It can be classified according to various criteria, and one of them is the transfer of an action or a state of an object. Accordingly, all verbs can be divided into dynamic or action verbs ( Dynamic verbs) and static or state verbs ( Stative verbs).
Dynamic verbs indicate that an object performs a certain physical action. This group includes most of the verbs we know ( to eat, to run, to write, to burn, etc.), and each of them describes a specific understandable physical action.
State verbs are another matter. Their task is clear from the name: they convey states, feelings, attitudes, mental processes and other characteristics of an object. For example, state verbs include such simple and familiar words as to love and to hate, to remember and to forget, to understand and to believe, to look and to feel... We learn these verbs almost in the first lessons of the English language and do not even know that they fall into a certain classification and have their own grammatical features. And their main difference from dynamic verbs is that they are not used in group timesContinuous , that is, they cannot have a long time. Indeed, one cannot observe how we remember or believe, this is not a physical process, but the result of a person's mental activity. The same can be said for everything Stative verbs(of course, with some exceptions, as is usually the case in English language).
First, let's find out what other verbs are related to Stative verbs and what groups they are divided into:
- Physical perception verbs ( verbs of physical perception): to hear, to notice, to see.
- Emotional verbs ( verbs denoting emotions): to adore, to care for, to detest, to dislike, to hate, to like, to love, to respect.
- Desire verbs ( verbs denoting wish): to desire, to want, to wish.
- Mental activity verbs ( verbs denoting mental processes): to admire(meaning "to admire"), to appreciate, to assume, to believe(believe), to consider(consider someone, consider how), to doubt, to expect(believe), to feel(believe), to imagine, to know, to mind(mind), to perceive, to presume, to recall, to recognize, to recollect, to regard, to remember, to suppose, to think(think), to trust, to understand.
- Relationship verbs ( relational verbs): to apply, to be, to belong, to concern, to consist, to contain, to depend, to deserve,to differ, to equal, to fit, to have, to hold(contain), to include, to involve, to lack, to matter, to need, to owe, to own, to possess, to remain, to require, to resemble, to result, to signify, to suffice.
- Other verbs: to agree, to allow, to appear(seem), to astonish, to claim, to consent, to displease, to envy, to fail to do, to feel, to find, to forbid, to forgive, to intend, to interest, to keep doing, to manage to do, to mean, to object, to please, to prefer, to prevent, to puzzle, to realize, to refuse, to remind, to satisfy, to seem, to smell, to sound, to succeed, to suit, to surprise, to taste, to tend, to value.
It seems that remembering such a huge list of unrelated English words is simply unrealistic. In fact, there is no need to do this, the main thing is to understand the principle by which this or that verb got into it, and it is important to remember that these verbs do not denote a physical action. You can just remember the names of the groups, and the verbs will be remembered by themselves.
So, we must remember that all these verbs refer to state verbs and not use them in the group tenses. Continuous, because we do not want to seem illiterate! Remember the simplest phrases in English:
- I understand you. / I understand what you mean .
- I need a minute to write it down.
- I like roses.
- I have a car.
We never speak I’m understanding or I'm needing in simple English speech.
It seems that everything is clear, and here comes the time to talk about exceptions. In this case, they will be due to English words, i.e., the ability to have more than one lexical meaning. For example, the same verb can have the meaning of a physical action and belong to one of the types of state verbs. Among them is such a clear and familiar verb to see:
to see- see ( stative), meet ( dynamic).
I see a woman in an elegant suit. - I see a woman in an elegant suit.
He's seeing his parents after work. - He meets with his parents after work.
Here's another example:
to appear- seem ( stative), perform on stage ( dynamic).
She appears to be very happy with her new fiancé. “She seems to be very happy with her new fiancé.
My favorite band is appearing on Sunday. - My favorite band is playing on Sunday.
Verbs taste(to taste / taste), smell(smell / sniff), look(look / look), feel(feel / touch) think(think / ponder) also obey this principle. To understand whether a verb in a particular case is dynamic or static, you need to have a good understanding of the context in which it is used.
Interesting to observe the use of the verb to have both static and dynamic. So when to have is a state verb and has the meaning "to have", "to have", it cannot be used in Continuous Tenses... But if to have is part of the stable expression ( to have dinner, to have a shower), it starts to work like a dynamic verb:
We have a big house in the suburbs. “We have a big house on the outskirts of the city.
I’m having lunch, so I’ll call you later. “I'm having lunch now, so I'll call you back later.
