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Dynamic and Stative Verbs PDF
Dynamic and Stative Verbs PDF
Dynamic and Stative Verbs PDF
Introduction
Dynamic verbs
There are many types of dynamic verbs, but most of them describe activities or
events which can begin and finish. Here are some examples:
Dynamic
Type Examples
Verb
Dynamic verbs, as you can see from the table above, can be used in the simple
and perfect forms (plays, played, has played, had played) as well as the
continuous or progressive forms (is playing, was playing, has been playing, had
been playing).
Stative verbs
Note that we CANNOT use these verbs in the continuous (progressive) forms; you
CAN'T say "*Yong is owning three cars." Owning is a state, not an action, so it is
always in the simple form.
Example verbs
Here some common stative and dynamic verbs. The lists may help you to
understand what types of verbs are likely to be stative and what types are
commonly dynamic.
Dyna
eat; drink; go; type; read; write; listen; speak; watch; say; grow
mic
; work; sleep; cook; talk
Verbs
Dynamic verbs, as you can see from the table above, can be used in the simple
and perfect forms (plays, played, has played, had played) as well as the
continuous or progressive forms (is playing, was playing, has been playing, had
been playing).
When you are sure that you understand the lesson, you can continue with the
exercises.
irregular verbs: form of 'have' + 3rd column of form of 'have' + been + verb + ing
irregular verbs
Example: Example:
Example:
Exceptions
when the final letter is e, only add d silent e is dropped. (but: does not apply for -ee)
after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled
is doubled
Example: sit - sitting
Example: after a vowel, the final consonant l is doubled in British English
admit - admitted (but not in American English).
Example:
worry - worried
but: play - played
See also explanations on Present Perfect Simple and Present Perfect Progressive
Use
Both tenses are used to express that an action began in the past and is still going
on or has just finished. In many cases, both forms are correct, but there is often a
difference in meaning: We use the Present Perfect Simple mainly to express that
an action is completed or to emphasise the result. We use the Present Perfect
Progressive to emphasise the duration or continuous course of an action.
Result or duration?
Do you want to express what has happened so far or how long an action has been
going on yet?
Certain verbs
The following verbs are usually only used in Present Perfect Simple (not in the
progressive form).
Emphasis on duration
Emphasis on completion
I have been doing my homework. (Meaning: That's how I have spent my
I have done my homework. (Meaning: My time. It does not matter whether the homework is completed now.)
homework is completed now.)
Do you want to express that a completed action led to a desired result or that the
action had an unwanted side effect?
In negative sentences: Do you want to express how much time has past since the
last time the action took place or since the beginning of the action?
I haven't played that game for years. (Meaning: I haven't been playing that game for an hour, only for 10
It's years ago that I last played that game.) minutes. (Meaning: It's not even an hour ago that I started to play
that game.)
Permanent or temporary?
permanent temporary
James has lived in this town for 10 James has been living here for a year. (Meaning: This situation is only
years. (Meaning: He is a permanent resident of temporary. Maybe he is an exchange student and only here for one or
this town.) two years.)
Signal words