Searle’s Classification of Speech Acts

1. The speaker expresses belief about the truth of a proposition

• Assertive

• Directive

• Commissive

• Expressive

• Declarative

2. The speaker tries to make the addressee perform an action.

• Assertive

• Directive

• Commissive

• Declarative

• Expressive

3. It commits the speaker to doing something in the future.

• Assertive

• Directive

• Commissive

• Expressive

• Declarative

4. The speaker expresses his/her feelings or emotional reactions.

• Assertive

• Directive

• Commissive

• Expressive

• Declarative

5. It brings a change in the external situation.  It also brings into existence or cause the state of affairs which they refer to.

• Assertive

• Directive

• Commissive

• Expressive

• Declarative

6. Blessing, firing, baptizing, bidding, passing a sentence and excommunicating are examples of ___________.

• Assertive

• Directive

• Commissive

• Expressive

• Declarative

7. Thanking, apologizing, welcoming and deploring are examples of _______.

• Assertive

• Directive

• Commissive

• Expressive

• Declarative

8. Promising, planning, vowing, and betting are examples of ________?

• Assertive

• Directive

• Commissive

• Expressive

• Declarative

9. Asking, ordering, requesting, inviting, advising, and begging are examples of ________?

• Assertive

• Commissive

• Expressive

• Declarative

• Directive

10. Suggesting, putting forward, swearing, boasting, and concluding are examples of __________?

• Assertive

• Directive

• Commissive

• Expressive

• Declarative