Verb tobe can also be used in group times Continuous, but only under a certain restriction: it will be used to convey a temporary state or behavior, for example:
You are being too quiet today. What’s wrong? - Something you have completely quieted down today. What happened?
She is being a pop-star. - She acts just like a pop star.
Also, the verb to be should be put in Continuous for grammatical reasons in the forms Present continuous passive and Past Continuous Passive:
A new church is being built in our district. - A new church is being built in our area.
An applicant was being interviewed when I came to the office yesterday morning. - When I arrived at the office yesterday morning, the job applicant was interviewed.
Verb toenjoy can be used in Continuous Tenses if it denotes the enjoyment of something specific:
I’m enjoying my holiday in Italy. - I am very happy on vacation in Italy.
I'm enjoying the performance a lot. - I like this performance so much!
In other cases to enjoy acts as a state verb:
I enjoy watching horror films at night. - I like to watch horror movies at night.
Verbs tolook (to look like), tofeel (feel), tohurt and toache (ache) can be used as in times Continuous and in times Simple, the meaning will not change, and it will not look like a grammatical error.
You "re looking much younger in this brightly-colored summer dress. = You look much younger in this brightly-colored summer dress. - You look much younger in this brightly-colored summer dress.
I'm feeling more confident after my promotion. = I feel more confident after my promotion. - I feel more confident after the promotion.
My leg hurts me. = My leg is hurting me. - Leg hurts.
And finally, the most interesting thing. Most state verbs can be used in tense Continuous to express vivid positive or negative emotions or special attitude:
I'm loving you. - I love you so much!
I'm hating the way you treat waiters. - I really don't like the way you treat the waiters.
I’m needing you, don’t leave! - I really need you, don't go!
State verbs ( Stative verbs) can seem like a daunting topic, although you shouldn't panic if you don’t fully understand it right away and memorize all the verbs and the difference in their meanings. Read more often, think about why the author uses a specific tense and how he expresses it, and you will simply no longer need to learn static verbs. The mention of static verbs is in the description of almost everyone, so sooner or later this topic will be assimilated by itself.
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Starting to study a foreign language at school, I did not attach much importance to this subject. The realization of the importance came a little later, when I became interested in what is being sung in my favorite songs. From that moment on, learning English made sense, and along with it, there was a desire to understand as much as possible and speak it. English fascinated me with its bright style, clear organization on the one hand and unexpected flexibility on the other. This hobby led to the fact that in 2007 I graduated from the Faculty of Foreign Languages with the qualifications of a teacher and technical translator. I really wanted to be a good translator, but it so happened that I got a job on courses and started teaching. It turned out that you can teach in different ways, and not just the way it was done in schools or universities. There are many roads open to teachers, different methods have been invented, the main thing is not to forget to use them, to make teaching varied and individualized. We embody all these discoveries in our online school "Inglex", conducting classes via Skype.
Since in the previous lessons we looked at times like Present simple and Present Continuous, it's time to talk about those cases when they are used together, or about those moments when it is not completely clear: which one should you choose?
And there are many such situations.
Features of using Present Simple and Present Continuous
Recall that Present simple is used to indicate a repetitive action, and Present Continuous - for the one that's happening right now:
I play tennis every Saturday. - Look! Greg is playing tennis.
Compare:
Mark works in a restaurant. He is a waiter.- Mark works in a restaurant. He's a waiter.
Bob is working in a restaurant this two weeks. He can't find any other job yet.- Bob has been working at the restaurant these two weeks. He cannot find another job yet.
As you can see from the examples, Bob's situation is temporary, while Mark's position is permanent.
Pay attention to one more point when difficulties can arise:
The train leaves at 5 o'clock.- The train leaves at 5 o'clock.
I'm going to leave for Moscow at 5 o'clock tonight.- I'm going to leave for Moscow at 5 o'clock tonight.
Don't forget, with any schedule used Present simple, but when it comes to plans for the future, you need Present Continuous.
Present Continuous Static Verbs
Everything seems obvious, right? However, there is a certain group of verbs that are not used in Present Continuous, or used, but only in a specific sense. Verbs that are not used in Present continuous are called static.
So static verbs are verbs that are not used in continuous and denote a state rather than an action. These include:
- like / dislike verbs: like, love, stand, dislike, can’t stand, don’t mind, prefer, etc.
- perceptual verbs: believe, notice, remember, forget, understand, think, etc .: I don’t understand you.
- verbs "feelings": see, hear, feel, taste, look, smell, etc. The verb can / could is often used with these verbs when we are talking about something at the moment: I can hear a strange noise.
