Stative Verbs in English

What are dynamic verbs and stative verbs?

Most verbs are dynamic. They describe an action. Some examples of dynamic verbs are run, eat, and read. Can you name twenty more dynamic verbs?

Stative verbs don’t imply action. They refer things that don’t tend to change, like our feelings and points of view. We use stative verbs to talk about states of being.

Why are stative verbs relevant?

Learn about stative verbs to avoid making a common mistake in English. The error is that we don’t use stative verbs in continuous tenses.

We use continuous tenses to talk about something that is occurring now. Since stative verbs endure over time, it doesn’t make sense to use a stative verb in the continuous tenses.

Let’s take the verb to like as an example. Think of a food you like. Do you like it, then not like it, then like it again? Probably not. To like is a stative verb because you like this food in general, all of the time.

Therefore, it is incorrect to say that you are liking your favourite food. You either like it, or you don’t. And so the verb to like refers to a constant state.

Let’s look at some examples.

Correct: I like it.
Incorrect: I am liking it.

Correct: We have known the truth for years.
Incorrect: We have been knowing the truth for years.

Correct: Tammy has belonged to the club since it opened.
Incorrect: Tammy has been belonging to the club since it opened.

What are some common stative verbs?

Some common stative verbs are:

Some verbs are both state and non-stative verbs, but they mean different things.

Lots of English verbs have various meanings. Be aware of the following verbs! They have range of meaning, and can be used in the Present Continuous in one sense of the word, but not in another.

To be
The verb to be usually refers to an essence and general state, so it is usually a stative verb.

It is an egg. (Its essence is as an egg.)
She is my sister. (She is always my sister.)

In the dynamic, continuous form, to be refers to the way someone or something is acting in the moment, not how it usually behaves.

As a stative verb: Jeffery is rude. (Jeffery is a rude person in general.)
As a non-stative verb: Jeffery has been being rude lately. (Jeffery isn’t normally a rude person. He has been behaving in an unusual way.)

To have
As a regular state verb, to have means to possess something. It indicates ownership.

Correct: I have a pen. (This pen is mine.)
Incorrect: I am having a pen. (The pen is either yours or it isn’t. Your ownership isn’t dynamic.)

But we also use to have as a non-stative verb in many expressions and as part of collocations.

Here are some examples of ways we use to have that don’t imply possession:
You have…

As a stative verb: Tammy has a new house. (Tammy owns the house.)
As a non-stative verb: Tammy has been having lots of parties at her new place. (To have a party does not mean that you own the party.)

Correct: Frank has been having a hard time lately.
Incorrect: Frank has been having a new bicycle.

To see
The verb to see is dynamic when we want to know about the ability to obverse something in the moment.

Are you seeing what I’m seeing?

The verb to see is also dynamic when it means to date romantically.

Are you seeing anyone? (Are you dating or going out with anyone?)

As a stative verb to see expresses a point of view. It refers to an opinion and to how someone understands something.

Correct: The way I see it, we should all respect each other more.
Incorrect: The way I am seeing it, we should all respect each other more.

To taste and to smell
As stative verbs, they mean to emit a flavour or scent.
As non-stative verbs, they are actions. They mean to experience a flavour or scent.

Correct: This candy tastes sweet. (The candy emits a sweet flavour.)
Incorrect: This candy is tasting sweet.
Correct: Juan is tasting the soup to see if he should add more salt.

Correct: Your gym shoes smell bad. (Your gym shoes emit an odor.)
Incorrect: Your gym shoes are smelling bad.
Correct: I am smelling something unpleasant. I think it’s your sneakers.

To think
As a stative verb, to think means to have an opinion.
As a non-stative verb, to think means to ponder and to process information.

Correct: I think the Earth is round.
Incorrect: I am thinking the Earth is round.
Correct: I am thinking about something.

To mind and to care
As a stative verb, to mind means to care about or be bothered by something.
As a non-stative verb, it means to take care of something or someone.

Correct: I am minding the children this afternoon.
Incorrect: Do you mind if I cut in front of you in line? Yes! I am minding.

Correct: John cares about the environment.
Incorrect: John is caring about the environment.

Keep Practicing!