Stative Verbs
Stative verbs or State verbs are verbs used primarily to describe a state or situation as opposed to an action or
process. It can be a mental or emotional state as well as a physical state. They normally relate to thoughts,
emotions, relationships, senses, states of being and measurements.
These verbs are not usually used with “ing” in progressive (continuous) tenses even though they may take on time
expressions such as now and at the moment, or in the imperative mood, which is the "command" form of a sentence,
such as in come with me. We use the simple tenses for them.
Of course, our malleable English language is made up of exceptions to the rules. There is some advertising that
plays with stative verbs. The McDonald's slogan I'm loving it uses a stative verb in the present progressive form. I
recently saw a magazine ad with the tagline, 'She's sensing a change in the air.' So the advertising world seems to be
having fun with stative verbs.
Differences Between Stative and Dynamic Verbs
English also has plenty of grey areas, where a word isn't always only in one or the other category. In practice, the
boundary between stative and dynamic verbs is sometimes fuzzy, and it is generally more useful to talk of stative
and dynamic meaning and usage. In most varieties of English, some verbs are normally stative (therefore you can’t
say: I am owning this car, or Know how to give first aid!), but others are partly stative and partly dynamic, e.g. you
can’t say: She is liking to help people, but you can say: How are you liking your new job? Or you can’t say: I am
forgetting their address, but you can say: Forget it!). Some verbs belong to both categories but with distinct
meanings, as with have in She has red hair and She is having dinner.
Examples of Stative verbs:
Verbs about opinion, e.g.
agree, think, believe, disagree, feel, doubt, depend, understand, know, mean, remember, seem, look (=seem),
mind, suppose, guess, appear, matter, concern, realise…
Verbs about likes and dislikes, e.g.
like, dislike, prefer, love, hate…
Verbs about possession, e.g.
have, possess, belong, own, owe, lack, include, involve…
Verbs describing features, e.g.
weigh, measure, consist, contain…
Verbs expressing necessity, e.g.
need, want, wish, deserve…
Verbs related to perception, e.g.
sound, hear, taste, see, smell, imagine, recognise, satisfy
Verb Correct Not Correct
agree She didn’t agree with us. She wasn’t agreeing with us.
appear It appears to be raining. It is appearing to be raining.
believe I don’t believe the news. I am not believing the news.
belong This book belonged to my This book was belonging to my
grandfather. grandfather.
concern This concerns you. This is concerning you.
consist Bread consists of flour, water Bread is consisting of flour,
water
and yeast.
and yeast.
contain This box contains a cake. This box is containing a cake.
depend It depends on the weather. It’s depending on the weather.
deserve He deserves to pass the exam. He is deserving to pass the exam.
disagree I disagree with you. I am disagreeing with you.
dislike I have disliked mushrooms for I have been disliking mushrooms
years. for years.
doubt I doubt what you are saying. I am doubting what you are
saying.
feel (=have I don’t feel that this is a good I am not feeling that this is a
good
an opinion) idea.
idea.
fit This shirt fits me well. This shirt is fitting me well.
hate Julie’s always hated dogs. Julie’s always been hating dogs.
hear Do you hear music? Are you hearing music?
imagine I imagine you must be tired. I am imagining you must be
tired.
impress He impressed me with his He was impressing me with his
story.
story.
include This cookbook includes a This cookbook is including a
recipe
recipe for bread.
for bread.
involve The job involves a lot of The job is involving a lot of
travelling. travelling.
know I’ve known Julie for ten years. I’ve been knowing Julie for ten
years.
like I like reading detective stories. I am liking reading detective
stories.
love I love chocolate. I’m loving chocolate.*
matter It doesn’t matter. It isn’t mattering.
mean ‘Enormous’ means ‘very big’. ‘Enormous’ is meaning ‘very
big’.
measure This window measures 150cm. This window is measuring
(=be
150cm.
long)
mind She doesn’t mind the noise. She isn’t minding the noise.
need At three o’clock yesterday I At three o’clock yesterday I was
needed a taxi. needing a taxi.
owe I owe you £20. I am owing you £20.
own She owns two cars. She is owning two cars.
prefer I prefer chocolate ice cream. I am preferring chocolate ice
cream.
promise I promise to help you I am promising to help you
tomorrow.
tomorrow.
realize I didn’t realize the problem. I wasn’t realizing the problem.
recognize I didn’t recognize my old I wasn’t recognizing my old
friend.
friend.
remember He didn’t remember my name. He wasn’t remembering my
name.
seem The weather seems to be The weather is seeming to be
improving. improving.
sound Your idea sounds great. Your idea is sounding great.
suppose I suppose John will be late. I’m supposing John will be late.