- some other verbs: fit, contain, need, belong, cost, owe, mean, own, have etc .: This dress costs 50 dollars.
These verbs are usually followed by a noun or verb ending -ing: She can't stand cats. He likes playing tennis.
At the same time, do not forget that some static verbs may be used in continuous. However, they acquire a different meaning:
- I think she needs help. (= I think ...)
I ‘M thinking of buying a new car (= I'm thinking ...) - This pasta tastes delicious. (= the pasta tastes great)
He is tasting the pasta. (= he tastes the pasta) - I can see a light in the distance. (= I see a light in the distance)
I 'M seeing him this evening. (= I meet him this evening) - She looks tired (= she looks tired)
He is looking at the map. (= looking at the map) - The kitchen always smells of freshly baked bread. (= smells)
Why is the lady smelling the perfume? (= sniffs) - This material feels softly. (= material is soft to the touch)
Why are you feeling Tom's head? Has he got a temperature? (= touch)
Here are the pitfalls that can be encountered when using tenses. Present simple and Present Continuous. Practice how well you have learned the lesson and do some exercises.
Lesson assignments
Task 1. Expand the brackets using Present Simple or Present Continuous.
1 .... (he / come) tonight?
2. I… (cook) at the moment.
3. The flowers… (smell) good.
4. (he / come) to St. Petersburg often?
5. Jack ... (play) golf now.
6. I… (think) this house is expensive.
7. The film ... (start) at seven.
8. I… (have) a wonderful time here.
9. You ... (need) a new car.
10.… (they / like) it?
11. He… (get up) at 7 every day.
12. I ... (see) Tom at the restaurant tonight.
13. Why… (mother / taste) the soup?
Task 2. Correct the errors.
- I am preferring tea to coffee.
- She don’t go to the cinema at the weekend.
- Jess thinks of changing her job.
- I can seeing a man in the end of the street.
- She has breakfast at the moment.
- This purse is belonging to me.
- I am remembering that girl.
Answer 1.
1. Is he coming tonight?
2. I am cooking at the moment.
3. The flowers smell good.
4. Does he come to St. Petersburg often?
5. Jack is playing golf now.
6. I think this house is expensive.
7. The film starts at seven.
8. I am having a wonderful time here.
9. You need a new car.
10. Do they like it?
11. He gets up at 7 every day.
12. I am seeing Tom at the restaurant tonight.
13. Why is mother tasting the soup?
Answer 2.
- I prefer tea to coffee.
- She doesn't go to the cinema at the weekend.
- Jess is thinking of changing her job.
- I can see a man in the end of the street.
- She is having breakfast at the moment.
- This purse belongs to me.
- I remember that girl.
We all know that a verb is an action. For example: run, jump, teach.
However, in English there is a separate group of verbs that express a state - feelings, emotions, thought processes, etc.
There are certain nuances in the use of such verbs. In the article I will tell you which ones.
4 groups of state verbs in English
State / stative verbs- describe not only the action, but also the state of the object. State - the position in which someone or something is.
For example: She loves him (that is, is in a state of love).
That is, we do nothing, it is what happens inside, in the head or heart.
Let's look at the main groups of such verbs:
1. Verbs expressing physical perception
feel - to feel, to feel
hear - to hear
look - to look, to seem (but, not in the meaning of "look")
observe - observe, observe
recognize - recognize, recognize
see - to see
seem - to seem
smell - to have a smell
sound - sound
taste - to taste
distinguish - to distinguish
For instance:
I see a house.
I see a house.
I hear only you.
I only hear you.
2. Verbs expressing mental state
know - to know
believe - to believe
notice - notice
realize - realize
forget - to forget
remember - remember
recognize- recognize
think - think (have an opinion), believe
expect - means to think
understand - to understand
see - meaning to understand
seem- seem
mean - to mean, to mean
For instance:
They know me.
They know me.
I think he is right.
I think he's right.
3. Verbs expressing emotions and desires
like - like
dislike - do not like
love - to love
hate - to hate
care - to worry
hope - hope
wish - to wish
want - to want
need - to need
prefer - to prefer
mind - worry, worry
For instance:
We wanted dessert.
We wanted dessert.
I like music.
I like music.
4. Verbs expressing ownership of something
be - to be
belong - belong
own - to have
have - to have
contain - contain
cost - cost
seem - to seem
need - to need
depend on - to depend on
come from - to be from
resemble - to be similar
possess - to possess
For instance:
This doll belongs to me.
