PERFORMATIVE VERBS

Performative verbs are verbs which can actually perform the action they describe when they are used in the first person and the Present Simple tense:

I thank you all for joining us today.

*I am thanking you all for joining us today.

accept, agree, apologise, congratulate, declare, deny, disagree, forbid, forgive, guarantee, insist, invite, order, predict, promise, recommend, refuse, request, suggest, thank, warn acknowledge, advise, beg,

confess, remind, name

Some performatives (apologise, deny, guarantee, promise, suggest) are sometimes used in negative sentences with either the present simple or the present continuous with a similar meaning.

I don't deny/ I am not denying breaking the computer.

Practical Grammar Year 1

Agnieszka Piasecka

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