil, explode, and go are all dynamic. As in “John’s cake exploded.” In this case, the verb explosion was an action that the cake could carry out. Stative verbs don’t describe an action but rather a circumstance or state. Stative verbs include, prefer, and surprise. As in “The exploding cake surprised John.” The surprise here refers to John’s reaction to the cake rather than its actual effects.
Action Verbs
Lexical verbs can be categorised as either regular or irregular. When they are written in the past tense, their endings differ from one another. Regular past tense verbs frequently end with the suffix “-ed.” Unlike irregular verbs.
The verb looks, which serves as the main verb in the sentence “She looks in the mirror,” is a common verb. The look is used in the past tense as looked. So, if the sentence were in the past tense, it would read, “She looked in the mirror.”
Unreliable Main Verbs
Buy is an example of an irregular verb, on the other hand. In the past tense, the spelling varies irregularly. There is no -ed at the end. bought is the past tense of the verb buy. You may use the present tense to say, “She purchases a mirror.” “She bought a mirror” would be the past tense.
Not every irregular verb changes its spelling to reflect the past tense. For instance, the verb cut is unchanged throughout all tenses.
Phrasal Verbs
Lexical verbs can occasionally draw support from other verbs. The main verbs are assisted by auxiliary (or supporting) verbs in expressing the degree of time and mood. It is not accepted that auxiliary verbs are lexical verbs in and of themselves. The words require, will, might, and can all serve as aids. “I need to go right now,” is how you say it, and need is the supporting verb. It gives the lexical verb “go” more force.
Distinction Between Lexical Verbs and Auxiliary Verbs
Auxiliary verbs give grammatical information, whereas lexical verbs provide information about content and meaning. This is the primary distinction. Lexical verbs may be employed alone but auxiliary verbs are not. The structure and meaning of a sentence depend on both lexical and auxiliary verbs.
A lexical verb, often known as a full verb or main verb, broadly refers to all verbs other than auxiliary verbs. Lexical verbs depict the event, action, or state that is occurring in a sentence.
Verbs that are not lexical fall under the category of auxiliary verbs. This indicates that their purpose is more closely related to sentence grammar than to informational content. They are sometimes referred to as helping or helper verbs.
Using Lexical Verbs in Sentences
Using the appropriate verb tense for the noun that occupies the subject position in your phrase is known as subject-verb agreement. Use a singular verb form if your sentence’s grammatical subject is singular; if it’s plural, use a plural verb form. When the verb ends don’t match the subject, the subject and verb are said to disagree.
- You are welcome to our lab.
- I am running an organisation.
- It is raining even though it is sunny.
Common Errors with Lexical Verbs
One of the most frequent mistakes made with verbs is the incorrect verb tense. It is when a statement has an incorrect verb. Because they specify the timing of an action or an event, tenses are significant. The incorrect action tense will convey the incorrect message. You must be certain of the tense and write it down accurately to avoid making this mistake and convey the intended meaning.
Subject-verb agreement mistakes happen far more frequently as sentences get longer and more complex. Be wary of the following challenging circumstances:
When the subject and verb are separated by several words, it’s common yet incorrect to have the verb agree with the nearest noun.
Eg: The reliability of many IQ tests has been studied in recent years.
Reliability is the topic of this statement, hence the verb should have been questioned.
Transform Your English Skills
Free sign-up for a personalised dashboard, learning tools, and unlimited possibilities!
Sign up Now
Key Takeaways
- The primary verbs (or action words) in a sentence are known as lexical verbs.
- The primary verb in the sentence is a lexical verb. It is known as the major verb since it has a concrete and semantic meaning.
- The lexical verb’s primary function is to serve as the sentence’s main verb.
- The verb gives the reader or listener important details tying the subject and the object together.
- Both an auxiliary verb and a lexical verb are used in the continuous or perfect tenses in the following format: subject + auxiliary verb + lexical verb.
Quiz
Question comes here
Frequently Asked Questions
Lexical verbs often express the meaning of an action, a situation, or another predicate. Auxiliary verbs, on the other hand, convey grammatical meaning. A lexical verb typically serves as the subject of the verb phrase in a sentence.
The primary verbs (or action words) in a sentence are known as lexical verbs. They may depict an action taken by the person or convey an emotion. This word refers to the essential verb of a phrase, the one that frequently conveys the activity or condition of the target.
Lexical verbs can express the simple present, simple past, simple future, present continuous, past continuous, and future continuous tenses.
Walk, sing, and ride are examples of lexical verbs that can only be used as main verbs. The three basic verbs—be, have, and do, can serve as both main and auxiliary verbs. The auxiliary verb is only used for modal verbs, which include can, could, shall, should, will, would, may, might, and must.
A unique category of lexical verbs is phrasal verbs. Phrasal verbs are verbs made up of more than one word, as opposed to lexical verbs, which are single-word items:
Example: Put on your lab coat
Fluency in communication, speaking, and writing will be made easier by using lexical verbs in everyday speech. For beginners to acquire lexical verbs and use them in their writing and speaking as a means of enhancing communication, the Edulyte worksheet will be more beneficial.
