verbal
verbal — adjective
1. communicated by speaking rather than being put into writing; given through speec
communicated by speaking rather than being put into writing; given through speech instead of in written form.
Lucas gave a verbal warning before he sent the formal written complaint.
verbal + warning for spoken communication
The two managers reached a verbal agreement during their lunch meeting.
verbal + agreement
Kenji's verbal report was more detailed than the summary he wrote later.
Students who heard the verbal instructions understood the task much better.
Padma preferred verbal feedback because she could ask questions right away.
- written
expressed in writing rather than speech
文法句型
verbal + noun
用法筆記
This sense contrasts with 'written' — a verbal agreement carries legal weight in some contexts but is harder to prove than a written one.
常見錯誤
2. connected with words and how people express ideas through language; using words
connected with words and how people express ideas through language; using words instead of pictures, numbers, or actions.
The verbal section of the test measures vocabulary and reading comprehension.
verbal section / verbal reasoning
Children with strong verbal skills often enjoy telling stories and writing.
Talia's verbal memory was so sharp that she could recite poems word for word.
A good lawyer needs excellent verbal reasoning and argument skills.
Arjun's verbal score was the highest in his class on the entrance exam.
- linguistic
more formal; relates to language as a system (linguistic analysis)
- word-based
descriptive alternative; less technical
- lexical
relates specifically to vocabulary; formal and technical
- non-verbal
not involving words (body language, facial expressions)
文法句型
verbal + noun
用法筆記
Common in fixed phrases like 'verbal skills', 'verbal reasoning', and 'verbal ability' — often contrasted with 'numerical', 'visual', or 'non-verbal' rather than 'written'.
常見錯誤
3. having the ability to speak; capable of expressing thoughts through spoken langu
having the ability to speak; capable of expressing thoughts through spoken language.
The toddler became fully verbal around the age of two.
After the accident, the patient was conscious and verbal.
be + verbal — capacity for speech
Some children with the condition are non-verbal and use signs to communicate.
The therapist worked with non-verbal students to develop alternative communication.
Isabela's son was slow to become verbal but caught up by kindergarten.
- speaking
general term; less technical
- communicative
broader; includes non-verbal communication
- articulate
implies clarity and fluency, not just ability
- non-verbal
unable to communicate through speech
- mute
stronger term; permanently unable to speak
文法句型
be + verbal
用法筆記
Frequently used in medical and developmental contexts, often in the negative form 'non-verbal' to describe people who cannot speak. Used predicatively — 'the patient is verbal', not 'a verbal patient' (in this sense).
常見錯誤
4. concerning verbs or coming from a verb; describing grammar forms that are based
concerning verbs or coming from a verb; describing grammar forms that are based on a verb but act as another word type.
A gerund is a verbal noun that ends in '-ing'.
verbal noun — noun form of a verb
The class studied how verbal adjectives differ from ordinary adjectives.
In English, participles are verbal forms that can act as adjectives.
Ezra explained the difference between a finite verb and a verbal noun.
Understanding verbal inflection helps when learning irregular verb patterns.
- verb-derived
descriptive alternative; less technical
- deverbal
formal linguistic term for words formed from verbs
文法句型
verbal + noun
用法筆記
Technical grammar terminology. A 'verbal noun' (also called gerund) ends in '-ing' and functions as a noun. A 'verbal adjective' (also called participial adjective) is a participle used to describe a noun. Only sense that refers to grammar, not general communication.
常見錯誤
verbal — noun
1. a word created from a verb that takes on a different grammatical role, such as a
a word created from a verb that takes on a different grammatical role, such as a gerund, infinitive, or participle.
In the phrase 'running water,' the word 'running' is a verbal.
identifying a verbal in a phrase
The teacher asked students to find all the verbals in the paragraph.
Gerunds, infinitives, and participles are the three main types of verbals.
Christopher struggled to distinguish between a finite verb and a verbal.
Learning to recognise verbals improves a student's understanding of sentence structure.
- deverbal
more technical; refers specifically to words formed from verbs
- non-finite form
broader category that includes verbals and other verb forms
文法句型
a verbal
the verbal
用法筆記
A technical grammar term not commonly used outside language classrooms. In practical English, terms like 'gerund', 'infinitive', and 'participle' are more frequently used than the umbrella term 'verbal'.