Division of verbs

Question

Hi there, teachers:

I'm confused about something. Can we divide verbs according to what they can take after them, for example, in a verb phrase?

A verb, for example, can be transitive, i.e., it can take objects after it.

A can be intransitive, i.e., it doesn't require any object after it in the verb phrase.

A verb can be a linking verb. The element that connects or links a subject to its complement.

Can we divide verbs in that manner? Please help.

Thank you.

Englishmaven · Accepted Answer

I have a few thoughts here.
You are asking if verbs can be further categorized according to what must follow them, right?

You might be interested in looking "verbs followed by prepositions."
~~What are you crying?~~ What are you crying about?

Some verbs must be followed by a gerund, while others must be followed by an infinitive. There are some that can be followed by a gerund or an infinitive.

He started talking.
He started to talk.

Sometimes the meaning is different with the gerund from what it would be with the infinitive.
I remembered going to the party.
I remembered to go to the party.

Some verbs require certain semantic constraints on the words that follow them.
We don't say, "Yesterday, I roasted some cookies." We have to "bake" cookies.
You might look into semantic constraints on verbs.

Anonymous · Answer

EnglishmavenYou are asking if verbs can be further categorized according to what must follow them, right?

Yes, that's exactly what I was asking about. Thanks for your reply!

EnglishmavenYou might be interested in looking "verbs folby prepositions."What are you crying? What are you crying about?

Those verbs are (or can be) referred to as "prepositional verbs", right?

I'd like to ask you another thing, please. Are "linking verbs" different from "stative verbs"? If yes, then could you please explain that difference?

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousDivision of verbs

Verbs can be divided into categories in many ways.

transitive verbs, intransitive verbs, ditransitive verbs, linking verbs, auxiliary verbs, modal verbs, stative verbs, dynamic verbs, ergative verbs, reflexive verbs, phrasal verbs, prepositional verbs

Google "verb types" and you might find a lot of articles that will help.

CJ

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousAre "linking verbs" different from "stative verbs"?

Yes. Stative verbs are just verbs that don't express action, like 'understand', 'have', 'contain', 'own', 'know'. These don't have to be linking verbs, however. That is, they may have objects: I have a brother. She knows the truth. The glass contains water.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJimStative verbs are just verbs that don't express action,

But, sir, "linking" verbs, too, don't express actions or occurrance. Am I right, please?

For example, the linking verbs, in the following, sentences don't indicate any action:

-She is sad. ("is", here, is describing a "state")
-The weather seems nice. (the linking verb "seems" in this sentence doesn't indicate any occurrance or action)

I'm still confused about "linking verbs" and "state verbs". Please make the distinction between them a little more clear.

Thank you.

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymous"linking" verbs~~, too,~~ don't express actions or occurrences either.

Correct. They're stative, not dynamic.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

anonymousHi there, teachers:
I'm confused about something. Can we divide verbs accordi

ng to what they can take after them, for example, in a verb phrase?
A verb, for example, can be transitive, i.e., it can take objects after it.
A can be intransitive, i.e., it doesn't require any object after it in the verb phrase.
A verb can be a linking verb. The element that connects or links a subject to its complement.
Can we divide verbs in that manner? Please help.
Thank you.

Division of verbs

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