List of 28 Most Common Performative Verbs with Examples

List of performative verbs: DO, NAME, PRONOUNCE, PROMISE, GUARANTEE, APOLOGIZE, ADMIT, CONFESS, THANK, REQUEST, BEG, SUGGEST, see more... 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LearnEnglishVocabularyGrammarQuizInfographicsIdiomsAboutUsHomeEnglishGrammarListof28MostCommonPerformativeVerbswithExamplesEnglishGrammarFacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsAppThoughyouprobablyhaven’treadaboutthemintextbooksofgrammarhandbooks,youmayhaveheardaboutaclassofverbscalled“performativeverbs.”Theydon’tconstituteagrammaticalcategoryoftheirown,buthavefoundinterestinfieldsoflinguisticanthropologyandphilosophy.Sowhatexactlyarethey?Well,they’reessentiallyverbsthatperformcertainactionsratherthansimplydescribingthem(asverbsconventionallydo).Forexample,theverb“todo,”whichnormallyexpressestheactionofdoing,canbecomeaperformativeverbinaweddingceremony.Whenthebrideandgroomsay,“Ido,”theyareperformingtheactofmarriageratherthansimplystatingit.MostCommonVERBNOUNCollocations🍦MostCommonVERBNOUNCollocations...ToviewthisvideopleaseenableJavaScript,andconsiderupgradingtoa webbrowserthat supportsHTML5videoMostCommonVERBNOUNCollocations🍦Theexplorationofperformativeverbsisactuallyrathermodern.ThetermwasfirstpopularizedbyphilosopherJ.L.AustininaseriesoflectureshegaveatHarvardUniversityin1955(hecalledthem“performativeutterances”).TheselectureslaterbecamecompiledandpublishedinabookcalledHowtoDoThingswithWords.Thebookdiscussesthenatureofperformativeverbs,howtheywork,andhowpervasivetheyareinlanguage.Sowhydoperformativeverbsmatter?Onereason,whichwasAustin’sreasonfortalkingaboutthem,isthattheymovedawayfromthecommonphilosophicalideaatthetimethatlanguagewassimplyatoolfordescribingtruthsandfalsities.Inotherwords,languageeitherstatedthetruthorlied.Itwasthistrue-falsedyadoflanguagethatphilosopherswereparticularlyinterestedin.Austin,ontheotherhand,wantedtoprovethatlanguagewasmuchmorethanthat.Insteadofdescribingtheworld,heclaimedthatlanguageactuallydidthingsintheworld.Whenamarryingcouplesays,“Ido,”theyarenotsimplydescribinganevent,butdoingorperformingitthroughtheactionofspeaking.Whilethereisnotruth-valuetosuchperformativestatements,therearecertainconditionsthattheymustmeetinordertobesuccessfuloreffective(Austinliststhemandcallsthem“felicityconditions”).ThefollowingisalistofperformativeverbsinEnglish,whichallowthespeakertodosomethingsimplybystatingit.Noticethatmanyoftheseverbshavesomethingtodowithexpressingsomethingyou’rethinkingorfeelinginside.Inthefollowingperfomativeverbexamples,thefirstwillbeinthefirstpersonsingulartoillustrateaperformativeverbinaction,whilethesecondwilldescribeanotherpersonperformingaperformativeverb.DO(usedinAustin’sexampleofaweddingceremony)A:Doyoutakethismanasyourlawfullyweddedhusband?B:Ido.NAME(usedinAustin’sexampleofnamingaship)InamethisshiptheQueenElizabeth.MyparentswentthreedayswithoutnamingmeafterIwasborn.PRONOUNCE(anotherperformativeverbusedinweddingceremonies)Officiator:Inowpronounceyoumanandwife.PROMISE:toassuresomeonethatyouwilldosomethinginthefutureIpromiseI’llneverdoitagain.Hepromisedthathewouldneverholdanysecretsfromme.GUARANTEE:topromiseorassurethatsomethingwillbetrueIguaranteethatyouwillnotregretbuyingthis.Theyalwaysguaranteesatisfactoryservice,butIpersonallyamneversatisfied.APOLOGIZE:toexpresstosomeonethatyouaresorryaboutsomethingIapologizeifyouwereeveroffendedbyanythingIsaid.Youcanneverwinafightuntiltheotherpersonapologizes.ADMIT:toconfesstosomething,usuallyreluctantlyIadmitthatIwaswrong,butIstillknowwhatI’mtalkingabout.Howcouldyoueveradmitsomethingsooutrageous?CONFESS:torevealthatyouareatfaultforsomethingorthatyouhavecommittedacrimeIconfessthatItendtorambleabitsometimes.Afterhoursofinterrogation,thesuspectfinallyconfessedtothecrime.THANK:toexpressgratitudeaboutsomethingThankyouforgivingmethisopportunity.Mybossthankedmetheotherdayforworkingtheextrashiftslastminute.REQUEST:toaskafavorWerequestthatyoukeepallbagsbelowyourseatsduringdeparture.Teresahasrequestedaleavefromworksothatshecantakecareofherbaby.BEG:topleadtosomeoneforsomethingI’mbeggingyoutoletmecomewithyoutoCancun.Cameronhasbeenbeggingtogotothebathroomforthepasttenminutes.SUGGEST:toputsomethingforwardforconsiderationIsuggestthatweleavesoonerthanlater.Everyonesuggesteddifferentthings,butIdecidedtomakemyowndecision.RECOMMEND:toputsomethingforwardasagoodoption;tosuggestsomethingIfyouwanttoloseweight,Irecommendwatchingwhatyoueatinsteadofexercisingmore.Arethereanygoodmoviesthatyourecommend?APPROVE:toagreetooracceptsomething,oftenofficiallyIdon’tapproveofthewayyouhandledyourrelationshipissues.MymotherhasneverapprovedofthewayIdressed.PERMIT:toallowsomethingtohappenIpermityoutoenterthebackroom,butnooneelse.Whatexactlyareyoupermittedtodointhearmy?ADVISE:tooffersuggestionsorrecommendsomethingIadvisethatyoucomeseemeafterclassifyouhaveanissuetobringup.Mydoctorhasbeenadvisingmeonthingstodotokeepmybloodpressuredown.ORDER:totellsomebodytodosomethingJacob,Iorderyoutogotoyourroom.Brianalwaystriestoorderpeoplearoundingroupprojects.COMMAND:togiveanordertosomeoneIcommandyoutodotenpushupseverytimeyoumakeamistake.Whatdidyourbosscommandyoutodothistime?SENTENCE:todeclareapunishmentincourtIherebysentenceyoutothreeyearsinprison.Shewasonlysentencedtotwoweeksofcommunityservice.DECLARE:tosayorannouncesomethingsolemnlyandemphatically(sometimesusedsatirically)Afterlastnight,IdodeclarethatIwillneverdrinkagain.Notsurprisingly,thejudgedeclaredthedefendantguilty.DENY:toinsistthatsomethingisnottrueIdenyeverevenmeetingher.Hesaysthathecanpassthistestwithoutstudying,buthe’shonestlydenyingthetruth.OBJECT:toopenlydisagreeorexpressdisapprovalwithsomethingIobjecttoeverythingyoujustsaidaboutSuki.Didanyoneatthemeetingobjecttoyourproposal?FORBID:torefusetoallowsomethingIforbidyoufromtellinganyonethatIstillsleepwithadoll.TheU.S.governmentforbidsanyoneunder21fromdrinking.REFUSE:tobeunwillingtodosomethingIrefusetobecalled“bossy”fordoingmyjob.Itriedaskinghimtoperformattheopenmic,butherefused.PREDICT:tosayorguessthatsomethingwillhappeninthefutureIdon’tpredictthattheywillbetogetherforlong.Didthepalmreaderpredictanythinginterestingaboutyourfuture?WARN:totellsomeoneinadvanceaboutapossibledangerorproblemI’mwarningyounownottodatethatdisasterofaman.Nobodywarnedmethatthisbuswouldgopastmystop.QUIT:toleaveajobpermanentlyYoucan’tfiremebecauseIquit.Myfriendquitherjobfromthecafélastweek.REMIND:tocausesomeonetoremembersomethingI’mremindingyounowtobringyourtoothbrushonthetrip.DidanyoneremindHaleythatwe’remeetingat3insteadof4?RELATEDARTICLESMOREFROMAUTHOREnglishGrammarAS…ASExamplesandcomparisonsEnglishGrammarSuffix-ermeaningandexamplesEnglishGrammarSuffixLessMeaningandExamplesEnglishGrammarPrefixUnMeaningandExampleEnglishGrammarPrefixRE-meaning,pronunciationandexamplesEnglishGrammarExamplesofOxymoronsandWhattheyMean!Connectwith: 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