REMEMBER

STATIVE VERBS

Some verbs are not used in continuous tenses. These verbs are called Stative Verbs or State Verbs. They express a situation that exists, not an action in progress.

These include:

Some of the verbs above are used in continuous tenses when they describe actions and not states.

STATIVE VERBS EXERCISES

I. Complete the following sentences with the correct tense forms (Present Indefinite or Present Continuous) of the given verbs.

SMELL

a. These flowers ______ good. b. Mike ______ the flowers.

THINK

a. I ________ Roberto is a kind man. b. I ________ about this exercise.

SEE

a. I ________ a butterfly. You _______ it too? b. Jane ______ a doctor about her headaches.

c. Jack and Ann __________ each other. They go out together every weekend.

LOOK

a. Kathy ________ cold. I’ll give her my coat. b. Tina ________ out the window. She sees a butterfly.

APPEAR

a. Sam __________ to be asleep. Let’s not disturb him. b. My favourite actor currently ________ ate the Paramount.

FEEL

a. Sue ___________ the cat’s fur. b. The cat’s fur _______ soft.

c. I not __________ well today. d. I __________ that it is important to respect other people’s opinions.

HAVE

a. Ann ______ a car. b. I _________ a hard time, but Olga ________ a good time.

REMEMBER

a. I _________ my first teacher. b. Aunt Sarah is looking through an old picture album. She __________ the wonderful days of her childhood.

WEIGH

a. This piano is too heavy for me to lift. It ________ too much. b. The grocer _________ the bananas.

TASTE

a. This food ________ delicious. b. Mother ____________ the sauce to see if it needs more salt.

II. Use the verb in Present Indefinite or Present Continuous depending on its meaning:

1. a) I (think) you already know my views on the matter.

b) I’m tired of working in an office. I (think) of changing my job.

2. a) I (just/smell) your roses.

b) They (not smell) wonderful?

3. a) I (not hear) anything. It’s just your imagination.

b) The court (hear) this particular part of the evidence in private.

4. a) – I (just/taste) the cocktail to see if there’s enough gin in it.

b) – How it (taste) to you?

5. a) – The police (still/look) for fingerprints left in the room.

b) – It (look) as if they won’t find the criminal.

6. a) – I (love) breathing in clean country air.

b) – So do I. I (love) every minute of this walking trip.

7. a) – I (see) my boss about a pay rise this afternoon.

b) – I (see). That’s why you’re wearing a suit and a tie.

8. a) – Why (you/smell) the inside of the car?

b) – Because it (smell) of petrol and I want to check for leaks.

9. a) – How much (your new baby/weigh)?

b) – I don’t know yet. The nurse (weigh) him at the moment.

10. a) – Why (you/feel) the baby’s forehead, Mum?

b) – I think she’s got a temperature. She (feel) rather hot.

11. a) – I (think) about buying a new car soon.

b) – Why? I (think) your car is fine. You don’t need a new one.

12. a) – Chris (be) a sensible person, isn’t he?

b) – Yes, but in this case he (be) rather foolish.

13. a) – Why you (feel) the radiator?

b) – It (feel) cold in here. Is the heating on?

14. a) – What you (look) at?

b) – The sky. It (look) as if it’s going to rain.

15. a) – I really (enjoy) home-made food.

b) – So do I, and I (enjoy) every bit of this meal.