B1 Level — Preview:
Stative verbs are formally covered at B1. This page gives you an essential reference list to use while practising A2 tenses.
What are stative verbs?
Stative verbs describe a state (a condition that doesn't change moment to moment), not an action. Because they don't describe ongoing action, they are NOT normally used in the -ing continuous form.
✗ "I am knowing the answer." → ✓ "I know the answer."
✗ "She is wanting coffee." → ✓ "She wants coffee."
✗ "Are you liking this song?" → ✓ "Do you like this song?"
✗ "She is wanting coffee." → ✓ "She wants coffee."
✗ "Are you liking this song?" → ✓ "Do you like this song?"
Common stative verbs by category
| Category | Verbs |
|---|---|
| Mind & thinking | know · believe · think (= opinion) · understand · remember · forget · realise · mean · recognise |
| Feelings & emotions | love · like · hate · prefer · want · need · wish · enjoy (usually) |
| Senses | see · hear · smell · taste · feel · sound · look (= appear) |
| Existence & possession | be · have (= possess) · own · belong · contain · consist · exist · include |
Some verbs can be both:
think: "I think it's true" (opinion = stative) vs. "I am thinking about you" (active process). have: "I have a car" (possession) vs. "I am having lunch" (action).