Learn English Verbs
Language Learning

The Cornerstone of Language: Why Verbs Are Critical for Acquisition

By Learn English Verbs Team10/27/20252 min read

While the first words toddlers utter often consist of concrete nouns like "Mama," "dada," or "milk" [1-4], the transition to functional communication hinges on the acquisition of verbs. Although nouns are acquired earlier because they refer to concrete entities [4, 5], experts stress that focusing on action words provides a vital boost for language development [2].

Verbs as the Engine of Grammar

Verbs are fundamental because they are the cornerstone of sentences [6]—every sentence requires a verb [2, 7]. Around 18 months, as a toddler's vocabulary expands to about 50 words, the inclusion of verbs becomes critical [1, 2]. The complexity of verb choice directly influences the grammatical forms in a sentence [7]. The knowledge and use of diverse verbs are believed to kick-start grammatical development [8].

In fact, a child's spontaneous production and diversity of verbs at 24 months is a better predictor of later grammatical outcomes than noun diversity [6, 9, 10]. Verbs allow children to move beyond single words to form statements, ask questions, and give commands (e.g., changing "Jane the ball" to "Jane kicks the ball") [11].

Accelerating Language Learning

This criticality extends beyond childhood acquisition and into general language learning. Some studies suggest that focusing on core verbs and predicates yields the highest Return on Investment (ROI) in the early stages of learning a new language [12, 13]. Since the predicate usually contains the verb, a lack of understanding of the predicate means you are unlikely to understand the sentence at all [13].

It is recommended that learners prioritize 200–300 essential core verbs (such as go, see, hear, or smell) [13, 14]. These basic verbs are often irregular in many Indo-European languages, confirming their ancient and crucial role [15]. Furthermore, learning verbs in the context of full sentences or phrases is often recommended to better recall their meaning and usage [16].

For parents and clinicians supporting young children, especially late talkers, increasing the number and diversity of verbs used in interaction is an evidence-based goal [17]. Using a range of verbs, including general all-purpose verbs (like do or put), mental state verbs (know, think), and specific activity verbs (stir, toss) is crucial for children to develop their own verb inventory [18-20]. Simply put: without robust verb representation, children will struggle with grammatical development [21].

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