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                                   Stative Verbs

Stative verbs are verbs that express states (i.e., conditions that exist), thoughts and feelings. (We usually do not use adverbs with the stative verbs.) Stative verbs can be divided into:

   A- Mind verbs (Verbs which describe mental states): believe, think, doubt, fear, feel (think), know, understand, imagine, realize, recognize, mean, remember, forget, suppose, want, need, prefer, etc.

           a- Sami knows a lot about English.

           b- We prefer spring to summer.

 

   B- Emotion verbs (Verbs which describe feelings): like, love, hate, dislike, want, hope, wish, feel, need, prefer, enjoy, appreciate, fear, envy, care, mind, etc.

           a- Never mind.

           b- Parents care for their children.

           c- Sami likes games. He enjoys them.

 

    C- Sense verbs (Verbs which describe sensing): hear, sound, feel, see, smell and taste.

           a- This flower smells very nice.

           b- A falcon sees better than other birds.

 

   E- Possession verbs (Verbs which indicate having, possessing or owning something): have, own, possess, belong, etc.

           a- Sami has a nice office.

           b- Jerusalem belongs to Palestine.

 

   D- Linking verbs (Verbs which link the subject of a clause to another element, which describes the quality, characteristic or condition of the subject.)

- The most important verb is BE (called the 'copula' ): be (am, is, are)

- Verbs which behave like BE are also linking verbs. e.g., : become, get, owe, matter, seem, appear, look, come (from), cost, weigh, exist, contain, consist of, include, etc.

           a- This suitcase weighs 30 kilos.

           b- Fresh food contains a lot of vitamins.

           c- Arabs are generous people.

 

 

Stative Verbs:

- Mind Verbs

- Emotion Verbs

- Sense Verbs

- Possession Verbs

- Linking Verbs

  • A state is something that is always true or stays the same for a long time.

  •    An action is something that happens in a certain time and mode.

Stative verbs may indicate states or actions dependant on what we intend to describe. If we want to describe states, feelings or thoughts, stative verbs can only be simple present, whereas if we intend to indicate actions, we can use stative verbs in different tenses dependant on the time and mode of the action.

Now compare these sentences

 

States

Actions

  
- This soup tastes delicious. - Sami is tasting the soup to see if it needs more salt.  
- I think you're right. - I'm thinking about the problem.  
- We have lunch at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. - We are having lunch now. (= eating)  
- I come from Syria. (= am)

- I'm coming from Syria. (= travelling)

- I came from Syria last month. (= travelled)

  
- I see your problem. (= understand) - Sami saw his doctor yesterday. (= met)  
- This painting looks nice. - He is looking at the painting now.  
- Mary seems very slim. - Mary seemed slimmer in her new dress last night.  
- Britney appears anxious. (= seems = is) - Britney appeared in an exciting film last month.  
- Skilled craftsmen build nice houses. (= make) - Skilled craftsmen have built this house since 2003.  

 

* These examples with the verb be (am, is, are) are about how people behave or what do they look like.

States

(Things that stay the same)

Actions

(Things that are true in a specific time)

  
- Sami is a very nice person. - Salim is being very nice today.

* We use am/is/are being only to talk about behaviour.

Very few adjectives are used in this case. Some of the most common are: nice, kind, foolish, lazy, silly, patient, rude, polite, impolite, careful, careless.

 
- Sarah is very kind. - Yesterday Sarah was very kind to the poor man.
- Jack is an idiot.

- Tom is being an idiot this morning.

        ( He is behaving like an idiot.)
- They are good players.

- They have been good players in the match.

        ( They have played very well.)
- Mary is silly. - Nancy, You're being silly today.

* Sometimes we use some stative verbs in the continuous to talk about a short period of time.

  

States

(Things that stay the same)

Actions

(Things that happen in a short period of time)

  
- I enjoy/love plays and films. - I'm enjoying/loving this film.
- I like school. - I'm liking school much better these days.
- Building a house costs a lot of money. - This house is costing me a lot of money.
- I hear very well. - What's happening? I'm hearing a noise outside.

* Sometimes we can use either the simple or the continuous with no difference in the meaning.

- Sarah looks well. - Sarah is looking well.  
- We feel a bit sorry for Sami. - We're feeling a bit sorry for Sami.

[Introduction]     [Present Simple]     [Present Perfect]     [Present Continuous]     [Present Perfect Continuous]

[Past Simple]     [Past Perfect]     [Past Continuous]     [Past Perfect Continuous]     [Future Simple Tense]