Understanding what stative verbs are will help learners of English use simple and continuous tenses more accurately.
We can divide English verbs into two categories: stative verbs and dynamic verbs.
Dynamic verbs
Dynamic verbs are ‘action’ verbs. They refer to:
- activities (things we physically do): play, walk, speak, wash, wait, listen, etc.
- things that happen (processes): grow, change, die, melt, etc.
We use dynamic verbs in both the simple and continuous (‘ing’) forms, depending on context:
- I play every day. / I am playing now.
- I worked all day yesterday. / I have been working since this morning.
- Trees grow every year. / The trees are growing now.
- The weather changes every day. / The weather is changing now.
Stative verbs
Stative verbs do NOT refer to a physical action; they express a state or condition (things which are permanent; things which don’t have a beginning or end).
Some examples of stative verbs are: like, love, believe, know, understand, have (when it means to own), prefer, hate.
We do NOT normally use stative verbs in the continuous (‘ing’) form:
I’m liking cheese. I like cheese.He’s believing in God. He believes in God.She’s been knowing me for 5 years. She’s known me for 5 years.He’s having 3 brothers. He has 3 brothers.I’m understanding. I understand.
! So remember: if the verbs is stative, always use it in its simple form, not continuous!
When a verb can be both stative and dynamic
Be careful – some verbs have more than one meaning. The verb might be stative in one meaning and dynamic when it used in another meaning. Here are two examples:
1. have
- When have means possess or own it is stative and so is NOT used in the continuous form:
- He has a new car.
He is having a new car. - He had 2 sons.
He was having 2 sons.
- However, when have is part of a phrase (have a shower, have lunch) it is dynamic and so can be used in the continuous form, depending on context:
- I have lunch every day. / I’m having lunch now.
- I had a shower this morning. / I was having a shower when you called.
2. think
- When think means have an opinion it is stative and so is NOT used in the continuous form:
- He thinks she’s beautiful.
He is thinking she’s beautiful. - I think we’ll win the game.
I am thinking we’ll win the game.
- However, when think refers to the process of the brain (considering, concentrating on) it is dynamic and we can use it in a simple or continuous form, as necessary:
- He always thinks carefully before he speaks. / What are you thinking about?
- I always think about my first love. / I’m thinking of going to live in Australia.
Famous exception: ‘i’m lovin’ it’ at McDonald’s
You’ve no doubt seen and heard the McDonald’s slogan ‘i’m lovin’ it’.
On one hand this slogan is ungrammatical: love is a stative verb so they should say ‘I love it’ (the slogan should also start with a capital letter, of course).
On the other hand, we could understand the verb love here as meaning enjoy, and in that case ‘I’m loving it’ is perfectly acceptable, i.e. I’m enjoying my french fries and milkshake.
But McDonald’s probably didn’t care much about the grammar; they chose it for its marketing strength - ‘i’m lovin’ it’ has more bite and impact than the simple ’I love it’.
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Any questions about stative verbs? Perhaps you know some more exceptions to the rule. Feel free to leave a comment below. Thanks!
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Thanks very much for your article. I studied it. Very good!
Hi there
Hope you are well! I read your article regarding stative verbs. Very good! Thank you!
Well, I have a question: Is the verb “see” considered a stative verb? Does the verb “see” take an “ing”?
Thanks a lot
Thanks for the question, Farhad.
‘See’ has a few different meanings and is one of those verbs which can be stative or dynamic, depending on the meaning:
Stative
See (with your eyes): ”I saw her yesterday.”
See (to understand): ”I see what you mean.”
Dynamic
See (meet with someone socially): ”I’m seeing her tomorrow: we’re having lunch together.”
See (have a relationship with someone): ”I’m not seeing anyone at the moment.” (This means ‘I don’t have a girlfriend/boyfriend.’)
”We’ve been seeing each other for two years.” (This means we’ve been together as boyfriend and girlfriend for two years.)
In answer to your second question, ‘see’ isn’t directly followed by a second verb but it can be followed by a personal pronoun and verb, e.g. ‘I saw her standing there.’ / ‘I saw him drop it.’
