State verbs vs action verbs

Action verbs Stative verbs vs.. Dynamic verbs DIFFERENCES BETWEEN STATE VERBS AND ACTION VERBS STATE VERBS Động từ tình thái / trạng thái ACTION VERBS Động từ hành động - State verbs sta

State verbs vs Action verbs (Stative verbs vs Dynamic verbs)

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN STATE VERBS AND ACTION VERBS

STATE VERBS (Động từ tình thái / trạng thái)

ACTION VERBS (Động từ hành động)

- State verbs (stative verbs) express a state or

a condition that is relatively static or

unchanging (động từ tình thái miêu tả trạng

thái / tình trạng của sự vật, hiện tượng và con

người, và trạng thái này dường như không có

sự chuyển động, trạng thái đứng yên)

- For example: like, love, believe, own,

contain, etc

- State verbs CAN’T be usually used in

Continuous form State verbs are mainly used

in Simple form

For example:

The floor is quite dirty

The farmer owns the land.

The box contained old history books.

- Action verbs (dynamic verbs) describe

activities or actions that we can take, or things that happen (động từ hành động miêu tả những hoạt động mà chúng ta có thể tham gia hoặc những sự việc xảy ra với chúng ta)

- For example: go, sleep, study, type, listen,

etc

- Actions verb CAN be used in both Simple and

Continuous forms

For example:

I’m cleaning the floor.

The farmer is preparing the land for his next

crop.

He put old history books into the box (simple

past tense)

He is putting old history books into the box

(present continuous tense)

TYPES OF STATE VERBS:

• Verbs that express likes and dislikes: like, love, hate, dislike, enjoy, prefer, adore, etc

E.g: I like writing romantic poems.

I enjoy singing and dancing with my friends at the weekend.

• Verbs of perception (sự nhận thức): know, believe, understand, realize, recognize, remember,

forget, notice, think, expect, etc

E.g: Seeing her from the distance, I realize she’s changed a lot.

I forget to send these letters to Paris.

• Verbs of the senses (giác quan): see, smell, hear, taste, feel, look, sound, etc

E.g: You look so tired You must have had too much work at the bank.

That sounds a good idea.

John must be at home I can see his car park outside The soup tastes delicious

• Other verbs: contain, own, appear = seem, be, include, belong, fit, want, need, matter, cost, mean,

owe, have (=possess), require, weigh, wish, keep (=continue), consist, doubt, exist, etc

E.g: My father owns a piece of land in the south of California.

These apples weigh 5 kilos.

“Sorry” seems to be the hardest word.

This book consists of 5 chapters by 5 different writers

SOME STATE VERBS IN THE CONTINUOUS FORM (một số động từ tình thái sử dụng được cho dạng tiếp diễn)

Some state verbs can be used in the continuous form if they refer to a temporary action or an action in progress rather than a permanent state Of course, they will have different meanings from their original ones (Một số động từ tình thái có thể được sử dụng với dạng tiếp diễn nếu chúng diễn tả hành động đang xảy ra, hơn là miêu tả trạng thái, dĩ nhiên nghĩa của những động từ này sẽ khác với nghĩa gốc của nó.)

STATIVE MEANING ACTIVE MEANING (ACTION)

1 I have a new car.

I have a dream of being rich.

(=possess: chỉ sở hữu)

The neighbors are having a party.

(= celebrating a party: an action in progress)

We are having dinner at the restaurant.

(= eating)

Some idioms with HAVE can be used in the

continuous form

• Have breakfast, lunch, dinner

• Have a bath / shower / swim / party

• Have an experience

• Have a baby

• Have difficulty / fun / trouble

2 I think he’s from Canada.

(= believe, giving opinion)

I don’t think you’ll pass the next exam

I’m thinking about the plan.

We’re thinking about our holiday.

(= am considering, an action in progress)

Please be quiet! I’m thinking

3 The soup tastes delicious.

(= the soup has a delicious taste, describing the

state of the soup)

In this case, we can change “taste” into “to be”

without difference in meaning

The soup is delicious

He is tasting the soup

I was just tasting the food

(= testing)

4 I can see some kites from the distance.

What can you see?

(= notice with eyes)

I see what you mean (= understand)

I’m seeing my doctor tomorrow (= visiting)

Mark is seeing his manager (= seeing)

5 Susan looks quite tired.

It looks as if they have finished the job

You look great in your new shirt

(= seem, appear)

John is looking out of the window.

Susan is looking at some photos.

(= an action of directing eyes towards sth/sb)

6 This perfume smells nice

( = has a nice smell)

 This perfume is nice

The soup smells good.

( = has a good smell)

 The soup is good

He is smelling the roses ( = is sniffing) The cat is smelling the food ( = is sniffing)

7 I feel that you are so impolite with such annoying

behavior ( = I think, giving opinion)

The towel feels soft.

(= has a soft texture)

She is feeling the baby’s forehead ( = is

touching)

How have you been feeling? (= asking about

one’s physical state)

8 I don’t hear well.

There must have someone downstairs because I

can hear the footsteps.

(= pick up with ears)

The judge will be hearing the collected

evidence later this week

( = listening to)

9 I expect that you are bored (=assume)

I expect I will pass my next exam in maths ( =

hope)

Are you expecting your visitors from France

this evening? ( = waiting for them to arrive)

- What are you doing here?

- I’m expecting a phone call (=waiting)

10 The chicken weighs 2 kilos.

(= its weight is 2 kilos)

He is weighing the chicken.

(= measuring its weight)

11 This dress fits you perfectly.

(= the dress has a right size)

I’m fitting a lock to the window (= putting in:

tra, lắp vào)

12 She appears very nervous. She appeared / was appearing in a film

(= look, seem) He is appearing in a new play

(= is taking part in)

13 Jane is a very sociable person.

He is selfish.

(= describing character, permanent state) (miêu

tả tính cách, trạng thái lâu dài)

Andrew is being very sociable today.

(just only today he behaves sociably, normally

he is not sociable)

He is being selfish

(= describing behavior, temporary situation) (miêu tả hành vi tạm thời)

14 I love / like / enjoy parties.

I like school.

Holidays cost a lot of money.

(= a permanent state, used in simple present)

I’m loving / liking / enjoying this party too

much

I’m liking school much better now.

This trip to Dubai is costing a lot of money.

(= a short period, used in continuous form)