Stative and dynamic verbs
- 2. Some verbs are only (or mostly) used in simple tenses, and are not used in continuous.
- 3. Such as: agree, appear, believe, belong, concern, consist, contain, depend, deserve, doubt, fit, hate, hear, imagine, impress, include, involve, know, like, love, matter…
- 4. mean, mind, need, owe, own, prefer, promise, realize, recognize, remember, seem, sound, suppose, surprise, understand, want, weigh, wish, etc.
- 5. For example, It appears to be raining. This book belonged to my grandfather. This shirt fits me well. Do you hear the music?
- 6. Dynamic verbs are used to describe skills and accomplishments that you have gained through professional experience. Some verbs can be both stative and dynamic:
- 7. be be is usually a stative verb, but when it is used in the continuous it means ‘behaving’ or ‘acting’: You are stupid = it’s a part of your personality. You are being stupid = only now, not usually.
- 8. have have (stative) = own: I have a car. have (dynamic) = a part of the expression: I’m having a party / a picnic / a bath / a good time / a break.
- 9. see see (stative) = see with your eyes / understand: I see what you mean. I see her now, she’s going along the road. see (dynamic) = meet / have a relationship with: I’ve been seeing my boyfriend for three years.
- 10. taste (also taste (stative) = smell, feel, has a certain taste: look) This soup tastes great. taste (dynamic) = the action of tasting: The chef is tasting the soup.
- 11. think think (stative) = have an opinion: I think that coffee is great. think (dynamic) = consider, have in my head. What are you thinking about? I’m thinking about my next holiday.