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... SigninLearnEnglishVocabularyGrammarQuizInfographicsIdiomsAboutUsSigninWelcome!LogintoyouraccountyourusernameyourpasswordForgotyourpassword?PrivacyPolicyPasswordrecoveryRecoveryourpasswordyouremailSearch MyEnglishTeacher.euBlog LearnEnglishVocabularyGrammarQuizInfographicsIdiomsAboutUsHomeEnglishGrammarListof28MostCommonPerformativeVerbswithExamplesEnglishGrammarFacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsAppThoughyouprobablyhaven’treadaboutthemintextbooksofgrammarhandbooks,youmayhaveheardaboutaclassofverbscalled“performativeverbs.”Theydon’tconstituteagrammaticalcategoryoftheirown,buthavefoundinterestinfieldsoflinguisticanthropologyandphilosophy.Sowhatexactlyarethey?Well,they’reessentiallyverbsthatperformcertainactionsratherthansimplydescribingthem(asverbsconventionallydo).Forexample,theverb“todo,”whichnormallyexpressestheactionofdoing,canbecomeaperformativeverbinaweddingceremony.Whenthebrideandgroomsay,“Ido,”theyareperformingtheactofmarriageratherthansimplystatingit.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?RELATEDARTICLESMOREFROMAUTHOREnglishGrammarSuffixLessMeaningandExamplesEnglishGrammarPrefixUnMeaningandExampleEnglishGrammarPrefixRE-meaning,pronunciationandexamplesEnglishGrammarExamplesofOxymoronsandWhattheyMean!EnglishGrammar‘ToDo’or‘ToBeDoing’.ToBeDoingMeaningDifferenceBetweenWhichiscorrectfallasleeporfellasleep?Connectwith: SubscribeConnectwithLoginIallowtocreateanaccountWhenyouloginfirsttimeusingaSocialLoginbutton,wecollectyouraccountpublicprofileinformationsharedbySocialLoginprovider,basedonyourprivacysettings.Wealsogetyouremailaddresstoautomaticallycreateanaccountforyouinourwebsite.Onceyouraccountiscreated,you'llbelogged-intothisaccount.DisagreeAgreeNotifyofnewfollow-upcommentsnewrepliestomycommentsLabel {} [+] Name* Email* Website IallowtocreateanaccountWhenyouloginfirsttimeusingaSocialLoginbutton,wecollectyouraccountpublicprofileinformationsharedbySocialLoginprovider,basedonyourprivacysettings.Wealsogetyouremailaddresstoautomaticallycreateanaccountforyouinourwebsite.Onceyouraccountiscreated,you'llbelogged-intothisaccount.DisagreeAgreeLabel {} [+] Name* Email* Website 0CommentsInlineFeedbacksViewallcommentsreportthisadMOSTPOPULAR👉ABIGListofPrefixesandSuffixesandTheirMeaningsMarch17,2021200PhrasesforsayingTHANKYOUinanysituation!August22,2013FormalandInformalEmailPhrases–fromGreetingstoClosingPhrases!October28,2013👉LinkingWords:ListofSentenceConnectorsinEnglishwithExamples!...July10,201880InConclusionExamples!+TranslationJune10,2021TypesofAdverb🦠AdverbExamples[AllYouNeed]July17,2018HOTEnglishSpeakingLIVEVideo›››FreeChatRoomsForEnglishLearnersAdvancedEnglishLessonEnglishLevelTestEnglishSpeaking6WaystoImmediatelyImproveYourEnglishCommunicationSkillsEnglishGrammar👉ABIGListofPrefixesandSuffixesandTheirMeaningsOurVideosOurVideosHowToImproveCommunicationSkillsInEnglishForBeginners04:073WaystoImproveListeningSkillsinEnglishforBeginners04:225CommonANGRYSynonyms.Whichonedoyouuse?00:39CHICKENOUTidiommeaning00:18HowtorespondtoHowAreYou?5positiveanswers01:33DICTIONARYAllABCDEFGHILMNOPRSTUWMore80InConclusionExamples!+TranslationJune10,202140WaystosayHAPPYBIRTHDAY!April23,2021WhatdoesTBHmean?(TBHfullform)onFacebook,Instagram,TextingApril19,2017SubjectandPredicateExercises!–MyEnglishTeacher.euMay31,2021LoadmoreSTAYCONNECTED114,256FansLike0FollowersFollow44,198FollowersFollow13,800SubscribersSubscribeEDITORPICKSSuffixLessMeaningandExamplesMarch20,2022PrefixUnMeaningandExampleMarch8,2022PrefixRE-meaning,pronunciationandexamplesMarch8,2022POPULARPOSTS👉ABIGListofPrefixesandSuffixesandTheirMeaningsMarch17,2021200PhrasesforsayingTHANKYOUinanysituation!August22,2013FormalandInformalEmailPhrases–fromGreetingstoClosingPhrases!October28,2013POPULARCATEGORYQ&A2431EnglishVocabulary617EnglishVocabularyDictionary359EnglishGrammar195Synonyms143Infographics108Collocations105LearnEnglish80EnglishIdioms65ABOUTUSMyEnglishTeacher.euistheworld'sfriendliestonlineEnglishlanguageschool.Ourfantasticteamhasbeengrowingsince2010.WewanttohelpyoutobecomeproficientinEnglish.Contactus:[email protected]FOLLOWUSPrivacyPolicyTerms&ConditionsContactUs2017©Copyright–MyEnglishTeacher.eureportthisadwpDiscuz00Wouldloveyourthoughts,pleasecomment.x()x|ReplyInsertxx