Look at these examples to see how stative verbs are used.
I think that's a good idea.
I love this song!
That coffee smells good.
Do you have a pen?
Try this exercise to test your grammar.
- Grammar test 1
Read the explanation to learn more.
Grammar explanation
Stative verbs describe a state rather than an action. They aren't usually used in the present continuous form.
I don't know the answer.
I'm not knowing the answer.
She really likes you.She's really liking you.
He seems happy at the moment.He's seeming happy at the moment.
Stative verbs often relate to:
- thoughts and opinions: agree, believe, doubt, guess, imagine, know, mean, recognise, remember, suspect, think, understand
- feelings and emotions: dislike, hate, like, love, prefer, want, wish
- senses and perceptions: appear, be, feel, hear, look, see, seem, smell, taste
- possession and measurement: belong, have, measure, own, possess, weigh.
Verbs that are sometimes stative
A number of verbs can refer to states or actions, depending on the context.
I think it's a good idea.
Wait a moment! I'm thinking.
The first sentence expresses an opinion. It is a mental state, so we use present simple. In the second example the speaker is actively processing thoughts about something. It is an action in progress, so we use present continuous.
Some other examples are:
have
I have an old car. (state – possession)
I'm having a quick break. (action – having a break is an activity)
see
Do you see any problems with that? (state – opinion)
We're seeing Tadanari tomorrow afternoon. (action – we're meeting him)
be
He's so interesting! (state – his permanent quality)
He's being very unhelpful. (action – he is temporarily behaving this way)
taste
This coffee tastes delicious. (state – our perception of the coffee)
Look! The chef is tasting the soup. (action – tasting the soup is an activity)
Other verbs like this include: agree, appear, doubt, feel, guess, hear, imagine, look, measure, remember, smell, weigh, wish.
Do this exercise to test your grammar again.
- Grammar test 2
Hi,
Wondering if it is sometimes possible to use the verb "want" as an action verb, e.g.: "She's been wanting that dress for ages" or "She's been wanting to be a doctor since she was 7 years old." The first one sounds fine for me but the second one sounds clunky. Are either/both possible?
Thanks!
gwen_m
Hello gwen_m,
Yes, it is possible. It's not very common and it's quite informal, I would say, but you can find examples like the ones you quoted. It's used to emphasise a desire or ambition which a person has had and which has not been fulfilled for some time, rather than for simple preferences or requests.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hi! What is correct? Now Tim feels / is feeling terrible. He has never broken a window before.
Please let me know what you think. Thank you in advance.
Hello teatime123,
We usually use simple forms with 'feel', so 'feels' is the most likely answer. However, we can use the continuous aspect (is feeling) when we want to emphasise that the emotion is (a) temporary and (b) happening right now. So though 'feels' is the most likely form, in this context 'is feeling' is not incorrect.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello. Could you please help me?
Is the following sentence correct? Simple explanation please,
You are looking happy today.
Thank you.
Hello Ahmed Imam,
Yes, that sentence is fine. The present continuous is often used to emphasise that an action or state is temporary and current rather than general (today rather than every day).
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello,
*My first question is about "to be supposed to do/be something".
I can't understand when it is used, and if it's another way to say "to think/guess, imagine..."
e.g "I am supposed to take the exam, but I am not sure."
Is that correct?
I often come across this structure, but I don’t know when it’s right to use it.
*The second question refers to "to strike" as thoughts and impressions.
Does "to strike" look like "to seem"?
Please, could you give me an example?
Thanks for help!
Hi User_1,
"Supposed to ..." shows an expectation, obligation or responsibility. I am supposed to take the exam means something like "I have to take the exam", or "People expect me to take the exam". To take another example, You're not supposed to smoke inside the building means "You can't smoke in the building".
Yes, "strike" has a similar meaning to "seem". It has various structures:
I hope that helps.
Jonathan
LearnEnglish team
Hi Jonathan,
Thanks for helping me!
Hello
I'm rather new at this. I have a question about the use of the verb 'to forget'. In some lists it is considered a 'stative verb', in other lists of stative verbs, it's not listed at all. So what kind of verb is 'to forget'? Or can it be used as dynamic and static? And can it thus be used in the continuous form?
Thanks for replying to this message.
Best regards.