7/18/2019 Present Tenses Active and Stative Verbs

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/present-tenses-active-and-stative-verbs 1/4

State verbs and action verbs

State verbs express states or conditions which are relatively static. They include verbs of 

 perception, cognition, the senses, emotion and state of being.

1. Verbs of thinking: believe, think , doubt, guess, imagine, know, realise,

suppose, understand, remember, mean, imagine, expect, hope, deserve,agree

2. Verbs of the senses: hear, smell (=have a particular smell), sound,taste, see

3. Verbs of possession: belong to, have (= possess), own, possess4. Verbs of emotion: like, love, dislike, hate, prefer, matter, regret, want,

need5. Verbs of appearance: be, appear, seem, look (=seem)6. Other: contain, depend on, include, involve, consist of 

State verbs are not normally used in continuous forms:

 I am needing a new phone. I need a new phone.

Who is this bag belonging to? Who does this bag belong to?

They are seeming tired. They seem tired.

Action (or dynamic) verbs express activities, processes, momentary actions or physical

conditions.They may be used in continuous forms:

Who was he dancing with?

Someone's knocking at the door.

 I've been reading this book for weeks.

PrilogSome verbs can be used in both simple and continuous tenses but theychange their meaning. Read the examples and complete the sentenceswith the correct form of the verbs on the left.

*see = know, understand I see that you’re right. (I know that you areright. (pres. simp.))

= meet I am seeing the doctor today. (I’m meeting him.

(pres. cont.))

Now I (1)_______________ that she’s sick. My father (2)_______________ him tomorrow morning.

*have = possess She has three sisters now. (She’s got three sisters now.(pres. simp.))

= action  They are having breakfast now. (They’re eating ... (pres,cont.))

They usually (3)_______________ breakfast at this time of the day. They (4) _______________ a good time at the seaside.We (5)_______________ a nice house now.

*think = have an opinion I think she’s beautiful.

7/18/2019 Present Tenses Active and Stative Verbs

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/present-tenses-active-and-stative-verbs 2/4

(My opinion/impression is that she is beautiful. (pres.simp.))think (about…) = use your mind, plan What are you thinking aboutnow?

(think = mental activity; (pres. cont.))

What (6)_______________ (you) about him now? (7)_______________ (she) of me now?

*smell = have a particular smell  This flower smells nice.(This flower has a nice smell. ( pres. simp.))= notice sb/sth by using your nose What are you doing? I’m

smelling the flower.(I’m trying to notice its smell. (pres.cont.))

I always (8)_______________ perfumes before buying them. The room (9)_______________ nice now. He (10)_______________ the cheese, he thinks it’s not good.

*taste = have a particular flavour  The soup tastes good.(The soup has a good taste. (pres. simp.))= notice the flavour of food or drink  He is tasting the soup.(He’s trying to feel its taste. (pres. cont.))

He (11)_______________ everything he cooks. This cake (12)_______________ delicious. She (13)_______________ the cake now.

*look  = seem, appear  You look tired now. (You seem to be tired. (pres.simp.))

= turn eyes in a particular direction in order to seeShe’s looking at the shop window.(She wants to see something. (pres. cont.))

look like = seem like  That looks like our train.

They (14)_______________ really miserable now. They (15)_______________ at something.

*appear = seem He appears to be happy now.(He seems to be happy. (pres. simp.))

= come (into sight) Look! Tom is appearing with his wife.

(He’s coming with his wife. ( pres. cont.))

He always (16)_______________ with someone. She (17)_______________ to have a problem now. He (18)_______________ at the Fortune Theatre next week.

* feel = have an opinion I feel you’re making a mistake.feel ill/tired… I’m feeling ill or I feel ill.

Rešenja: 1 see 2 ’s (is) seeing 3 have 4 ’re (are) having 5 have 6 do you think 7Is she thinking 8 smell9 smells 10 ’s (is) smelling 11 tastes 12 tastes 13 ’s (is) tasting 14 look 15 ’re

(are) looking16 appears 17 appears 18 ’s (is) appearing

7/18/2019 Present Tenses Active and Stative Verbs

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/present-tenses-active-and-stative-verbs 3/4

I Put in the correct verb forms:

1. We ____________(see) the bank manager this afternoon.

2. A: I ____________(think) you’re crazy! B: I ____________(see).

3. A: What _______ you _______ (think) about? B: Life.

4. Why _______ that woman _________ (look) at me?

5. She ____________(look) like your sister.6. I ____________ (feel) that she doesn’t like me.

II Complete the conversation. Choose the correct form of the verb:

Emma: Hi, Matthew.What do you look/ are you looking at?

Matthew: Oh, hi. These are photos of me when I was a child.

Emma: Oh, look at this one. I think/ I’m thinking you look lovely, Matthew.

Matthew: I have/I’m having some more photos here.

Emma: Look at this. Why such a big coat?

Matthew: It was my brother’s. That’s why it didn’t fit/ wasn’t fitting properly.

Emma: Oh, I see/ I’m seeing . And you have/ you’re having your tea here. And in this one youthink / you’re thinking about something very serious.

Matthew: This is a photo of the village I come/ I’m coming from.

Emma: Oh, that’s nice.

III Fill in the blanks with present simple or present continuous:

Dear Ruth,

My name is Jane and I’m thirteen years old. I ___________ (write) to you because I’ve got a

really big problem and I ___________ (need) your advice. It’s about a boy from school,

 Nick. He’s a good-looking and fun-loving boy and we ___________ (have) a great time

together, but my mum ___________ (not like) him at all. The truth is that Nick isn’t a very

good student. He ___________ (not study) very hard, but he ___________ (dance) very welland he ___________ (play) the guitar beautifully. In fact, he ___________ (play) with his

group at the pub these days. Mum ___________ (not want) me to be friends with Nick. You

see, Mum ______ always ________ (complain) that I can’t choose the right friends. So, dear 

Ruth , ______ you ________ (understand) my problem? How can I make my Mum change

her mind?

Please help me!

Yours, Jane

IV Correct the mistakes you find in the following sentences:

1. I’m hoping that you pass your English exam.

2. I’m hating Maths so much this year.

3. I am realize that I have to do a lot of homework now.

4. This soup is tasting awful.

5. Do you believe that man?

6. I’m understanding the lesson very good today.

7. Are you write now?

V Fill in the blanks with present simple or present continuous:

1) She ____________(have) a bath every evening.

2) My husband ____________ (always/taste) the food while I'm cooking! It's

very annoying.

3) Luke____________ (see) the doctor now.

4) He____________ (have) a party next weekend.5) This coffee ____________ (not/taste) right.

6) We ____________ (see) John and Susie next month.

7/18/2019 Present Tenses Active and Stative Verbs

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/present-tenses-active-and-stative-verbs 4/4

7) What ____________(you/think) about the war ?

8) She ____________(have) a headache.

9) It____________ (be) cold today.

10) They ____________ (not/have) a car.

11) I ____________ (not/see) anything, I can't work the telescope? .

12) The waiter ____________ (taste) the wine now.

13) She ____________ (not/be) a doctor.14) ____________ (you/want) a sandwich?

15) I____________ (have) fun today.

16) I ____________ (think) too much about my ex-boyfriend.

17) They often ____________ (see) a film on Fridays.

18) This cake ____________ (taste) funny.

19) ____________ (have) a good time at the moment?

20) The chef always ____________ (tastes) the food before he serves it.