Here's a breakdown:
* Main Meaning: Lexical verbs provide the core information about what's happening in a sentence. They answer the question "What is the subject doing?" or "What is the state of the subject?".
* Action or State: They can represent actions (run, jump, write) or states of being (be, seem, feel).
* Distinct from Auxiliary Verbs: Lexical verbs are different from auxiliary verbs, which are "helping verbs" that provide grammatical information like tense, mood, or voice (e.g., *is*, *have*, *will*).
Examples:
* She *ran* to the store. (*ran* is the lexical verb, expressing the action)
* The dog *is* sleeping. (*is* is an auxiliary verb; *sleeping* is the lexical verb, expressing the state)
* They *will* be *eating* dinner. (*will* is an auxiliary; *eating* is the lexical verb)
Identifying Lexical Verbs:
* Look for the main verb: The verb that expresses the core meaning of the sentence.
* Consider the context: The verb should describe what the subject is doing or being.
* Exclude auxiliary verbs: Focus on the verb that doesn't just modify another verb.
Understanding lexical verbs is crucial for analyzing sentences, understanding verb tenses, and constructing grammatically correct sentences.