Stative and Dynamic Verbs

Verbs in English can be either active or stative:

Activity Verbs 
•        Activities
•        They are actions we can see or hear
•        These verbs can be used in all English tenses

Example: Play, jump, talk, smile.

State Verbs 
•        States or feelings
•        They are not actions we can see or hear
•        Not used in continuous tenses

admit	adore	agree	appear	belive	belong
care	contain	deny	depend	desire	dislike
doubt	exist	feel	hate	have	hear
hope	imagine	include	involve	know	like
look like	love	mean	need	own	prefer
realize	recogmize	recognize	remember	resemble	see
smell	sound	suppose	taste	think	understand
want	wish

The main thing to consider is these words can't be used in
continuous tenses.

INCORRECT 
Examples:

• I am loving baseball.                                
  
• I was wanting pizza for dinner.
  
• I am needing ten dollars.
  

Some stative verbs can be used actively in special situations:
 Be

• You are annoying.
  
• You are being annoying.
  

Think

• I think studying history is important.
  
• I am thinking about my girlfriend.
  

Have

• I have a dog.
  
• I am having a  party.
  
• I am having a good time.
  

Feel

• I am not feeling well.
  
• I feel that the test is difficult.
  

Senses Ears
Listen is active and hear is stative.

• I am listening to the radio.        
  
• I am hearing the radio.  (Incorrect)        
  

Eyes
Watch and look are active and see is stative

• I am watching television.
  
• I am looking at the news paper.
  
• I am seeing the bird. (Incorrect)
  

Watch is used for things that move or show actions.
(Television, sports, etc.)Look is for things that do not move.
(Art, Books, etc.)Nose

Smell can be active or stative depending on the situation.

• I am smelling
  

 This describes the action of smelling.       

• I smell something burning.
  

 This is more common and is used to describe what
 you smell.       Mouth     

Taste can also be active or stative.

• I am tasting the soup.
  

 This describes the action you are doing.

However, it is better to say “I am trying the soup.”       

• I taste salt in this soup.
  

 This describes what you taste.