Word-formative and word-changing systems of the Verb

Word-changing system of the Verb is richer in comparison with other parts of speech.

There are two main means of word-changing of the Verb

Synthetic		Analytical
Is characteristic to inflective languages   For example: Work – works – worked		In English the Verb is the only part of speech which analytical forms   For example: Have worked, has been working, is working, etc.

Drawing 5.1. Two main means of word-changing of the Verb

Word-formative system is rather poor.

There are three main means of word-formation of the Verb

Affixation	Conversion		Reversion
(adding an affix to create a verb)	(a change from one part of speech into another)		(returning to a former state by rejecting the suffix of a noun)
1. The suffix -en (of the Germanic/Teutonic origin) For example: to redden	For example: Water (the noun) – to water A convict – to convict		For example: Sea-bathing – to sea-bathe Blackmailer – to blackmail
2. The suffix -y (of the Roman origin)
For example: to magnify
3. The suffix -ize (of ? origin)
For example: to mobilize

Drawing 5.2. Three main means of word-formation of the Verb

Classification of verbs

There are three main classifications of verbs based on the different principles.

Morphological Classification

The classification is based on the Principle of Form (tab. 5.1).

Table 5.1

Scheme of Morphological Classification of Verbs

	Verbs
Regular	Irregular
Characteristics	The stem of a verb + the suffix –ed	Past tenses and past participle are formed by other means (a word changes in its stem)
Examples	They invited us for a party. We have studied the problem. You have been asked an important question.	He brought an exquisite book. She has gone to Liverpool We have been taught since our cradle.

Semantic Classification

There are three main subclassifications that are based on the Principle of Meaning, both Lexical and Grammatical (tab. 5.2).

Table 5.2

Scheme of the 1^st Semantic Classification of Verbs

	Verbs
Categorematic	Auxiliary	Modal
Characteristics	1. Have Lexical Mean ings 2. Can change their forms synthetically or analytically	1. Do not have Lexical Meaning. 2. Have Grammatical Meaning to express peculiarities of the elapsed time	1. Have a propriety to express people’s cognitive-emotive attitude to reality. 2. Have pure morphological characteristics: a) are marked with the defective paradigm (hardly change their forms); b) can correlate only with the Infinitive (a verbal)
Examples	Last time we quickly completed the project. We have already done the work.	Where are you going? Do not be too nervous! I have just come.	He must be going home now. She might have done the work. You should be more attentive.

*There is a problem, a certain confusion:

1) auxiliary verbs can also be Categorematic in accordance with the function they serve in a sentence, for example:

I have a dog (Categorematic). I have bought a dog (auxiliary).

She does a lot to help him (Categorematic). She does not know how to help him (auxiliary).

To be or not to be? (Categorematic). We are the champions (auxiliary, linking verb). They are studying now (auxiliary);

2) there are also some linking verbs Lexical Meanings of which have completely disappeared, for example:

He grew thin (Он похудел). She turned pail (Она побледнела). They grew red (Они покраснели). We felt cold (мы замерзли).

There are also some linking verbs that has kept their Lexical Meanings, for example:

He felt a cold touch (Он почувствовал холодное прикосновение).

A characteristic feature of Linking Verb is that it can correlate with an adjective (which is treated as the main word).

Table 5.3

Scheme of the 2^nd Semantic Classification of Verbs

	Verbs
Limited	Unlimited	Dual
Characteristics	Characterized with the intention to express a completed action	Express an action as constant duration, subsequent state is unknown	In accordance with contextual circumstances express either one or another meaning (of a completed action or of constant duration)
Examples	To catch, to fall, to find, to die	To sit, to be, to know, to exist	To laugh, to look, to live To move: He moved away quickly (limited). Nothing moved along the road (unlimited).

The 3^rd version of Semantic Classification includes the following types:

1) the verbs of feelings and perception which are not used in Continuous (e.g., to feel, to love, to hear, etc.);

2) the verbs of mental, intellectual, activity (e.g., to think, to cognize, etc.);

3) the verbs of psychic states which are not used in the Passive Voice (e.g., to understand, to know, to comprehend, etc.);

4) the verbs of speech (e.g., to speak, to talk, to say, to tell, to proclaim, to declare, etc.);

5) the verbs of movement and location in the space (e.g., to move, to run, to settle, etc.);

6) other verbs that can not be classified in this version. They are usually classified in the 1^st and 2^nd versions (e.g., to find, to have, to complete, etc.).

Syntactic Classification

The classification is based on the Principle of Syntactic Behaviour (tab. 5.3)

Table 5.4