Washington Monument, Washington, United States, a paved terraced square in front of an artificial lake

Study Resource: English Stative Verbs

By: Isabel McKay

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

Similar verbs: consider, wish, imagine, suppose, think, pray, doubt

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

Similar: disagree, support, appreciate, deny

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

Similar: like, enjoy, adore, depend on...

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

Similar: smell, taste

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

Similar: see, realize, recognize, understand

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

Similar: care (for)

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.

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