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I was taught a verb "is a doing word" well remain is not doing anything, it is describing the state of not doing anything

Prices remain the same
She remained seated
Standards remain high
Sewers remain smelly

Is it a verb just because sentences have to have verb and noun and remain just sits in the verb space?

And question 2 in the sentence

Sewers are still smelly

where is the verb?

p.s. I am a native speaker who wasn't taught grammar beyond 3 tenses, past, present and future and verb - "doing words" and noun - "stuff you can touch".
"I have learnt more from reading this forum than I ever learnt at school" - Bruce Springsteen

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    Also note that nouns are not "stuff you can touch"
    – dubious
    Commented Mar 4 at 12:35
  • 4
    "A verb is a doing word" is an extreme simplification taught to young children.
    – Kate Bunting
    Commented Mar 4 at 13:02
  • @KateBunting I was a young child, in the UK in the 70s expressing yourself, getting your ideas across, thinking the big thoughts was considered far more important than knowing stupid fuddy grammar rules. There is still extreme backlash against kids learning grammar in schools today "wasting time, who ever needs to know that"
    – WendyG
    Commented Mar 4 at 15:18
  • @dubious yeah that one was an over simplification to demonstrate the level of grammar we were taught.
    – WendyG
    Commented Mar 4 at 15:20
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    @WendyG I don't think you're unique in not realizing that "are" is a verb. I didn't realize until I took Spanish classes and learned to conjugate ser/estar that "am/are/is/was/were" were forms of the same verb. Learning a different language from (or hearing questions from people learning your language) often makes you question things you never thought to question about your native language!
    – Kaia
    Commented Mar 4 at 20:08

1 Answer 1

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  1. Verbs being "doing" words is not accurate. It is a classification of word functions in a sentence, not their meaning. Have a look at the Wikipedia entry for "verb":

an action (bring, read, walk, run, learn), an occurrence (happen, become), or a state of being (be, exist, stand).

"Remain", "stay" and "wait" are verbs despite their meaning describing nothing being done.

  1. The verb in "Sewers are still smelly" is "are". This is the plural form of "be" which is a verb. Verbs do not only describe action but also being and occurrence.
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    well I learnt something major today
    – WendyG
    Commented Mar 4 at 12:31
  • 2
    @WendyG Or rather, "verbs are 'doing' words" is the very most basic, generalized way of explaining it, as to a young child. Like most such generalizations, once you've understood the basic explanation you find ways that it's flawed and need a more nuanced one. It gets a bit philosophical: some "things you do" are certainly not physical actions, like "think." Also, google "state of being verbs."
    – Andy Bonner
    Commented Mar 4 at 15:05

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