This doll belongs to me.
This costs too much.
It costs too much.
All of these verbs have a peculiarity in their use. Let's see which one.
Features of state verbs in English
Status verbs are never used in the Continuous tenses group. We use this group when we want to say that something is in progress. For example, I am swimming, that is, I am in the process of swimming.
They are watch ing TV.
They watch TV.
He was work ing the whole morning.
He worked all morning.
Read more about these times in the following articles:
Why aren't these state verbs used in Present Continuous?
As we have already discussed, this time is used to emphasize that the action is in the process: we started doing it some time ago, we are doing it now, but after a while we will finish doing it.
To be used in our long tense, the verb must be able to last.
For example: to cook - you started to cook, cook now, finish after a while.
Returning to our exception verbs. We cannot start smelling or hearing and then finish the process over time. This is what we do all the time. We talk about smelling and hearing. In the same way, forgetting, understanding or emotions cannot be processes, because otherwise it will turn out that these processes began once, now continue and someday will end.
So now let's practice using these verbs.
Assignment task
Translate the following sentences into English. Leave your answers in the comments below the article.
1. He wants to see you.
2. She understands physics.
3. It sounds good.
4. I know him.
5. They hate cleaning.
As you know, verbs of the English language are divided into many categories: from the point of view of transitivity and intransitivity, according to their role in the sentence (main and auxiliary), regarding the formation of forms (correct and incorrect). There is another classification that does not have such a clear reflection in the Russian language - these are state verbs and action verbs, or, as they are called, the verbs of state and action.
This division plays a rather important role in the language, since the type of form used largely depends on how sentences will be built, as well as what time will need to be used. In order to understand both types, it is necessary to determine when types are used, and what usage they are typical for.
Action verbs
C English verbs actions are quite simple: these are forms that are capable of forming for a long time and showing the process (they are sometimes called dynamic verbs). It will be very problematic to list the entire list of such words, since there are many of them. Simply put, these are standard action words that convey not sensations, but a real process - run, read, swim, follow, etc.
Stative structures have a different principle of formation and use, therefore, it is worth dwelling on their features, both grammatical and lexical, in more detail.
State verbs
State verbs in English are called so for a reason. The fact is that they can be used solely to show a certain phase of an action, its state, and not a long process. A characteristic feature of this category is that it uses verbs that are not used in Present Continuous and any other long tense. Static verbs have several subspecies, all of which are not used in Continuous for reasons characteristic of the English language. Here are examples of which state verbs are used to highlight:
- verbs of feelings, that is, those that convey the emotional state of a person - love, hate, like, adore, etc .;
- perception verbs that reflect not emotions, but physical feelings through which a person perceives the world around him. Sensory words include observe, hear, see, smell, etc .;
- static words that emphasize mental activity - know, understand, believe, suppose, etc .;
- state verbs reflecting abstract relationships - belong, possess, have, etc .;
- actions expressing desires and intentions - wish, intend, want, etc.
Note: Quite often, even words that are not used in lengthy constructions can be used to represent a process. Such situations are relevant in those cases when the meaning of such verbs changes, that is, they acquire a different, not their own classical meaning. A prime example is smell and smell. In the first case, it is impossible to form Continuous, but in the second it is possible. Or here: admire in the meaning of "admire" and admire as "to admire". The principle is the same as in the smell example.
Both State and Action Verbs
The rule of dividing action words into action and non-action verbs is not always strict. The fact is that there are a number of structures that cannot be 100% categorized into either category, but into the second category, that is, they may or may not have a Continuous form, depending on the situation.
In such forms, translation is quite important. Most often, any of these verbs is used in a specific context, which you should definitely pay attention to. Depending on what meaning the word acquires, one or another structure is used.
These actions include such as see, have, think, etc., that is, those that can actually be long-term, but, if necessary, show a certain state. Here are some examples of what this looks like:
I think she will return as soon as she passes the last exam. I think she will come back as soon as she passes the last exam (the verb think conveys the meaning of "believe, count")
· I'm thinking about tomorrow’s conference; don’t bother me. I am thinking about tomorrow's conference, do not bother me (think conveys the meaning of "reflect", that is, it shows the thought process)
Here's another pair that also often has a duality of education:
We have a car, and we don not want to buy another one. We have a car and we don't want to buy another one (have conveys the abstract concept of ownership)
John will call you later; he is having dinner now. John will call you back later, he is having dinner now (have is used in Continuous, since this word is often included in various fixed expressions: have shower, have dinner, etc.)
