A2 Talking about the present Grammar

Stative verbs

Recognise verbs that describe states, not actions, and see why they aren't normally used in the continuous form.

1. Overview

2. What are stative verbs?

Stative verbs describe a state, feeling, thought, possession or perception rather than an action. Because they describe situations rather than activities, they are not normally used in continuous tenses. We say I know the answer, not I am knowing the answer, and She loves this song, not She is loving this song.

Common stative verbs include verbs of thought and opinion (know, believe, understand, remember, mean), feelings and preferences (love, hate, like, prefer, want, need), possession (have, own, belong) and perception or appearance (see, hear, seem, look). They are especially important when choosing between the Present Simple and Present Continuous: I understand you describes a state, while I am listening to you describes an action happening now.

Some verbs can be stative or dynamic depending on their meaning. The same verb can describe a state in one sentence and an action in another.

VerbStative meaningDynamic meaning
thinkopinion: I think you’re right.consider: I’m thinking about the problem.
havepossession: She has a new car.activity: She’s having lunch.
seeperceive: I see a bird.meet: I’m seeing the doctor tomorrow.
lookappear: You look tired.direct your eyes: You’re looking at me.
tastehave a flavour: The soup tastes good.try the flavour: The chef is tasting the soup.
smellhave a smell: The flowers smell wonderful.actively smell: She’s smelling the flowers.
feelopinion/state: I feel this is wrong.temporary sensation: I’m feeling much better today.
becharacteristic: He is rude.temporary behaviour: He is being rude.

The key is not to memorise a list of verbs that can never use the continuous. Instead, ask what the verb means in that sentence: if it describes a state, we normally use a simple tense; if it describes an activity or temporary behaviour, a continuous form may be possible.

3. Common groups of stative verbs

Thought and knowledge

VerbExample
knowI know where she lives.
believeHe believes your story.
understandDo you understand the question?
rememberI remember that day.
forgetShe never forgets birthdays.
meanWhat does this word mean?
thinkI think you’re right.

Likes, feelings and opinions

  • like — I like this song.
  • love — They love their new home.
  • hate — She hates crowded places.
  • prefer — I prefer tea.
  • want — We want a bigger table.
  • need — He needs some help.
  • wish — I wish I had more time.

Possession and relationships

  • have — I have two brothers.
  • own — She owns a small business.
  • belong — This jacket belongs to Tom.
  • contain — The box contains old photographs.
  • include — The price includes breakfast.

Perception and appearance

  • see — I see what you mean.
  • hear — Can you hear that noise?
  • smell — The soup smells delicious.
  • taste — This sauce tastes very spicy.
  • seem — You seem tired.
  • look — You look worried.
  • appear — The answer appears to be correct.

4. Stative verbs in the present

The Present Simple is used both to describe general states and to talk about a state that exists right now.

  • I understand the problem now.
  • She wants to go home.
  • This bag belongs to my sister.
  • We need more information.
  • He doesn’t believe me.
  • Do you remember her name?

With a third-person singular subject, add -s, as with any other verb in the Present Simple:

  • She knows the answer.
  • He likes classical music.
  • This phone costs too much.

To form questions and negatives, use do or does:

  • Do you understand?
  • Does she need any help?
  • I don’t remember his name.
  • He doesn’t own a car.

5. Verbs with two meanings

Some verbs can be stative or dynamic. Use the Present Continuous when the verb describes a temporary activity or something happening right now.

Think

Think means to have an opinion when it is used as a stative verb:

  • I think this is a good idea.

Think about can describe the temporary process of considering something:

  • I’m thinking about changing my job.

Have

Have expresses possession and is used in the Present Simple:

  • She has a new car.

In some expressions, have describes an activity and can appear in the Present Continuous:

  • We’re having lunch.
  • He’s having a shower.
  • They’re having a great time.

See

See means to perceive with your eyes or to understand:

  • I see a bird in the garden.
  • I see what you mean.

