3. Semantic classifications of the verb

Semantic classifications of the verb may be undertaken from different standpoints (точка зрения).

Grammatically important is the division of verbs into the following classes:

Actional verbs, which denote actions proper (do, make, go, read, etc.) and statal verbs, which denote state (be, exist, lie, sit, know, etc.) or relations (fit, belong, have, match, cost, etc.). The difference in their categorical meaning affects their morphological paradigm: statal and relational verbs have no passive voice (though some have forms coinciding with the passive voice as in The curtains and the carpet were matched). Also statal and relational verbs generally are not used in the continuous and perfect continuous tenses. Their occasional use in these tenses is always exceptional and results in the change of meaning.

According to the syntactic function of verbs, they are divided into notional verbs (смысловой), auxiliary verbs (вспомогательный) and link verbs (глагол связка).

Notional verbs are those which have a full meaning of their own and can be used without any additional words as a simple predicate: She knew what he was thinking.

Auxiliary verbs are those which have lost their meaning and are used only as form words, thus having only a grammatical function. They are used in analytical forms: to do, to have, shall, will, should, would.

Link verbs are verbs which to a smaller or greater extent have lost their meaning and are used in the compound nominal predicate: The house was big. He looked pale.

There is a special group of verbs which cannot be used without additional words, though they have the meaning of their own. These are modal verbs: can, may, must, ought, etc.

From the syntactic standpoint verbs may be subdivided into transitive (['træn(t)sətɪv], переходные) and intransitive (непереходные) ones.

Transitive verbs can take a direct object: to take, to give, to send, to make, to see, to bring, to love: Jane is helping her sister.

Intransitive verbs cannot take a direct object: to stand, to sleep, to laugh, to think, to swim.

There are many verbs in English that can function as both transitive and intransitive.

Tom is writing a letter. (transitive) – Tom writes clearly. (intransitive)

Who has broken the cup? (transitive) – Glass breaks easily. (intransitive)

Jane stood near the piano. (intransitive) – Jane stood the vase on the piano. (transitive).

The division of verbs into terminative and non-terminative depends on the aspectual characteristic in the lexical meaning of the verb which influences the use of aspect forms.

Terminative verbs (предельные глаголы) besides their specific meaning contain the idea that the action must be fulfilled and come to an end, reaching some point where it has logically to stop. These are such verbs as sit down, come, fall, stop, begin, open, close, shut, die, bring, find, etc.

Non-terminative, or durative verbs(непредельные глаголы) imply that actions or states expressed by these verbs may go on indefinitely without reaching any logically necessary final point. These are such verbs as carry, run, walk, sleep, stand, sit, live, know, suppose, talk, speak, etc.

The end, which is simply an interruption of these actions, may be shown only by means of some adverbial modifier:

He slept till nine in the morning.

Can you see well? (non-terminative)

I see nothing there. (terminative)