1.2.6
Dynamic & Stative Verbs
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Lexis - Dynamic Verbs
One way we can classify verbs is by their state.

Dynamic verbs
- Dynamic verbs are actions that can start and end.
- For example, shout, hit and build.
- These verbs can either be material or verbal.

Material verbs
- Material verbs are concerned with events.

Material verbs - examples
- Anna drove to work.
- Drove is the material dynamic verb.
- James parked his car.
- Parked is the material dynamic verb.
- Eddy melted butter in the pan.
- Melted is the material dynamic verb.

Verbal verbs
- Verbal verbs are concerned with a communication.

Verbal verbs - examples
- Anna sang the song on her way to work.
- Sang is the verbal dynamic verb.
- Molly and Billie spoke for hours.
- Spoke is the verbal dynamic verb.
- Kenji shouted at his mother.
- Shouted is the verbal dynamic verb.
Lexis - Stative Verbs
One way we can classify verbs is by their state.

Stative verbs
- Stative verbs describe actions/states which are quite constant.
- For example, think, believe and love.
- These can be broken down into mental (or cognitive) or relational.

Mental verbs
- Mental stative verbs describe an intrinsic process.

Mental verbs - examples
- Ellie thought about writing a book.
- Here, ‘thought’ is a stative mental verb.
- Sally loved her brother dearly.
- Here, 'loved' is a stative mental verb.
- I do believe in fairies.
- Here, 'believe' is a stative mental verb.

Relational verbs
- Relational stative verbs show the relation between things or show a state of being.

Relational verbs - examples
- Ellie became an author.
- Here, ‘became’ is a stative relational verb.
- Isaac owns three cars.
- Here, 'owns' is a stative relational verb.
- The box contains my socks.
- Here, 'contains' is a stative relational verb.
1Language Levels
1.1Assessment Objectives
1.2Lexis
1.2.1Introduction1.2.2Common, Proper, Abstract & Concrete Nouns1.2.3Collective Nouns1.2.4Adjectives1.2.5Main, Auxiliary & Copular Verbs1.2.6Dynamic & Stative Verbs1.2.7Transitive, Intransitive, Active & Passive Verbs1.2.8Mood of Verbs1.2.9Adverbs1.2.10Personal, Possessive & Reflexive Pronouns1.2.11Relative & Demonstrative Pronouns1.2.12Determiners1.2.13Conjunctions1.2.14Synonyms, Antonyms & Phonological Features1.2.15End of Topic Test - Lexis
1.3Grammar
1.4Semantics & Pragmatics
1.5Discourse Structure, Graphology & Orthography
2Language, The Individual & Society
2.1Children’s Language Development
2.2Children's Language Development - Theories
2.3Literacy Development: Reading
3Language Diversity & Change
3.1The Importance of Gendered Language
3.2Social Groups
3.3Occupational Groups
3.4Accents & Dialects
3.5Language Change
Jump to other topics
1Language Levels
1.1Assessment Objectives
1.2Lexis
1.2.1Introduction1.2.2Common, Proper, Abstract & Concrete Nouns1.2.3Collective Nouns1.2.4Adjectives1.2.5Main, Auxiliary & Copular Verbs1.2.6Dynamic & Stative Verbs1.2.7Transitive, Intransitive, Active & Passive Verbs1.2.8Mood of Verbs1.2.9Adverbs1.2.10Personal, Possessive & Reflexive Pronouns1.2.11Relative & Demonstrative Pronouns1.2.12Determiners1.2.13Conjunctions1.2.14Synonyms, Antonyms & Phonological Features1.2.15End of Topic Test - Lexis
1.3Grammar
1.4Semantics & Pragmatics
1.5Discourse Structure, Graphology & Orthography
2Language, The Individual & Society
2.1Children’s Language Development
2.2Children's Language Development - Theories
2.3Literacy Development: Reading
3Language Diversity & Change
3.1The Importance of Gendered Language
3.2Social Groups
3.3Occupational Groups
3.4Accents & Dialects
3.5Language Change
Practice questions on Dynamic & Stative Verbs
Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.
- 1Which of these statements about dynamic verbs is true? Multiple choice
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