Action verbs & State verbs

Action or State
95% of verbs describe an action: eat, chat, read, send
The action can stop and start again easily.
These are called action / dynamic verbs.

5% of verbs describe a mental or emotional state: like, know, belong, exist

The state cannot stop and start again easily.
These are called state / stative verbs.

What’s special about state verbs?

They don’t take Continuous tenses:
I am liking like the dessert I am eating.
They have been knowing have known each other for less than a week, but they have been chatting
for over two hours.

Both action and state

There are a few verbs that can be either action or state:

1. Sense verbs: taste, smell, look

Action State:
Experiencing something: Describing something:
We are tasting the wine. The wine is tasting tastes nice.
He was looking at all the options. All the options were looking looked expensive.

2. Verbs with two different meanings

Action State:
be = behave be (a description)
Why are you being so difficult today? I am being am sorry. I am being am exhausted.

have = eat/drink/experience have = own

Is she having a good time? I am having have no idea.

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think = reflect/consider think/believe = have an opinion / an idea
Have you been thinking about a topic? Yes, I am thinking think I’ll write about dolphins.

mean = want = intend mean = signify / want = desire

I have been meaning / wanting to ask you for a refund.
What are you meaning do you mean you are wanting want a refund?

love = enjoy love = like very much

I am loving the sunshine today. I am loving love sunny days.

3. Verbs with the same meaning, but different emphasis

short-term situation, similar to an action long-term fact, similar to a state
live
I have been living with my sister for a month. I have lived in this town all my life.

work
She has been working on her slides for a week. She has worked for this firm for 8 years.

feel
I am feeling sleepy. I think I’ll go to bed now. I feel sleepy. It’ll be hard to focus this afternoon.

Summary

Usually, it's very clear if a verb is action (eat, chat) or state (like, know), and it will be easy for you to
remember the verbs I’ve listed in groups 1 and 2 as verbs that can be both (taste, smell, look, be, have,
think, mean, want, love).

The difficulty comes from the third group: live, work, and feel.
They cause confusion, especially with the Present Perfect tense, where the Simple and Continuous forms
mean the same thing:
I have been living here for a year. = I have lived here for a year.
(action that continues) (state that continues)

It's important to remember this so you don't misunderstand the speaker because when we use 'I have done'
with an action verb, the action is over.

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 Action verbs & State verbs
Quiz
Decide whether you should use a Simple or a Continuous tense, or if both are possible.

1. - Where is Sally? - She (play) tennis with Adam.

a) plays b) is playing c) both

2. Adam (play) tennis since he was 10.

a) has played b) has been playing c) both

3. This tradition (exist) for many centuries.

a) has existed b) has been existing c) both

4. This meat (not smell) very good. Are you sure it’s fresh?
a) doesn’t smell b) isn’t smelling c) both

5. (you think) of hiring new staff?

a) Do you think b) Are you thinking c) both

6. What (you think) of my new glasses?

a) do you think b) are you thinking c) both

7. How long (you have) this pain in your shoulder?

a) have you had b) have you been having c) both

8. He (have) a difficult time at work at the moment.

a) has b) is having c) both

9. What (you do) for a living?

a) do you do b) are you doing c) both

10. Since their house got flooded, (they live) with their parents.
a) have lived b) have been living c) both

11. I was ill yesterday, but I (feel) much better today.

a) feel b) am feeling c) both

12. James (be) very secretive these days. I wonder what he’s hiding.
a) is b) is being c) both

Answer key
1. b 2. c 3. a 4. a
5. b 6. a 7. a 8. b
9. a 10. b 11. c 12. b

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