Grammar › Verb Tenses › Stative Verbs
Stative Verbs
Stative verbs describe states, not actions, so they usually aren't used in continuous tenses. They cover:
- Feelings and opinions — like, love, hate, want, prefer, believe.
- Thoughts and senses — know, understand, remember, see, seem.
- Possession and being — have, own, belong, be.
Say 'I want a coffee', not 'I'm wanting'. Some verbs (have, think, see) are stative in one meaning and active in another.
Which verbs are stative?
Stative verbs fall into a few groups.
| Category | Common verbs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Feelings and opinions | like, love, hate, want, prefer, need | I like tea. |
| Thoughts | know, believe, understand, remember, mean | I don’t understand. |
| Senses and appearance | see, hear, smell, taste, seem, sound | It seems fine. |
| Possession and being | have, own, belong, be | She owns a shop. |
Stative verbs stay simple
Because they describe states, not actions, they normally use the simple form, not the continuous.
- I love this song. (not
I’m loving) - She knows the answer.
Verbs with two meanings
Some verbs are stative in one meaning and active in another.
| Verb | Stative (a state) | Active (an action) |
|---|---|---|
| have | I have a car. | I’m having lunch. |
| think | I think it’s good. (opinion) | I’m thinking about it. (process) |
| see | I see what you mean. (understand) | I’m seeing the doctor. (meeting) |
Common mistakes
1. Using a stative verb in the continuous. I’m wanting to go home → I want to go home.
2. Making a possession verb continuous. I’m having a new laptop → I have a new laptop.
3. ‘I’m loving it’ in exams. Fine in adverts, but not in formal English. I’m loving this course → I love this course.
✏️ Practice: Stative Verbs
1. I ___ this song — turn it up!
2. She ___ the answer.
3. Be quiet, please — we ___ lunch right now.
4. I ___ a new laptop.
5. This soup ___ delicious.
6. Ah, I ___ what you mean now.
7. ___ you ___ me?
8. He ___ about changing jobs at the moment.
9. Choose the correct version of: 'I am not understanding this exercise.'
10. That ___ like a great idea.
11. Fill in the gap
I ___ this song! Turn it up! (love)
Type one word.
12. Correct the mistake
I'm having a new laptop.
Type the whole corrected sentence.
13. Fill in the gap
Be quiet, please. We ___ lunch right now. (have)
Type two words.
Frequently asked questions
What is a stative verb?
A verb that describes a state — a feeling, thought, sense or possession — rather than an action. Examples: know, like, want, have, believe.
Why can't I use them in continuous tenses?
Continuous tenses describe actions in progress, but states aren't actions, so they use the simple: I understand, not I'm understanding.
But I've seen 'I'm loving it'.
Some brands and casual speech break the rule for effect. In exams and formal writing, use the simple: I love it.
Can a verb be both stative and active?
Yes. 'Have', 'think' and 'see' are stative in one meaning and active in another: I have a car (state) vs I'm having lunch (action).
👩🏫 For teachers
CEFR objectives for “Stative Verbs”:
- Can identify common stative verbs by category (CEFR B1).
- Can avoid the continuous with stative verbs.
- Can handle verbs that are stative in one meaning and active in another.
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