Or even think can be in both categories, even though it doesn't seem like a very dynamic process. In English grammar, a stative verb is a verb used primarily to describe a state of being (I am) or situation (I have). There's no one "right" way to classify them, of course, and some words can fit in multiple categories, depending on the context of their usage. Cambridge University Press, 2012). (think, involve, promise), They really _________ everything you did for them. (deserve, owe, involve), You _________ more shoes than anyone else I know! This description could mean a lot of things to different people, such as a neat freak vs. a clutter bug. We use the simple tenses for them. These verbs tend to be less tangible such as, “She feels exhausted” or “He believes she's right.” These verbs often point to emotions, relationships, the senses, or thoughts. You could plead with someone, "Love me," or make a person bristle by forcefully imploring, "Understand this...". They usually relate to thoughts, emotions, relationships, senses, states of being and measurements. Get English also has plenty of gray areas, where a word isn't always only in one or the other category—sometimes words are stative and sometimes active. The situations illustrated by "state" verbs are unchanging while they last and can continue for a long or indefinite time period. But if you revise to include sensory imagery and more description, you'll have a much fuller experience for the reader and less ambiguity. Verbs are one of the most powerful parts of speech in the English language. When we think of verbs, we tend to run to action verbs. Revise them out of your writing to increase imagery and details in a passage. In this sentence, the verb is “prefers.” “Prefer” expresses an opinion. Senses and perception verbs include data coming into your five senses: Verbs that describe states of being include: Some writing advice will tell you never to use "to be" verbs, but sometimes they're unavoidable. Stative verbs are not action or dynamic verbs. Uninstall instructions, End-User License Agreement & Privacy Policy, Do you _________ the answer? Example 2: Chloe prefers chocolate ice cream to vanilla. It's how something is, feels, or appears. Copyright © 2020 LoveToKnow. Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia, M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester, B.A., English, State University of New York. Compare the usage of I think that's really lousy with the famous scene in "Back to the Future" when Biff comes up to George in the cafe and commands him, "Think, McFly! Revised description: "Piles of dirty clothes rose from the floor, books and papers covered the desk, and trash overflowed the wastebasket. These verbs don't show physical action (I run) or processes (It prints). These types of usages are becoming more common, denoting conditions that are temporary, such as in, You're looking awesome tonight. Rather, they allude to somewhat intangible emotions or inanimate states of being. You can opt-out at any time. For more details, see our Privacy Policy. These types of words are also known as being verbs (especially in the case of be, am, is, are, was, and were), or static verbs. Dr. Richard Nordquist is professor emeritus of rhetoric and English at Georgia Southern University and the author of several university-level grammar and composition textbooks. Common examples include be, have, like, seem, prefer, understand, belong, doubt, hate, and know, such as in the saying, "We are what we believe we are." Stative Verb Examples When we think of verbs, we tend to run to action verbs. adore; agree; appear (seem) appreciate; be (exist) believe; belong to; concern; consist of; contain; cost; deny; depend on; deserve; detest; disagree; dislike; doubt; equal; feel; hate; have (possession) hear; imagine; include; involve; know; lack; like; loathe; look (seem) love; matter; mean; measure; mind; need; owe; own; possess; promise; realize; recognize; remember; resemble; satisfy; … Stative verbs can describe a mental or emotional state of being (I doubt) as well as a physical state (Kilroy was here).

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