Process verb types PDF

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Process types (=verb types=clause types) Note: verbs may be used in more than one way – the lexico-grammatical context determines the process type.

‘Doing’verbs 1. Material processes: Material verbs/clauses construe ‘doing’ (transitive verbs) and ‘happening’ (intransitive verbs) processes, which represent some ‘material’ or visible, tangible change in the flow of events or the environment, through input of energy. These verbs construe (=create and construct) our experience of the world. The unmarked (default, normal most common) present tense of these verbs is present progressive (present-in-present). The doer of these actions is labeled the ‘Actor’ and this may be an inanimate ro animate doer. The receiver/affected/’patient’ is labeled the ‘Goal’ [or ‘Beneficiary’ or ‘Range’]. We can normally test for these verbs by saying ‘what s/he did to X was [process -verb]’ OR ‘what happened to X was [process - verb]. Examples of prototypical use (the largest class – too many to list):

Creative

intransitive

transitive

appear, emerge, occur, happen, take place, develop, form,

create, make, prepare

grow, produce

compose, design, draw,

assemble, build, construct, paint, write bake, cook, knit, sew, dig, drill, establish, open, set up….

Transformative

burn, boil, fry, dissolve, cool, freeze, heat, melt….

(changing the

blow up, explode, break, burst, collapse, crack, tear, mend,

environment) crush, demolish, destroy, damage chop, cut, slice…. axe, hack, pierce, prick, spear Polish, rub, dust, scratch Compress, extend, expand, grow, stretch, reduce, shrink

intransitive

transitive

Form, shape, bend, coil, curl, distort, flatten, fold, stretch Age, mature, modernize Increase, reduce, strengthen, weaken, Colour, blacken, darken shine Twinkle, glimmer, glisten, Light, illuminate glow, flash, sparkle…. Boom, rumble, roar, thunder, sound Cover, remove, unwrap, undress….. Hit, strike, bump, knock, tap, punch, slap, kick, cane, shoot, stone, whip Open, close, shut Run, operate, work, drive, fly, sail… Give, offer, tip, advance, leave, donate, grant, award, fax, post, email, deliver, send, lend, loan… Hire, rent, sell Feed, provide, supply, present Deprive, rob, strip, cheat Acquire, get, take, grab, steal, buy, borrow, hire, rent Motion: manner Bounce, rock, shake, tremble, walk, amble, limp, run, trot, jog, gallop, stroll, march, slide, drive, fly sail Motion: place Come, go Approach, arrive, reach, depart, leave, circle, cros, exit, escape, follow, pass, land….

Bring take

intransitive

transitive

down, drop, fall/fell, rise/raise, capsize, tilt, tip, upset

2. Behavioural processes: Behavioural verbs/clauses are on the borderline between ‘material’ and ‘mental’ processes. They construe psychological and some physiological processes (thus often involuntary) and are ‘the outer evidence of inner workings’. They are the least distinct and most troublesome of all the process types. The doer is called the ‘Behaver’ and the process/event is called ‘behaviour’. Examples: (near mental) dream, look, watch, stare, listen, think, worry, dream (near verbal) chatter, grumble, murmur, mouth cry, laugh, smile, frown, sigh sob, snarl, hiss, whine, nod. breathe, sneeze, cough, hiccup, burp, faint, yawn, sleep (near material) sing, dance, lie, sit, walk.

‘Sensing’/ ‘Projecting’ verbs 3. Mental processes: Mental verbs/clauses construe our experience of the inner world of our own consciousness. They represent processes of feeling (emoting), wanting, thinking and perceiving, so the ‘doer’ is alive (animate). They ‘have the potential to project what is known, remembered or overheard as direct or indirect thoughts’ (Butt, et al, p. 51). E.g ‘I knew that ………..; He remembers how………; I wonder if……….. The independent clauses are called ‘projecting clauses’ and the dependent clauses are called ‘projected clauses’. The unmarked present tense of these verbs is present simple. The doer is called the ‘Senser’ and the thing which is sensed is called the ‘Phenomenon.’ Examples: Perceive, sense, see, notice, glimpse, hear, overhear, feel, taste, smell Think, believe, suppose, expect, consider, know understand, realize, appreciate, imagine, dream, pretend, guess, wonder, doubt, remember, recall, forget, fear, like, fancy love, adore, dislike, hate, detest, despise, rejoice, mourn, regret, enjoy. Intrigue, surprise, attract, please, disgust, offend, delight, sadden, depress, scare,

shock, comfort, encourage, amuse, bore, worry. 4. Verbal processes: Verbal verbs/clauses construe ‘saying’ processes, covering any symbolic exchange of meaning. They are important in dialogic passages in narrative texts, and in academic writing where people need to quote and report from various scholars. The doer is called the Sayer, and the affected participants are ‘Receiver’ or ‘Verbiage (words)’ or ‘Target’. Examples: *Say, tell, (most typical in speech or writing) [go, be like – these are restricted to speech] reply, counter Speak, talk, praise, insult, abuse, slander, flatter, blame, criticize Report, announce, notify, explain, argue, convince, persuade, promise (that), ask, question, enquire (whether)…

‘Being’ verbs 5. Relational processes: processes of ‘being’ and ‘having’ Relational verbs/clauses serve to describe attributes of a Thing (relational attributive processes) and identify a Thing (relational identifying processes). They construe change as occurring without an input of energy. The most typical verbs are ‘be’ and ‘have’ and both are unaccented, and are typically construed with the simple present tense. Examples: become, seem, keep, remain, feel, belong to, include, serve as. 6. Existential: Verbs of ‘existing’: like ‘be’ the function of which is to set up the existence of a sole participant. These verbs are almost always used with ‘there’ as dummy subject, or a circumstantial element of time, place etc.. Examples:[there] exist, remain, arise, occur, come about, happen, take place, follow, ensue, emerge, flourish, as in ‘there flourishes a good study spirit’ or ‘in this school flourishes a spirit of co-operation’.

Source: Halliday, M.A.K. & Matthiessen, C.M.I.M. (2004) Introduction to Functional

Grammar. London: Oxford University Press. (pp 187 – 189)....