Stative Verbs


Stative verbs do NOT belong to a physical action; they represent a situation or stipulation (permanent things; things that don't have a beginning or end). Examples of stative verbs are: like, love, believe, know, understand, have (when it means to own), prefer, hate.


Some verbs can be both stative and dynamic:


Be

Usually, it is a stative verb, but when it is practised in the constant, it implies 'behaving' or 'moving.'

  • you are funny = it's part of your character/oneself.
  • you are being stupid = only now, not usually


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.


Have

  • have (stative) = own
  • I have a car
  • have (dynamic) = part of an expression
  • I'm having a party / a picnic / a bath / a good time / a break


See

  • see (stative) = see with your eyes / understand
  • I see what you mean
  • I see her now, she's just coming along the road
  • see (dynamic) = meet / have a relationship with
  • I've been seeing my boyfriend for three years
  • I'm seeing Robert tomorrow


Taste

  • taste (stative) = has a certain taste
  • This soup tastes great
  • The coffee tastes bitter
  • taste (dynamic) = the action of tasting
  • The chef is tasting the soup

('taste' is the same as other similar verbs such as 'smell')




Reference

https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/stative-verbs.html

Comments

Popular Posts