Most stative or state verbs refer to a state rather than action.

Stative verbs are verbs

which we use in the Present Simple, even if they are happening now. Example:
agree / disagree Now, I know the answer!
appear However, in situations where they refer to an action which is taking place at that
believe moment, we use the Present Continuous tense.
Examples: I think that coffee is great (= have an opinion)
belong to I’m thinking about my next holiday. (= have in my head)
can’t stand Certain stative verbs change their meaning when they are used in the Present
cost Continuous.
Examples: I’m seeing Tom tomorrow. (= meet)
dislike / like I see what you mean. (= understand)
doubt Sometimes stative verbs are used in the present continuous to emphasize change or
enjoy development. This use is informal.
Example: You are being very naughty, Tom! Behave yourself!
fancy
feel (also have an opinion)
fit
guess
hate
There
There are
are three
three main
main categories
categories ofof stative
stative verbs
verbs (feelings,
(feelings, thoughts
thoughts and
and
have
senses)
senses) and
and two
two small
small categories
categories (possession
(possession and
and measurement).
measurement).
hear Complete
Complete the
the charts
charts below
below with
with the
the right
right stative
stative verbs
verbs from
from the
the box
box on
on the
the
hope left
left according
according to
to their
their categories.
categories.
know
lack
look (also = seem)
love
matter _____________ _____________ _____________
mean
measure (= be long) _____________ _____________ _____________
(not) mind
_____________ _____________ _____________
prefer
possess _____________ _____________ _____________
owe
own _____________ _____________ _____________
realise _____________ _____________ _____________
remember
see (meet / understand) _____________ _____________ _____________
seem _____________ _____________ _____________
smell
sound _____________ _____________ _____________
suppose
_____________
taste
think (=consider) _____________
touch ____________
understand _____________ ____________ ____________
want _____________
weigh ____________ ____________
wish _____________ ____________ ____________
wonder _____________ ____________
____________ ____________
_____________
_____________
adore, astonish, bet (opinion),
_____________ contain, concern, consist of, decide, deny, deserve, desire,
detest, imagine, impress, include, involve, please, promise,
recognise, remain, require, resemble, satisfy, surprise,
_____________ suspect...
 Complete
Complete the
the sentences
sentences with
with the
the verbs
verbs in in brackets.
brackets. Use
Use the
the Present
Present Simple
Simple
or
or the
the Present
Present Continuous.
Continuous. Decide
Decide ifif the
the verb
verb refers
refers to
to aa state
state or
or an
an action.
action.
agree / disagree
appear
believe
belong to
We ______________________ of going on holiday next month. Where
can’t stand
____________________ (you) we should go? (think)
cost Dad _____________________ the soup. I’m sure it _____________ very
dislike / like good. (taste)
doubt He __________________ at the book now. It _________________ interesting.
enjoy (look)
fancy ________________________ (he) the tomatoes now? How much
feel (also have an opinion) _________________________ (they)? (weigh)
fit Our friends ________________________ a new swimming pool. They
_______________________ a pool party this Sunday. (have)
guess
hate
have
hear
hope Complete
Complete the
the sentences
sentences with
with the
the correct
correct form
form of
of the
the verbs
verbs in
in brackets.
brackets. Use
Use
know the
the Present
Present Simple
Simple or
or Present
Present Continuous.
Continuous.
lack
look (also = seem)
love
matter Why ____________________________ (those boys / smile) at us?
mean ________________________ (we / know) them?
measure (= be long) I ___________________________ (enjoy) this summer holiday! I
(not) mind _______________________ (not want) it to end.
On annual White Nights, many museums and lots of shops
prefer
____________________________ (stay) open all night.
possess My parents _________________________ (let) me use the car tomorrow.
owe How much ___________________________ (your dog / weigh)?
own Elizabeth __________________________ (know) where the new cinema
realise ___________________ (be).
remember A: __________________________ (this laptop / belong) to Jack?
see (meet / understand) B: No, I _______________ (think) it __________________ (belong)
seem to Debbie.
smell A: Bill usually ________________________ (enjoy) his work.
B: Yes, but he ___________________________ (not enjoy) it now
sound
because he’s got too much to do.
suppose
A: Why _____________________________ (you / taste) the milk?
taste B: Because it _______________________ (smell) rather strange.
think (=consider) ___________________________ (you / want) to taste it?
touch A: Susan _________________________ (talk) to her boyfriend on
understand the phone at the moment.
want B: I can tell. She _______________________ (look) very excited.
weigh David ________________________ (think) about getting the job.
wish Please be quiet. You __________________ (be) too much noisy!
I _____________________________ (feel) that you are wrong.
wonder
I ___________________________ (see) Anne this afternoon at 5.
We _____________________ (have) an interesting conversation!
 Most stative or state verbs refer to a state rather than action. Stative verbs are verbs
which we use in the Present Simple, even if they are happening now. Example:
agree / disagree Now, I know the answer!
appear However, in situations where they refer to an action which is taking place at that
believe moment, we use the Present Continuous tense.
Examples: I think that coffee is great (= have an opinion)
belong to I’m thinking about my next holiday. (= have in my head)
can’t stand Certain stative verbs change their meaning when they are used in the Present
cost Continuous.
Examples: I’m seeing Tom tomorrow. (= meet)
dislike / like I see what you mean. (= understand)
doubt Sometimes stative verbs are used in the present continuous to emphasize change or
enjoy development. This use is informal.
Example: You are being very naughty, Tom! Behave yourself!
fancy
feel (also have an opinion)
fit
guess
hate
There
There are
are three
three main
main categories
categories ofof stative
stative verbs
verbs (feelings,
(feelings, thoughts
thoughts and
and
have
senses)
senses) and
and two
two small
small categories
categories (possession
(possession and
and measurement).
measurement).
hear Complete
Complete the
the charts
charts below
below with
with the
the right
right stative
stative verbs
verbs from
from the
the box
box on
on the
the
hope left
left according
according to
to their
their categories.
categories.
know
lack
look (also = seem)
love
matter agree /disagree __can’t stand_ ___appear______
mean
___believe______ __dislike / like_ ____feel________
measure (= be long)
(not) mind ___doubt______ ____enjoy______ ____hear_______
prefer ____feel_______ ____fancy______ _____look______
possess
____guess______ _____hate______ _____see_______
owe
own ____hope_______ _____love______ ____smell_______
realise ____know______ __not mind_____ ____sound_____
remember
____look_______ ____prefer______ ____taste______
see (meet / understand)
seem ___matter______ ____want_____ ____touch_____
smell ____mean______
sound ___realise______
suppose
taste __remmeber____
think (=consider) _____see_______
touch ___belong to__
____seem______
understand ____cost_____ _____have_____
___suppose_____ _____lack_____
want ____fit_______
weigh ____think_____ ____possess___
___measure___ ______owe____
wish __understand__
wonder ____weigh_____ ____own______
____wish______
____wonder___

