English verbs may
be classified in accordance with:
a)
Composition
b)
Derivation
c)
Basic forms
d) Content
1.
Classification
of verbs in accordance with composition:
a) simple verbs: verbs which cannot
be decomposed into morphological elements: to go, to ask, to read, to speak
b) compound verbs: are formed of two or more morphological
elements (parts of speech). They are represented by words written together or
separated by a hyphen: whitemask,
broadcast, waylay
c) complex verbs: is made up of a
principal verb and adverb or an adjective: to fall short (/to get scarce), to
go out, to go back
d) verbal phrases (locutiuni
verbale): must contain a noun in its structure. A verbal phrase may be replaced
by a simple verb: to have a drink = to drink
2. Classification
in point of derivation:
a) Affixation: is a language device
by means of which we can expand the meaning of a word adding a suffix or a
prefix to it: to outgrow, to uncover, to create, to anticipate
b) Conversion: the most frequent
aspect of conversion is verbalization of nouns: iron- to iron; paper – to paper
c) Contraction: contracted verbal
forms are extensively used in colloquial English ; ‘ve, ‘d, ‘m.
3. Classification
in point of Basic Forms: regular verbs and irregular verbs
4. Classification
of verbs in point of content
Verbs can be
divided into 3 classes:
- A
notional verb is a verb which has an independent meaning and function in the
sentence
- A
semi-auxiliary verb has no independent meaning and no independent function in
the sentence
- An
auxiliary verb has no lexical meaning; its meaning is purely grammatical , it
serves to build up the analytical forms of the English verbs.