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State or Action verbs?

What is the difference between an action or a state verb?

(One refers to an action and one does not)

This seems simple but has an important effect on the way we use them:

What do you need to remember to be able to use state verbs successfully?

Look at these sentences: (one is wrong. Why?)

He thought it was a terrible film.

He was thinking it was a terrible film.

He was thinking about what he had to do at work the next day.

Answers:

He thought it was a terrible film. (ok. Its an opinion)

He was thinking it was a terrible film.He was thinking about what he had to do at work the next day. (ok. The activity of thoughts going

through his head)

1. Look at the these examples of state and action verbs:

State verbs are basically all those verbs that do not refer

to activity, and therefore are not used in the

continuous aspect.

STATE VERBS/ ACTION VERBS (See examples below)

Can you add more verbs to the ones in the table? For example, can you think of other verbs

that denote possession or belonging"

Action Both State

live consider believe

work have understand

drive think know

write see love

sleep detest

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Typical categories of state verb

Possession/belonging

Intellectual verbs

Be

Emotions

Likes/dislikes

Examples of verbs that can denote both state and action (look at them to decide what the

difference in meaning is in each case):

I consider you to be very intelligent

Im considering a holiday in Samarkand this summer.

Im having breakfastI have an old tired brown Passat that prefers spending time with the mechanic than with me.

I think ice cream is wonderful even in the winter.

What is he thinking about?

I see what you mean .

Im seeing Paul on Friday. (meet).

AN UNUSUAL CASE

Normally we use adverbs of frequency with the simple aspect

BUT

Is this sentence correct?

Im always forgetting to put my phone onto mute!

If you want to talk about irritating habits you can combine always with the continuous aspect of

the verb. In this case Im angry or irritated with myself because this happens a lot in the middle of

my lessons!

Now its your turn:

Write down six examples thinking carefully about the aspect you choose. You should write some

information that is true and some that is false. Then read them out to your partner who should

decide which ones are true and which are false. (Be Careful: the information should be true or false,

but the language forms should be correct.)

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