In the sentence ...The letter listed gifts for the wedding. Would listed be a physical action verb or a mental action verb?
I would say a physical action, because someone had to write or type that list on paper.
If it were mental action, then it would take place only in a person's (or people's) minds.
To determine if "listed" is a physical action verb or a mental action verb, we need to understand the difference between these two types of verbs.
A physical action verb refers to an action that can be observed or physically performed, involving movement or the use of the body. These verbs indicate actions that can be seen or felt, such as running, eating, or jumping.
On the other hand, a mental action verb refers to an action that occurs in the mind, involving a cognitive process, perception, or thinking. These verbs denote activities related to thoughts, ideas, emotions, or knowledge, such as think, believe, remember, or list.
In the sentence you provided, "listed" is describing an action related to making a list of gifts for the wedding. This action does not involve any physical movement or use of the body; rather, it involves the cognitive process of compiling a list. Therefore, "listed" is a mental action verb.
To confirm this, you can analyze the verb by asking yourself: "Is the action physically observable or does it require a cognitive process?" In this case, making a list requires mental processing rather than physical action.