Study Resource: English Stative Verbs
English stative verbs are generally used in simple tenses (e.g. he runs), but not in continuous tenses (e.g. he is running). But they fall into a few different groups:
List 1: Verbs that are ONLY stative
The stative verbs in this table can never (or almost never) be used in continuous tenses, but they can be used in the simple or perfect tenses. These verbs have only one meaning and that meaning is stative:
Verb | Stative | Continuous |
|---|---|---|
know | ✅ I know how to swim. | ❌ I am knowing how to swim. |
believe | ✅ We believe that the earth is round. | ❌ We are believing that the earth is round. |
hate / dislike / detest / loathe | ✅ He hates pasta. | ❌ He is hating pasta. |
want / need / desire | ✅ My dog wants dinner. | ❌ My dog is wanting dinner. |
seem | ✅ The weather seems nice. | ❌ The weather is seeming nice. |
belong to | ✅ This house belongs to me. | ❌ This house is belonging to me. |
lack | ✅ This house lacks a second bathroom. | ❌ This house is lacking a second bathroom. |
resemble | ✅ I resemble my mother. | ❌ I am resembling my mother. |
consist of | ✅ The dough consists of three ingredients. | ❌ The dough is consisting of three ingredients. |
deserve | ✅ I deserve a pay raise. | ❌ I am deserving a pay raise. |
matter | ✅ You matter to me. | ❌ You are mattering to me. |
mean | ✅ “Possess” means “to have.” | ❌ “Possess” is meaning “to have.” |
care about | ✅ I care about others. | ❌ I am caring about others. |
owe | ✅ I owe her money. | ❌ I am owing her money. |
Note: Just because the verbs above cannot be used in continuous tenses does not mean that they cannot be used as present participles!
✅ I met a dog resembling mine at the park today.
List 2: Verbs that can be stative or non-stative
The verbs in this table are verbs with more than one meaning: some meanings are stative, others are not. Here’s how to use them:
In continuous tenses → the non-stative meaning only
Otherwise, both meanings are allowed, but we will often assume that the stative meaning is intended.
Verb | Stative meaning | Non-stative meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
be (as a main verb) | exist; x = y | to act a certain way | |
He is mean. → He is always a mean person; he exists as a mean person. | He is being mean. → He is acting mean right now. | ||
have (as a main verb) | to own; possess | to cause something to happen; experience something | |
We have a puppy. → We own a puppy. | We are having a party. → We are hosting a party (causing it). | ||
He has a bath. → He owns a bathtub. | He is having a bath. → He is sitting in a bath full of water (experiencing it). | ||
She has a chicken. → She owns a chicken. | She is having chicken. → She is planning to eat chicken at a restaurant (experiencing it). | ||
remember | to have a memory or thought | to picture something in your mind (actively) | |
I remember John. → I have not forgotten John. | I am remembering John. → I am sitting and picturing what John is like. | ||
I wish I was a fireman. → In general, I want to be a fireman. | I am wishing I was a fireman. → I am closing my eyes and hoping that someday I will be a fireman. | ||
agree | to hold the same belief | to confirm with words that you have the same belief | |
I agree with his opinion. → We have the same belief. | I am agreeing with you! → I am saying something to confirm that we have the same belief. | ||
I deny that I stole your lunch. → I state (in general) that I did not steal your lunch. | I am denying that I stole your lunch. → I am speaking and saying that I did not steal your lunch. | ||
love | to feel the emotion “love” | to actively engage in enjoying something (in speech only) | The continuous version is very colloquial. |
I love pizza. → I generally enjoy pizza. | I am loving this pizza! → I am currently eating pizza that I love. | ||
look | to seem some way to others | to direct your eyes at something | The non-stative meaning of look is always intentional, but smell and taste can be accidental (e.g. I’m smelling pizza) or intentional (e.g. I am smelling this flower). |
I look beautiful today! → I seem beautiful. | I am looking at a picture. → I am directing my gaze at a picture. | ||
feel | to experience an emotion or a physical sensation | to experience an emotion or a physical sensation temporarily | The two meanings are very similar, but we mostly only use the non-stative meaning to emphasize that the situation is not permanent. |
He feels sorry. → He regrets his actions. | He is feeling sorry. → Right now, he regrets his actions. | ||
appear | to seem some way to others | to go from absent to present | |
I appear tired. → I seem tired. | I am appearing out of nowhere! → I showed up like magic! | ||
hear | to be able to perceive something | to be starting to perceive something | Use the continuous version either when you do not understand or you did not perceive the whole thing yet. |
I hear the boat. → I can hear the boat. | I am hearing a loud noise on the water… → I am in the act of hearing something. | ||
possess | to own/have | when a demon / ghost / spirit goes inside someone (magic) | |
I possess a lovely car. → I own a lovely car. | A ghost is possessing my daughter! → A ghost is controlling my daughter’s body! | ||
own | to have/possess | to outperform in a competition (slang) | |
I own a canoe. → I have a canoe. | I am owning my little brother at this game! → I am playing the game much better than my brother. | ||
weigh | to be measured at some weight | to measure something else’s weight | |
I weigh 180 pounds. → When I am on a scale, it says 180 lbs. | I am weighing my dog. → I put my dog on a scale. | ||
involve | to have (said of an event) | to include someone in an action | |
Cleaning a kitchen involves many steps. → Cleaning has many steps. | I am involving my children in my life. → Children are being included in my life. | ||
contain | to hold | to actively keep something from escaping | |
The box contains chocolates. → Chocolates are in the box. | The police are containing the crowd. → The police are keeping the crowd from escaping. | ||
cost | to be worth a certain amount | to require someone specific to pay a certain amount | |
This pen costs three dollars. → Anyone must pay three dollars. | This pen is costing me three dollars! → I must pay three dollars. | ||
mind | to feel care about something | to take care of something | |
Do you mind if I join you? → Do you care if I join you? | I am minding my children. → I am taking care of my children. |