Thanks very much for your explanation! Great.
Well, I have another question. Is the use the “seeing” correct in the following conversation?
Peter: What are you SEEING, Paul?
Paul: I am SEEING two boys climbing the tree.”
I think the use of the “SEEING” is wrong because the verb “see” is STATIVE in the above conversation. What do you think?
Many thanks
Farhad
It should be:
Peter: What can you see? / What do you see?
Paul: I can see two boys climbing the tree. / I see two boys climbing the tree.
The verb ‘see’ (see something with your eyes) is a stative verb and so it isn’t used in the continuous form.
hey stuart.i I,ve got a question about have as own, I heard this sentence “she,s having a party :” is it not a true sentence?
I already thank u
‘She’s having a party’ is correct, Sam.
Here ‘have’ doesn’t mean ‘own’ – it’s a substitute for ‘host’, i.e. ‘host a party’. It’s therefore a dynamic verb.
I would like to thank both of you, Sam and Stuart! Sam for the good question and Stuart for his explanation!
Hi
How are you?
Which of the following options is correct?
A) I don’t have access to the Internet now.
B) I am not having access to the Internet now.
Please explain your reasons.
Thank you
Farhad
A) ‘I don’t have access to the Internet now.’ This is correct because ‘have’ is a stative verb in this case.
Thanks a lot for your answer. But I disagree with you. I think B) is the answer. According to your article, when “have” is part of a phrase (have a shower, have lunch) it is dynamic and so can be used in the continuous form, depending on context.
As you see, in my example, “have” is part of a phrase (have access), so “have” is not a STATIVE VERB in my example. Also, at the end of the sentence we have the word “now,” which is used with present continuous. So, given what I said, I think the answer is B) I AM NOT HAVING access to the Internet NOW.
What do you think? Please explain your reasons.
Many thanks
Farhad
I AM NOT HAVING access to the Internet NOW.is not correct,according to my opinion after reading article about stative &dynamic
verbs. It’s very clear that,stative verbs like have,can be used in continious tense as having only when a sentence explains about a
continious process,like lunch, shower,Also as per stuart, Stative verbs do NOT refer to a physical action; they express a state or
condition.SO I AM NOT HAVING access to the Internet NOW.here sentence refers to condition or state of particular time.
access internet is not physical action.In this situation,only ‘I don’t have access to the Internet now is correct.So care fully read again the article
A) ‘I don’t have access to the Internet’ is correct: ‘have’ means ‘possess’ in this case, and so is a stative verb.
Krishanananda is correct when he says that stative verbs do not refer to a physical action, they refer to a state. To ‘have’ something (either tangible or intangible) is a state, not an action.
thankyou very much this is realy good wibsit and be happy with all daily activities
Hi
Hope you are fine!
I have a question about your article: Is the verb “feel” considered a stative verb? Does the verb “see” take an “ing”?
Many thanks
Farhad
The verb feel in the meaning of ‘feel ill’ is not stative. We say ‘I’m feeling ill’ or ‘I feel ill’.
When ‘feel’ means ‘believe’, however, it is stative: ‘I feel it’s the right thing to do’, not ‘I’m feeling’.
We use the verb see in its ‘ing’ form after verbs such as stop, enjoy, deny, etc.
HI
Is RETURN and EAT are stative verbs?
The verbs ‘return’ and ‘eat’ are both dynamic (non-stative), Bea. We can use them in a continuous tense.
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Hello
Hope you are well!
I was reading your article once more.
A few days ago, an English friend wrote to me a letter. He had finished his letter with “I hope you’re HAVING a happy day!”
Here is my question: I think the use of “Having a happy day” is wrong in my friend’s letter because the verb “have” means possess or own in the letter. Therefore, it is stative and should NOT be used in the continuous form.
Do you agree with me? Please explain your reasons.
Thank you
Farhad
Farhad,
Your friend was correct when he wrote ‘I hope you’re having a happy day!’ The verb have in this context is dynamic, not stative, and means ‘experience’ or ‘enjoy’ a nice day.
Similarly, someone might send you a postcard from their holiday and write that they are ‘having a great time’.