student asking question

Can I use the word "call" even though it doesn't include any word?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

Yes. You can use "called" in this situation. "Called" acts as a descriptive word in this scenario. This monkey is trying to get the other monkeys' attention. He does this by making a noise with his throat. Even though he's not saying an actual word, you can use "called" because that's what he is doing: calling out to his friends to get their attention. This is common in written English, especially when using onomatopoeias (words that imitate a sound). Ex: "Cock-a-doodle-do!" cried out the rooster. Ex: "Meow," said the cat to his owner.

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