adore, astonish, bet (opinion),

contain, concern, consist of, decide, deny, deserve, desire,
detest, imagine, impress, include, involve, please, promise,
recognise, remain, require, resemble, satisfy, surprise,
suspect...
 Complete
Complete the
the sentences
sentences with
with the
the verbs
verbs in in brackets.
brackets. Use
Use the
the Present
Present Simple
Simple
or
or the
the Present
Present Continuous.
Continuous. Decide
Decide ifif the
the verb
verb refers
refers to
to aa state
state or
or an
an action.
action.
agree / disagree
appear
believe
belong to
We _____are thinking__________ of going on holiday next month. Where
can’t stand
____do you think________ (you) we should go? (think)
cost Dad ______is tasting_______ the soup. I’m sure it ___tastes____ very good.
dislike / like (taste)
doubt He ____is looking______ at the book now. It _____looks_______ interesting.
enjoy (look)
fancy ___Is he weighing_______ (he) the tomatoes now? How much ____do they
feel (also have an opinion) weigh_______ (they)? (weigh)
fit Our friends _______have___________ a new swimming pool. They ____are
having________ a pool party this Sunday. (have)
guess
hate
have
hear
hope Complete
Complete the
the sentences
sentences with
with the
the correct
correct form
form of
of the
the verbs
verbs in
in brackets.
brackets. Use
Use
know the
the Present
Present Simple
Simple or
or Present
Present Continuous.
Continuous.
lack
look (also = seem)
love
matter Why ___are those boys smiling_____ (those boys / smile) at us? __Do you
mean know________ (we / know) them?
measure (= be long) I ___am enjoying_______ (enjoy) this summer holiday! I ____don’t
(not) mind want_______ (not want) it to end.
On annual White Nights, many museums and lots of shops
prefer
_____stay____________ (stay) open all night.
possess My parents _________________________ (let) me use the car tomorrow.
owe How much ___does your dog weigh___ (your dog / weigh)?
own Elizabeth ______knows_______________ (know) where the new cinema
realise ______is_______ (be).
remember A: __Does this laptop belong__ (this laptop / belong) to Jack?
see (meet / understand) B: No, I ____think______ (think) it _____belongs_____ (belong)
seem to Debbie.
smell A: Bill usually ________________________ (enjoy) his work.
B: Yes, but he ___doesn’t enjoy___________ (not enjoy) it now
sound
because he’s got too much to do.
suppose
A: Why ___are you tasting_________ (you / taste) the milk?
taste B: Because it ___smells__________ (smell) rather strange.
think (=consider) __Do you want____________ (you / want) to taste it?
touch A: Susan ___is talking____________ (talk) to her boyfriend on
understand the phone at the moment.
want B: I can tell. She ____looks___________ (look) very excited.
weigh David ____is thinking________ (think) about getting the job.
wish Please be quiet. You ___are being______ (be) too much noisy!
I _______feel_______________ (feel) that you are wrong.
wonder
I _______am seeing__________ (see) Anne this afternoon at 5.
We _____are having_____ (have) an interesting conversation!