1. The verb. Problems of classification

Traditional grammar defines the verb semantically. This is as a part of speech which denotes actions and processes. But this definition is only partly true, as there are many verbs which denote neither actions, nor processes,

E.g. to belong, to consist, to include

On the other hand, the same semantic content can be expressed by a verb and by non-verbal form,

E.g. He is sleeping. He is asleep.

Writing a letter. The writing of the letter.

Many modern American grammarians define the verb commonly as a class of words which have the paradigm of the type: write, writes, writing, wrote, written. However, different verbs have different paradigmatic sets,

E.g. the verb 'to be' has 8 forms; 'to write' – 5 forms; 'to ask' – 4 forms; 'to cut' – 3 forms; 'can' – 2 forms; 'must, ought' – 1.

Besides, this leaves out of the count is so-called analytical forms, which form such an important part in the system of the English verb.

Verbs are divided into two big classes: auxiliary verbs and main (notional/lexical) verbs. Auxiliary verbs are function words which play an important structural role forming analytical forms, questions, negations, etc. Here belong such verbs as 'be', 'have', 'do', and model verbs. Main verbs are further divided into two classes: intransitive and transitive. An intransitive verb can form a verb phrase alone or accompanied by a verbal modifier, which is usually an adverb or a prepositional phrase,

E.g. speaks quickly, lives in London, comes at night

A special subgroup of intransitive verbs is the so-called copulative (link) verbs, which are followed by predicative compliments,

E.g. is a teacher, becomes angry, seems happy

A transitive verb is followed as a rule by its object, that is a noun or a noun phrase,

E.g. writing a letter

2. Grammatical categories of the verb

Verbal categories form into 2 groups:

1) Those that are common to both finite (личные) and non-finite verbal forms;

2) Those that characterize only finite forms and are lacking among the non-finite forms of the verbs.

The first group includes the category of voice, aspect (вид) and phase, the second those of tense, person, mood and number.

The category of voice

The category of voice is based on the opposition of two form classes: active (unmarked) and passive (marked analytical). The active form class being unmarked expresses a number of semantic relations such as active proper (He opened the door), middle (The door opened), reflexive - возвратный (He washed), reciprocal (They kissed), etc. These are not different voices, but different uses of the same active voice, whose general meaning may be best characterized negatively as non-passive.

The passive voice has a narrower and more definite meaning. An action which is aimed at the subject from outside (i.e. the sentence subject is semantic the object of the action).

The category of aspect

The category of aspect is constituted by the opposition of two form classes: non-continuous (unmarked) and continuous (marked analytical). The non-continuous form class does not give the verb any definite semantic characteristics, while the continuous expresses two semantic components (elementary grammatical meanings):

1) Duration;

2) Definiteness,

That is the verbal action is presented in its duration at a definite point of time,

E.g. When I came in, John was writing a letter.

With the Present Continuous the moment of speaking is taken as the point of time,

E.g. John is writing a letter.

The category of phase (order/correlation)

The category of phase is based on the opposition of the two form classes: non-perfect (unmarked) and perfect (marked analytical). The non-perfect form class does not give the verb any definite semantic characteristics. The perfect form class, on the other hand, characterizes the verb by two elementary semantic components:

1) Priority;

2) Correlation,

That is the verbal action is presented as prior to some action or moment of the time and correlated with it. This may be either the moment of speaking (for the Present Perfect) or some moment of the time in the past (for the Past Perfect).

The category of tense

The category of tense is constituted by the opposition of two form classes: non-past and past. The non-past form class is traditionally called present. However, it is unmarked form class, which has a number of semantic functions, such as present proper (He lives in London), habutual actions (The sun rises in the East), timeless actions (eternal truth - Water contains hydrogen and oxygen), future events (He arrives tomorrow), etc.

The past form class being marked has a narrower semantic content.

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