1. Stative and
Dynamic Verbs

2.  Some verbs are only (or mostly)
used in simple tenses, and are
not used in continuous.

3.  Such as: agree, appear, believe,
belong, concern, consist,
contain, depend, deserve,
doubt, fit, hate, hear, imagine,
impress, include, involve, know,
like, love, matter…

4.  mean, mind, need, owe, own,
prefer, promise, realize,
recognize, remember, seem,
sound, suppose, surprise,
understand, want, weigh, wish,
etc.

5. For example,
 It appears to be raining.
 This book belonged to my
grandfather.
 This shirt fits me well.
 Do you hear the music?

6. Dynamic verbs
 are used to describe skills and
accomplishments that you have
gained through professional
experience.
 Some verbs can be both stative
and dynamic:

7. be be is usually a
stative verb, but
when it is used in
the continuous it
means ‘behaving’
or ‘acting’:
You are stupid =
it’s a part of your
personality.
You are being
stupid = only now,
not usually.

8. have have (stative) =
own:
I have a car.
have (dynamic) =
a part of the
expression:
I’m having a party /
a picnic / a bath / a
good time / a
break.

9. see see (stative) = see
with your eyes /
understand:
I see what you
mean.
I see her now,
she’s going along
the road.
see (dynamic) =
meet / have a
relationship with:
I’ve been seeing
my boyfriend for
three years.

10. taste (also taste (stative) =
smell, feel, has a certain taste:
look) This soup tastes
great.
taste (dynamic) =
the action of
tasting:
The chef is tasting
the soup.

11. think think (stative) =
have an opinion:
I think that coffee
is great.
think (dynamic) =
consider, have in
my head.
What are you
thinking about? I’m
thinking about my
next holiday.