When it means meeting someone, it can be used in the Present Continuous:

  • I’m seeing the dentist tomorrow.
  • She’s seeing her friends this evening.

Taste, smell and look

When they describe a characteristic, the Present Simple is normally used:

  • The cake tastes great.
  • The kitchen smells wonderful.
  • You look tired.

When they describe an action that someone is performing, the Present Continuous can be used:

  • The chef is tasting the soup.
  • She is smelling the flowers.
  • Why are you looking at me?

6. Common mistakes

Here are some common mistakes:

IncorrectCorrect
I am knowing the answer.I know the answer.
She is wanting a new phone.She wants a new phone.
We are understanding the problem.We understand the problem.
This book is belonging to me.This book belongs to me.
He is having a car.He has a car.
I am thinking you are right.I think you are right.

The continuous form is possible when have or think have a different dynamic meaning:

  • We’re having dinner.
  • I’m thinking about your suggestion.
Stative verbs illustration

7. Exercises

1. Listening: Marcus Aurelius

Listen to the audio and read the transcript. Notice the stative verbs that describe Marcus’s thoughts, wishes and feelings.

Answers
  1. Where is Emperor Marcus Aurelius?
  2. What are the soldiers doing outside?
  3. What does Marcus want?
  4. What does Marcus understand about being a ruler?
  5. Which verb in the text shows that Marcus has an opinion about a good emperor?
  6. What sentence does Marcus write in his notebook?

2. Stative or action?

Say whether the highlighted verb describes a state (S) or an action (A) in each sentence.

Answers
  1. I know the answer.
  2. She is thinking about her holiday.
  3. We are having dinner.
  4. They own a restaurant.
  5. He is tasting the sauce.
  6. This music sounds beautiful.
  7. Are you seeing the dentist tomorrow?
  8. I prefer the blue one.

3. Choose the correct form

Answers
  1. I know / am knowing the answer.
  2. She has / is having two children.
  3. They think / are thinking that the plan is too expensive.
  4. We think / are thinking about moving to another city.
  5. This soup tastes / is tasting too salty.
  6. The chef tastes / is tasting the soup.
  7. He doesn’t understand / isn’t understanding the instructions.
  8. I see / am seeing my cousins this weekend.

4. Correct the mistake

Correct the mistake in each sentence.

Answers
  1. I am wanting a cup of tea.
  2. She is knowing my brother.
  3. We are owning a small flat near the station.
  4. Does he understanding the question?
  5. This cheese is smelling strange.
  6. They are having a large house in the country.

5. Complete the sentences

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in brackets.

Answers
  1. I ______ this song. (love)
  2. Why ______ you ______ at me? (look)
  3. My parents ______ in a small village. (live)
  4. She ______ about your suggestion at the moment. (think)
  5. This bag ______ to my sister. (belong)
  6. We ______ lunch with our friends right now. (have)
  7. He ______ what you mean. (not understand)
  8. The flowers ______ wonderful. (smell)

6. Choose the meaning

Choose the correct meaning of the highlighted verb.

Answers
  1. I think this is the right address. (have an opinion / consider something at the moment)
  2. I’m thinking about my next holiday. (have an opinion / consider something at the moment)
  3. We have a new car. (possess / eat a meal)
  4. We are having coffee. (possess / drink a beverage)
  5. She is seeing the doctor tomorrow. (meet / understand with the eyes)
  6. The room looks clean. (appear / direct your eyes at something)

7. Make it personal

Write six sentences about yourself. Use at least four stative verbs and two verbs that can have a dynamic use.

You can use these ideas:

  • something you like, love or hate;
  • something you know or believe;
  • something you have or own;
  • something you need or want;
  • something you are thinking about;
  • an activity you are having, seeing or looking at this week.
Example answers
  1. Write a sentence with like, love or hate.
  2. Write a sentence with know, believe or understand.
  3. Write a sentence with have, own or belong.
  4. Write a sentence with need, want or prefer.
  5. Write a sentence with think about, have or see in a dynamic meaning.
  6. Write one more sentence using a stative verb.