Практична граматика англійської мови для першокурсників. Частина II: Навчально-методичний посібник з граматики, страница 3

Semantically the verb can be classified from different points of view. All the verbs can fall into several groups:

Group 1: Stative and Dynamic Verbs

                                                                        Verb

Dynamic                                                                                 Stative

e.g.  to run, to walk, to dress                                      (also called “state” or “statal”)

 e.g.  to be, to see, to know

Most stative verbs describe a state rather than an action and therefore do not normally have continuous tenses.

e.g.  Do you know our new neighbours’ name? 

        Listen!  Do you hear anything strange?

Stative verbs include: 

1.  verbs which express likes and dislikes, wishes and emotions

to like              to love             to dislike         to enjoy          to detest         to prefer

to adore          to hate                        to want           to wish            to envy            to hope

to fear             to care           

            e.g.  Don’t lie to me! I hate when people lie.

                  What do you feel when you look at your neighbour’s new house?  – I envy them

2.  verbs of sense perception (verbs of senses )

to see              to hear              to smell         to taste           to sense          to sound         

to  feel

e.g. Jim must be at home.

       I can see his car parked outside.

3.  verbs of mental perception

  to know         to believe       to understand            to realize        to remember

  to forget       to notice        to recognize             to think           to seem

  to see (= understand)           to expect (=think)      to imagine       to suppose

e.g. I expect they will be late.

      Jack now realizes that a job like that was very difficult for him.

                             Do you believe now that I was right?

4.  verbs of possession

to have                        to belong         to own             to possess

e.g.  Do you know who this pictures belong to?

        My uncle owns a hotel.

5.  some other verbs such as

to be                to contain       to include        to fit               to need            to matter

to cost             to mean           to owe             to require       to weigh          to keep

                                    e.g. Martin owes me 15 dollars.

       This dress fits you perfectly.

       The bag costs a lot.

Notes: 

  • Some verbs can be either dynamic or stative according to the context, in which they are used,

e.g.       I can’t see anything, it’s too dark here. (a stative verb)

               I’m seeing Mary in the morning. (= I’m meeting her. – a dynamic verb)

·  The verb ‘to be’ used in indefinite aspect denotes a person’s character, occupation, age, etc, or a permanent state, while used in the continuous aspect means a person’s behaviour, a temporary situation, and is usually used with adjectives such as careful, silly, (im)polite, lazy, etc.)

e.g.  What are you doing at the moment? – I’m being lazy, just for a change.

      Stop talking back to me. You are being impolite.

·  The verb “to enjoy” can be used in the continuous aspect to express specific preference.

e.g. I'm enjoying this party a lot. (specific preference)

       I enjoy going to parties. (I enjoy parties in general.)

·  The verbs “to look” (when we refer to a person's appearance), “to feel” (= experience a particular emotion), “to hurt” and “to ache” can be used in either the continuous or simple tenses with no difference in meaning.

e.g. You look/are looking great today.

       How are you feeling today? = How do you feel today?

**TASK 1.  Translate the sentences below into your native language. Say if the verbs in them are stative or dynamic.