Table of Contents
What are stative verbs?
Stative verbs (also called “state verbs”) are a group of verbs that describe the state of the subject rather than an action. They are usually used in the present or past simple tenses and with modals. They are not normally used in the present, past, or future continuous tenses because actions in continuous (or progressive) actions have a duration (beginning, progress and end), which does not apply to stative verbs.
Following are lists of the most common state verbs and an example of each.
Some of these verbs can express both states and actions. The same verb has two different meanings in these cases. The third columns in the tables below have examples of the verbs when they express an action meaning.
Sense Perceptions
| Verb | Example | Action |
|---|---|---|
| see | I see a butterfly on the flower. | I'm seeing the doctor tomorrow. (= visit) |
| hear | Do you hear the sound of birds? | |
| smell | The flowers smell good. | |
| feel | The new coat feels warm. | I'm not feeling well. (physical condition) |
| taste | This ice-cream tastes delicious. | The chef is tasting the food. |
Opinion
| Verb | Example | Action |
|---|---|---|
| believe | The police believed he was guilty of the theft. | |
| consider | I don't consider it as an important factor. | They are considering moving to another house. (=think about; take into account) |
| doubt | I doubt he could help. | |
| feel | Tell them what you feel. (=think) | |
| find | I find it hard to believe they are not going to help me. | |
| suppose | I suppose we are early. | |
| think | Do you think we should start the meeting? | He's thinking about finding a new job. (=consider) |
Mental State
| Verb | Example | Action |
|---|---|---|
| forget | She always forgets her neighbors' names. | |
| imagine | Can you imagine how it feels to be deaf? | He was imagining weird things happening. (=form a mental image) |
| know | He knows exactly what should be done. | |
| mean | I really mean what I say. | I have been meaning to contact you. (=intend) |
| notice | They noticed a change in the color of the plant. | |
| realize | I didn't realize my mistake at once. | |
| recognize | She didn't recognize him after he shaved his beard. | |
| remember | I never remember people's birthdays. | Looking at an old photo, she was remembering her childhood. (=recall or think of again) |
Emotions & Desires
| Verb | Example | Action |
|---|---|---|
| dislike | The actor disliked the scenario, so he refused to participate in the movie. | |
| envy | She envies people who do not have to work on weekends. | |
| fear | What does your child fear most? | |
| hate | I don't understand why many people hate spiders. | |
| like | My children like vanilla-flavored ice-cream. | |
| love | He loved her more than anybody else. | |
| mind | I don't mind dealing with strangers. | |
| prefer | My father prefers watching sports to playing them. | |
| regret | She has always regretted missing that opportunity. | |
| want | The manager doesn't want to hold a meeting soon. | |
| wish | I wish we could meet before you leave the office. |
Measurement
| Verb | Example | Action |
|---|---|---|
| contain | The book contains five units. | |
| cost | The clothes I bought didn't cost much. | |
| hold | This bottle holds 50 ml of perfume. | She is holding the baby firmly. (=keep) |
| measure | I bought a screen that measures 52 inches. | The engineer is measuring the room. (=take the size) |
| weigh | The baby weighs 5 kilograms. | The man is weighing the vegetables. (=measure the weight) |
Others
| Verb | Example | Action |
|---|---|---|
| look | She looks exactly like her mother. | She is looking at old photos. |
| seem | They seem to be tired. | |
| be | I am ready for the new task. | She is being silly these days. (=temporary state; normally she is not silly) |
| have | They have three children. | We are having lunch together. (=eat) He's having a shower. (=take) |