What is Lexical Verb?
Definition of Lexical Verb
Lexical verb is also called as main verb or full verb. We can
define it as “Lexical verb is any verb that is not an auxiliary verb (helping
verb)”. The verb phrase used is a sentence is headed by the lexical verb.
What is Lexical Verb
Lexical verbs are used as the main verb
in the sentence. It carries real-world and semantic meaning that’s why called
as the main verb. Lexical verbs are open-class of verbs which contains all
verbs except auxiliary verb. Lexical verb denotes the main action to which the
subject is engaged in. It does not require the presence of an auxiliary verb in
the sentence whereas an auxiliary verb is used in the sentence only to help a
lexical verb. Lexical verb can exist alone in the sentence.
For Example:
- You
- He laughed.
- They ran.
- She danced in
public.
- He googled my
question to know the answer.
What are the differences between lexical
verbs and auxiliary verbs?
- Auxiliary verbs become the helping
verbs in the sentence. They help or support something else in the sentence
and become the secondary to something more significant.
- Lexical verbs become main verbs in
the phrase or sentence. Lexical verbs can be any verb which is not
auxiliary verb. It carries its own meaning that’s why can exist alone in
the sentence and don't necessarily need the use of helping or auxiliary
verb.
For example:
I was acting very fast today at the carnival. (In this
sentence, ‘was’ is auxiliary verb whereas ‘acting’ is lexical verb as it
describes the main state or action of the subject.
Whenever I go to the restaurant, I will want the crab.
(In this sentence, ‘will’ is auxiliary verb and ‘want’ is lexical verb as it
shows main action of the subject).
- Examples of auxiliary verbs are
like: may, be, was, is, had, has, have, could, would, can, did, might,
etc.
- Examples of lexical verbs are
like: run, laugh, see, think, want, act, pull, walk, go, make, etc.
Examples of Lexical Verbs/Use of Lexical
Verbs in the Sentence
Following are some examples showing the use of lexical
verbs in the sentence:
Simple tenses use only the lexical verbs in the form:
subject + lexical verb. Such as:
- I run.
- I ate.
- I walked.
- I laughed.
- I tried.
Continuous or perfect tenses use both, an auxiliary verb
and a lexical verb in the form: subject + auxiliary verb + lexical verb. Such
as:
- I had run.
- I was acting.
- I was eating.
- I was laughing.
- I was walking.
- I was drawing.
Lexical verbs can exist alone; however, auxiliary verbs
require the use of lexical verbs to make sense. Such as:
- She will in the garden. (It is the
sentence with auxiliary verb but without lexical verb which makes no
sense.)
- She will dance in the garden. (In
this sentence, ‘will’ is auxiliary verb and ‘dance’ is lexical verb. Thus
sentence is complete and makes sense.)
- He rested in the Five Star Hotel.
(It is the sentence with only lexical verb ‘rested’; however, makes sense
and complete without use of auxiliary verb.)
- He was organizing fresher party
last week. (It is the sentence with both, auxiliary verb ‘was’ and lexical
verb ‘organizing’.)
Lexical Verb Exercises for you
Lexical verb exercises given below will help you in
analyzing your knowledge about lexical verb. Just go through all the details
given above about the lexical verb and check your skill by doing following
exercises for lexical verb. We have used lexical verbs in the following
sentences; you need to check your skill by identifying lexical verbs in each
sentence:
- I will have the dinner.
- I do my homework daily on the way
to school.
- She laughed only on my interesting
jokes.
- He sings song very well.
- He ran very slowly.
- My class teacher scolded me.
- He loves Chinese recipes very
much.
- I have taken a dog from obedience
training.
- I will pretend myself to be
asleep.
- I will be attending the meeting
this evening next week.
- I will buy this jacket for you.
- I am giving haircut service for 30
years.
- He will pick me at my home.
- She will not bring lunch today.
- I will not go to school today.
- My mother will give me birthday
present.
- We go to abroad this summer.
- I will celebrate my birthday in
the five star restaurant.
- I am doing preparations for my
final exams.
- I was studying in London in those
days.
Answers:
1 – have, 2 – do, 3 – laughed, 4 – sings, 5 – ran, 6 – scolded, 7 – loves, 8 –
taken, 9 – pretend, 10 – attending, 11 – buy, 12 – giving, 13 – pick, 14 –
bring, 15 – go, 16 – give, 17 – go, 18 – celebrate, 19 – doing, 20 – studying
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