Learn English – the difference between abstract noun and stative verb

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A noun has several types, like proper, common, collective, etc.; while verbs can be classified as transitive and intransitive. what is the difference between noun and verb? what is the difference between abstract noun and stative verb?

Best Answer

Consider your native language. Nearly all languages have categories of words that name things "Cat" "New York" "Pain", and a category of words that represent actions "run" "enjoy" "be".

All verbs are similar grammatically, for example, they have a present participle: "running" "enjoying" "being". All nouns are similar, for example, nouns can be the subject of a sentence: "The cat is good", "New York is good", "Pain is good".

Some words (eg love) can function both as nouns and verb but in a sentence, each word will either be functioning as a noun or a verb. "I love chips" (love is a verb). "Love is good" (Love is a noun).

A word becomes a noun or a verb when it is used in a sentence. There are also other categories, such as adjective, adverb.

We can sub categorise nouns in many ways. One way is to ask if the noun names a physical object or not. "Cat" is a physical object, so is "food". But "pain" or "love" are not. "Pain" and "love" are abstract nouns.

A verb can represent an action "He kicks the ball." Or a state "He lives in New York". If a verb represents a state it is a stative verb. The present continuous form of an action verb indicates repeated actions "He is kicking the ball (repeatedly)". The present continuous of a stative verb represents a temporary state "He is living in New York (until he finishes school)"

So "Pain" is an abstract noun when we say "Pain is good". "Live" is a stative verb in "He lives in New York".

You probably have the same categories in your language, though they might not correspond exactly to the English categories.

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