1. Stative Verbs

2. Stative Verbs are not action verbs
They are not generally used in continuous / progressive tense.
They are things that simply are true. The truth generally doesn’t change.
They are verbs about:
Thoughts
Possession
Emotions
Body senses
Other (Opinion, definition, etc.)

3. Thoughts Many people believe in democracy.
Other people don’t believe in it.
Jack knows how to dance.
Engineers understand Pythagorean’s Theorem.
We think guns are dangerous.
There’s no action. It is simply true. It probably won’t change.

4. Possessions You belong in our family! I have way too many books!
She owns how many pets? Seven? That’s a lot of animals to take care of!

5. Emotions We appreciate all your help! I hate bondaeggi! Blech!
The kids love amusement parks!
Do we really care about the environment?

6. Body Senses BE CAREFUL! These are often action OR stative verbs:
Action: The child is smelling the flower
(the action of breathing in and out and experiencing scent) This changes.
Stative: The incense smells
wonderful!
This doesn’t really change.

7. Other Seems – Mr. Ma seems like a good man.
(I don’t know for sure. His manner makes me think he is a good man.)
Means – To express a definition.
means seize the day or
live with passion.
has many meanings. In Spanish it means *I*,
in Korean it is a respectful ending,
and in English it means *HEY!*

8. Stative Verbs for the Five Senses
See – looks
Hear – sounds
Smell – smells
Touch – feels
Taste – tastes

9. Senses: V + adj John’s hat looks warm!
That guitar sounds soothing and gentle.
Your perfume smells great!
A cat’s tongue feels scratchy.
That candy tastes sour.

10. Senses: V + like + noun John’s hat looks like a cowboy hat!
That guitar sounds like a waterfall.
Your perfume smells like flowers and vanilla!
A cat’s tongue feels like sandpaper.
That candy tastes like lemons.

11. Pamila J. Florea, MA
Hankuk University of Foreign Studies
Practical English Department
Yongin, South Korea
Always searching for intersections where joy and learning meet.