4.2.The main verbal properties: valency, transitivity, objectivity, predicativity.

VALENCY — THE NUMBER OF ARGUMENTS THAT THE VERB TAKES.

Verbal valancy may be two types : obligatory and optional.

The obligatory valency is such as must necessarily be realised for the sake of the grammatical completion of the syntactic construction

E.g.: We saw a house.

I give Peter a book.

The optional valency, is such as is not necessarily realised in grammatically complete constructions: We saw a house (in the distance).

TRANSITIVITY —THE ABILITY OF THE VERB TO TAKE A DIRECT OBJECT

OBJECTIVITY — THE ABILITY OF THE VERB TO TAKE ANY OBJECT

PREDICATIVITY — THE ABILITY OF THE VERB TO REFLECT SOME PART OF REALITY THROUGH THE DENOTED PROCESS OR ACTION OR STATE.

₪ SOME POINTS TO CLARIFY:

1. Are there any verbs in English that may have zero valancy?

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2. What determines the transitivity?

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3. Do all English verbs have objectivity?

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4. Do all English verbs have predicativity?

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4.3. The main verbal categories and oppositions.

Verbs are to express predication and modality.

PREDICATION — THE REFLEXION OF SOME PART OF REALITY PRESENTED THROUGH THE PROCESS DENOTED IN THE SENTENCE BY THE NOTIONAL VERB.

Predication is presented in the following verbal categories of

The category of tense

The category of voices

The category of aspect

MODALITY — THE REFLEXION OF SOME PART OF REALITY INCLUDING SOME PERSONAL SPEAKER’S ATTITUDE.

Modality may be expressed both by verbs(semi-notional and functional) and some functional words(modal words)

Modality is expressed through the category of mood

0. The main verbal oppositions

№	CATEGORY	OPPOSITION	STRONG MEMBER
1.	FININUDE	Finite-non-finite	finite
2.	TENSE	primary –prospect	primary
3.	VOICE	active-passive	active
4.	ASPECT	perfect-non perfect continuous –non continuous	non –perfect non continuous
5.	MOOD	indicative-non indicative	indicative
6.	NUMBER	Singular-plural	plural
7.	PERSON	3-rd — non 3rd	non 3rd