State verbs and action verbs
Tags: continuous simple state
State verbs
State verbs express states or conditions which are relatively static. They include verbs of perception, cognition, the senses, emotion and state of being:
Examples of state verbs
appear
believe
belong
consider
consist
contain
cost
doubt
exist
fit
hate
hear
have
know
like
love
matter
mean
need
owe
own
prefer
remember
resemble seem
suppose
suspect
understand
want
wish
State verbs are not normally used in continuous forms:
I am needing a new phone. I need a new phone.
Who is this bag belonging to? Who does this bag belong to?
They are seeming tired. They seem tired.
Action verbs
Action verbs (also called dynamic verbs) express activities, processes, momentary actions or physical conditions:
Examples of action verbs
ache
arrive
ask
call
change
cook
dance
eat
fall
feel
go
grow
have
help
hit
hurt
itch
kick
knock
leave
melt
read
say
shrink sing
speak
talk
throw
travel
watch
They may be used in continuous forms:
Who was he dancing with?
Someone's knocking at the door.
I've been reading this book for weeks.
State verbs in the continuous form
Some state verbs may be used in the continuous form if they refer to a temporary action or an action in progress at a certain moment, rather than a permanent attitude:
I'm having second thoughts about moving abroad.
Jones is appearing in Hamlet this evening.
You're looking great in those jeans.
There are also state verbs which may be used in the continuous form, but with a different, active meaning:
Stative meaning Active meaning
Do you have a car? (own) They are having dinner at the moment. (eating)
You are my best friend. (it's a fact) She's being silly again. (behaving in a silly way)
That soup smells good. (has a good smell) He is smelling the soup. (sniffing at)
This milk tastes sour. (has a sour taste) I was just tasting the food. (testing)
You look great! (your current appearance) He was looking out the window when I saw him. (directing his eyes towards)
What do you see? (notice with eyes) I'm seeing my dentist this afternoon. (visiting)
I don't hear well. (pick up with ears) The judge will be hearing the evidence later this week. (listening to)
I expect that you are tired. (assume) Are you expecting visitors this evening? (waiting for them to arrive)
I feel that you are wrong. (think) How have you been feeling? (asking about physical state)
This melon weighs 2 kg. (its weight is 2 kg) He is weighing the melon. (measuring its weight)
Naturally, we can use the verbs with the active meaning in the simple form, too:
How often do you see your dentist?
They usually have dinner at 6.
But we cannot use the verbs with the stative meaning in the continuous form:
This melon is weighing 2 kilos.
The soup was smelling good.
2.
There are mainly two types of verbs: action verbs and state verbs.
Action verbs refer to an action. Examples are: write, work, break, kick, cook, take etc. State verbs or stative verbs refer to a state. The most com
Tags: continuous simple state
State verbs
State verbs express states or conditions which are relatively static. They include verbs of perception, cognition, the senses, emotion and state of being:
Examples of state verbs
appear
believe
belong
consider
consist
contain
cost
doubt
exist
fit
hate
hear
have
know
like
love
matter
mean
need
owe
own
prefer
remember
resemble seem
suppose
suspect
understand
want
wish
State verbs are not normally used in continuous forms:
I am needing a new phone. I need a new phone.
Who is this bag belonging to? Who does this bag belong to?
They are seeming tired. They seem tired.
Action verbs
Action verbs (also called dynamic verbs) express activities, processes, momentary actions or physical conditions:
Examples of action verbs
ache
arrive
ask
call
change
cook
dance
eat
fall
feel
go
grow
have
help
hit
hurt
itch
kick
knock
leave
melt
read
say
shrink sing
speak
talk
throw
travel
watch
They may be used in continuous forms:
Who was he dancing with?
Someone's knocking at the door.
I've been reading this book for weeks.
State verbs in the continuous form
Some state verbs may be used in the continuous form if they refer to a temporary action or an action in progress at a certain moment, rather than a permanent attitude:
I'm having second thoughts about moving abroad.
Jones is appearing in Hamlet this evening.
You're looking great in those jeans.
There are also state verbs which may be used in the continuous form, but with a different, active meaning:
Stative meaning Active meaning
Do you have a car? (own) They are having dinner at the moment. (eating)
You are my best friend. (it's a fact) She's being silly again. (behaving in a silly way)
That soup smells good. (has a good smell) He is smelling the soup. (sniffing at)
This milk tastes sour. (has a sour taste) I was just tasting the food. (testing)
You look great! (your current appearance) He was looking out the window when I saw him. (directing his eyes towards)
What do you see? (notice with eyes) I'm seeing my dentist this afternoon. (visiting)
I don't hear well. (pick up with ears) The judge will be hearing the evidence later this week. (listening to)
I expect that you are tired. (assume) Are you expecting visitors this evening? (waiting for them to arrive)
I feel that you are wrong. (think) How have you been feeling? (asking about physical state)
This melon weighs 2 kg. (its weight is 2 kg) He is weighing the melon. (measuring its weight)
Naturally, we can use the verbs with the active meaning in the simple form, too:
How often do you see your dentist?
They usually have dinner at 6.
But we cannot use the verbs with the stative meaning in the continuous form:
This melon is weighing 2 kilos.
The soup was smelling good.
2.
There are mainly two types of verbs: action verbs and state verbs.
Action verbs refer to an action. Examples are: write, work, break, kick, cook, take etc. State verbs or stative verbs refer to a state. The most com
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