Various exercises comparing action versus state verbs will help you hone your skills by comparing these two categories. A table with regular and irregular verbs will help you easily find the right option when it comes to those constructions that do not have a duration. It is quite important to realize this difference, since the type of form used largely depends on how the sentence will be built and what temporary structures should be used in it.
In English, there are verbs that are not used in the continuous tenses (that is, the long form). They are called stative verbs or state verbs from the word "state", which means "state" or "position." There are other variants of names: non-action verbs, nonprogressive verbs, non-continuous verbs. But the essence of these verbs is the same: they do not describe actions or events, but express a state or an existing situation.
6 groups of stative verbs
The list of state verbs in English is huge. Depending on the meaning, static verbs are divided into several groups.
- Verbs of physical perception: to hear, to smell, to notice, to see.
- Verbs denoting emotions: to adore, to care for, to like / to dislike, to love / to detest, to hate, to respect.
- Verbs denoting wish (verbs of desire): to desire, to want, to wish.
- Verbs denoting mental processes: to admire, to appreciate, to assume, to believe, to consider, to doubt, to expect, to feel, to imagine, to know, to mind ), to perceive, to presume, to recall, to recognize, to recollect, to regard, to remember, to suppose, to think, to trust, to understand.
- Relational verbs: to apply, to be, to belong, to concern, to consist, to contain, to depend, to deserve, to differ, to equal, to fit, to have, to hold, to include, to involve, to lack, to matter, to need, to owe, to own, to possess, to remain, to require, to resemble, to result, to signify, to suffice.
- Other verbs: to agree, to allow, to appear, to astonish, to claim, to consent, to displease, to envy, to fail to do, to feel, to find, to forbid, to forgive, to intend, to interest, to keep doing, to manage to do, to mean, to object, to please, to prefer, to prevent, to puzzle, to realize, to refuse, to remind, to satisfy, to seem, to sound, to succeed , to suit, to surprise, to taste, to tend, to value.
Static or not static - that is the question
It seems that remembering all these words is simply unrealistic. But there is no need to do this. It is enough to remember the names of the groups, and static verbs will be remembered by themselves. You just need to see / understand the difference: when you have verbs of state in front of you, and when verbs of action (for this you need to know the exact translation of the word, and in what meaning it is used). The main thing to remember is that state verbs do not mean physical action.
Sometimes static verbs are still used in the Continuous form, but on condition that they have a different meaning. Below are examples of cases where stative verbs become active verbs.
- see meaning to see is not used in Continuous;
- see in the meaning of accompanying denotes a specific action, and therefore has the form Continuous;
- see also refers to dynamic verbs;
- see the sights of, that is, to see the sights, is also an action verb.
I see him. - I see him. I am seeing him off. - I see him off.
- smell means to have a smell - SV
- smell means to smell - AV
This plate smells good. - This dish smells good. I am smelling the flower. - I smell the flower.
- taste means to taste - SV
- taste means to try - AV
The salad tastes good. - The salad tastes good. I am tasting the salad. - I'm trying the salad.
- feel - SV
- feel - most often used as SV
- feel (touch, feel) - AV
The baby's skin feels like silk. - Baby's skin feels like silk.
I feel empty - I feel empty.
Tom is feeling the dog’s nose - Tom touches the dog’s nose.
- look (look / seem) - SV
- look (look / peep / view) - AV
It looks as if Betty has finished her work. - It seems that Betty has finished her work.
Betty is looking out of the window. - Betty peeps / looks out of the window.
Granddad is looking through the newspaper. - Grandpa looks through the newspaper.
- admire - SV
- admire - AV
I admire Sam's talent. - I admire Sam's talent.
I'm admiring the night sky. - I admire the night sky.
- enjoy (to enjoy in general) - SV
- enjoy (to enjoy in a particular situation) - AV
I enjoy comedy. - I enjoy comedy. (I like her). I am enjoing the film. - I enjoy (this particular) movie.
- have - SV and AV in expressions such as:
have dinner / supper / lunch / breakfast - lunch / dinner / breakfast
have a shower - take a shower
have a rest - to have a rest
have a nap - take a nap, etc.
- fit - SV
- fit - AV
This hat fits well. - This hat fits perfectly.
I can’t fit the handle to the door. “I can't fit the handle to the door.
- appear - SV
- appear (take part) - AV
Tim appears to be very sad. - Tim seems very sad.
Tim is appearing in the next competitions. - Tom will take part in the next competition.