Stative verb

What is a Stative Verb?

What is a stative verb? In English grammar, a “stative verb” means that the verb describes a state rather than an action. 

Look at these state verb examples:

I hate this song.

The report contains a great deal of statistical information.

I appreciate John’s helping in time.

I want you to meet my parents.

The above examples describe someone or something’s state of being in a particular situation. These verbs often describe states that last for some time.

Another point to remember is that stative verbs are not used in continuous tenses (like the present continuous, or the future continuous).

For example, you might say the following with a non-stative verb:

The two children are walking side by side.

However using the same form for a stative verb is incorrect:

I hating being treated as an invalid.

Instead, you’d simply use the present form:

I hate being treated as an invalid.

List of Stative Verbs

State Verbs of Possession

• have
• own
• possess
• lack
• consist
• involve
• include
• contain

State Verbs of Mental States

• know
• believe
• understand
• doubt
• think (have an opinion)
• suppose
• recognise
• forget
• remember
• imagine
• mean
• agree
• disagree
• deny
• promise
• satisfy
• realise
• appear
• astonish
• please
• impress
• surprise
• concern

State Verbs of Emotions

• Love
• Like
• Dislike
• Hate
• Adore
• Prefer
• Care for
• Mind
• Want
• Need
• Desire
• Wish
• Hope
• Appreciate
• Value

State Verbs of Senses

• Sound
• Hear
• Smell
• See
• Taste
• Touch
• Feel
• Look

Stative Verb of Measure, Cost and others

• cost
• measure
• weigh
• owe
• seem
• fit
• depend
• matter
• …