ENGLISH Language I - Lecture 2

We will …
• have a deep look into the verbs in English
• explore the categories of verbs
• define the dynamic and state verbs
• check some examples

Check…
• I understand you.
• I am having a new phone.
• I am having a good time.
• I have a new phone.

Verbs in English
• dynamic verbs
• stative verbs
:
Verbs in English
Dynamic verbs (sometimes referred to as "action verbs") usually describe actions
we can take, or things that happen;
Dynamic
Type Examples
Verb
Play activity She plays tennis every Friday.
She's playing tennis right now.
Melt process The snow melts every spring.
The snow is melting right now
hit momentary When one boxer hits another, brain damage can result.
action (This suggests only ONE punch.)
When one boxer is hitting another, brain damage can

result. (This suggests MANY repeated punches.)
Verbs in English
Stative verbs
Stative verbs usually refer to a state or condition which is quite static or unchanging. They
can be divided into verbs of perception or cognition (which refer to things in the mind),
or verbs of relation (which describe the relationships between things)
Stative verbs can be used only in simple tenses not in continuous
tenses
Stative
Type Examples
Verb
hate perception I hate chocolate.
believe perception She believes in UFOs.
contain relation The box contains 24 cans of soda.
own relation Yong owns three motorbikes.
Stative verbs
• Verbs of thought and opinion
I agree, it can be hard to recognize the difference between English tenses.

You have to know the rules.
• forget realize
• disagree believe
• concern suppose
• imagine doubt
Stative verbs
• Verbs of the senses
• see
• hear
• touch
• taste
• smell
Stative verbs
Verbs of feeling and emotion
I need to find out what Gloria likes doing in her free time.
• surprise prefer
• love adore
• wish dislike
Stative verbs
Verbs of possession
• belong
The bicycle belongs to my brother.
• own
He owns a blue BMW.
• Possess / have
Stative verbs
Other verbs that are not actions
• depend deserve
• promise owe
• seem fit
• weigh measure
I owe you 20 Euros. (Not an action)

Special Cases: Sense Verbs
• I feel sick. (This is a state verb that means 'I am sick / I think I am sick.'
There is no action here).
• I am feeling the top of the desk. (This is an action verb that means 'I am
using my hands to touch the desk to see how it feels.' This is an action.)
• This smells bad. (= State verb that means 'this has a bad smell '-- there is
no action here.)
• I am smelling the flower. (= Action verb that means 'I am sucking in air
through my nose to get the smell of the flower.’)
Special Cases
• This tastes salty. (= State verb that means 'it has a salty taste.')
• I am tasting the strawberry. (= Action verb that means 'I am
using my mouth and tongue to learn how something tastes.')
• The table measures 50 cm by 50 cm. (state)

• I am measuring the table. (action)
Special Cases:
• have (1) : own/possess = stative verb
❑ Jane has brown hair.

❑ She possesses brown hair.
• Have (2) : host, expect, eat, drink, experience
❑ We are having a party this weekend.

❑ They were having lunch.
Examples
• Be - a state
You are intelligent.
• Be- acting/behaving
You are being funny.

Examples
• think = have an opinion (stative)
❑ What do you think about this book?
• think=consider
❑ What are you thinking about ordering this book?

Examples
❑ They are listening to music.
❑ I heard some surprising news.
❑ Playing basketball is his passion.
❑ Seeing is believing.
Exercises
❑ They were thinking it was a bad idea.
❑ I am wishing you a happy birthday.
❑ She didn’t answer the phone because she was hearing music.
❑ They are not believing in magic.
❑ I’ve been knowing him for five years.
❑ We are having a birthday party tomorrow.

Wrong structure
Mohammed owns two different houses. He likes to live in his
house by the sea when the weather is good, but in the winter he
is preferring to live in the city.
A. owns
B. likes
C. is
D. is preferring
Wrong structure
I don't understand stative and dynamic verbs. They seem very
confusing. I am hating them, because they are driving me crazy!
A. don't understand
B. are driving
C. am hating
D. seem
Wrong structure
When I called Sarah, she said she watched TV, so she didn't
want to come out with me, so I went to the pub alone.
A. didn't want
B. watched
C. called
D. went
Wrong structure
I play tennis every Tuesday. Last week, I was playing with John,
a man I am knowing from work, when a bird flew into the tennis
net.
A. flew
B. am knowing
C. was playing
D. play
Wrong structure
While Keiko was fixing the car, I was making the supper. By six
o'clock I had been working for eight hours, so I was needing a
good meal.
A. was fixing
B. was needing
C. had been working
D. was making
Some Common State Verbs
agree hate own
be hear prefer
believe imagine promise
belong include realize
care (about) involve recognize
consist know remember
contain like seem
depend love understand
deserve mean want
disagree mind wish
dislike need
doubt owe
Revision
Stative verbs usually refer to a state or condition which is not
changing or likely to change.
•Thought and opinion

•Senses
•Feelings and emotion
•Possession
•Verbs that aren’t actions
They are not used in continuous forms as verbs.

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We will …

• have a deep look into the verbs in English

• explore the categories of verbs

• define the dynamic and state verbs

• check some examples

• I am having a new phone.

• I am having a good time.

• I have a new phone.

When one boxer is hitting another, brain damage can

I agree, it can be hard to recognize the difference between English tenses.

I owe you 20 Euros. (Not an action)

• The table measures 50 cm by 50 cm. (state)

❑ Jane has brown hair.

• Have (2) : host, expect, eat, drink, experience

❑ We are having a party this weekend.

You are intelligent.

You are being funny.

❑ What do you think about this book?

❑ What are you thinking about ordering this book?

❑ I heard some surprising news.

❑ Playing basketball is his passion.

❑ They were thinking it was a bad idea.

❑ I am wishing you a happy birthday.

❑ They are not believing in magic.

❑ I’ve been knowing him for five years.

❑ We are having a birthday party tomorrow.

•Thought and opinion

They are not used in continuous forms as verbs.

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