Stative / state verbs

Stative verbs are the verbs which describe a state rather than an action, they do not have a continuous tense. These verbs are:

• verbs of the senses (see, hear, taste, feel, look, sound etc). I can hear the train approaching.

• verbs of perception / opinion (agree, know, believe, understand, realise, remember, suppose, forget etc). I understand what you are saying.

• verbs which express likes and dislikes / verbs of feelings and emotions (like, dislike, love, adore, hate, enjoy, forgive, prefer, detest, etc). The children enjoy reading.

• and some other verbs (be, contain, include, belong, fit, need, matter, mean, cost, concern, depend, own, want, weigh, wish, have (possess), keep etc). That car belongs to Joe.

Some of these verbs are used in continuous tenses when they describe actions rather than states.

Present Simple	Present Continuous
She is very patient (- character.) I think it’s a wonderful film (- I believe). They have (got) a swimming pool (- they possess). Your mother looks very tired (- she appears to be). I can see your house from here (- I use my eyes). 1 see what you mean. (understand).	He is being very good. (-behaviour.) I'm thinking of buying a new house (- I'm considering.) They’re having a wonderful holiday. (- they are enjoying themselves.) The architect is looking at the plans. (- he is checking/ examining.) Are you seeing the dentist tomorrow? (- are you meeting?) You’re seeing things. There is no one there (- you are imagining)
This blouse feels like silk (- it has the texture of). This chicken tastes delicious (- it has a delicious flavour). These flowers smell nice (- have a nice smell). She appears to be very angry. (- she seems to be). These shoes fit me perfectly (- they are the right size).	Mum is feeling Tim’s forehead (- she is touching). The chef is tasting the soup to see if it is alright (- he is testing the flavour). She’s smelling the roses (- she is sniffing). We are appearing at Central Park next weekend (- we are performing). Peter is fitting new locks on all the doors (- he is attaching).

Note:

1. The verb enjoy can be used in continuous tenses to express a specific preference. I'm enjoying this film a lot (specific preference).

BUT: I enjoy going sailing, (general preference)

2. The verbs look (when we refer to smb’s appearance), feel (experience a particular emotion), hurt and ache can be used in the continuous or the simple tenses with no difference in meaning. You look wonderful today, or You are looking wonderful today. She feels sick, or She is feeling sick.

TIME CLAUSES

• With time clauses we use the present simple or present perfect, but NOT future forms. We use words and expressions such as while, before, after, until / till, as, when, whenever, once, as soon as, as long as, by the time, etc to introduce time clauses.

- By the time he arrives, it will be dark. (NOT; By tho time he will arrive...)

• We also use the present simple and present perfect but NOT future forms after words and expressions such as unless, if, suppose/supposing, in case, etc.

- If she wants more information, tell her to call me. (NOT-lf she will want..,)

• We use future forms with: when - when it is used as a question word.

- When will you be seeing Mike next ?

• if/whether - after expressions which show uncertainty, ignorance, etc, such as I don't know, I doubt, I wonder, I'm not sure, etc.

- I doubt whether she will come tonight.

PAST TENSES

Past Simple Tense

We use the past simple:

• For an action that happened at a definite time (stated or implied) in the past. Tina arrived in Vienna last week.

• For actions that happened immediately after one another in the past. He left the house, walked to the station and caught the 5:05 train to New York.

• For past habits or states which are now finished, usually it is used with used to: I worked for Morton’s when I was younger. Now I don’t. I used to work for the company when I was younger.

Used to

We use used to + infinitive to refer to past habits or states.

• In such cases used to can be replaced by verb in the past simple with no change in meaning.

- When I was younger, I used to go to Wales on holiday every year. When I was younger, I went to Wales on holiday every year.

The time expressionsused with the past simple:

yesterday, then, when?, last night /week /month /year; last Friday / October; three days/weeks ago; in 1999, how long ago?

Past Continuous Tense

We use the past continuous:

• For an action which was in progress at a stated time in the past. We don’t mention when the action started or finished. At 8 o’clock this morning I was getting ready for work.

• For an action which was in progress when another action interrupted it. We use the past continuous for the action in progress (a longer action) and the past simple for the action which interrupted it (a shorter one). They were walking to the station when they saw the accident.

• For two or more simultaneous actions in the past. The children were playing in the garden while their mother was trimming the hedges.

• To describe the atmosphere, setting or to give background information to a story. When I woke up I found the sun was shining and the temperature was rising fast. Liz was making breakfast in the kitchen while John and Sarah were drinking coffee on the balcony. Suddenly somebody knocked at the door. It was Liz. She came to discuss the latest news with me, etc.

The time expressionsused with the past continuous:

while, when, as, all morning/evening/day/week

Past Perfect Tense

We use the past perfect:

• For an action which happened before another past action or before a stated time in the past. We had finished dinner by the time they arrived / before they arrived.

• For an action which finished in the past and whose result was visible at a later point in the past. He had worked much that evening and he looked tired.

The time expressionsused with the past perfect:

before, after, already, just, for, since, till/until, when, by the time, never

Past Perfect -Continuous Tense

We use the past perfect -continuous:

• To put emphasis on the duration of an action which started and finished in the past, before another action or stated time in the past, usually with the words How long, for or since, by or before. I had been waiting for half an hour before the bus came.

• For an action which lasted for some time in the past and whose result was visible in the past. She had been swimming and her hair was still wet.

Note: with the verbs live, work, teach and feel we can use the past perfect or the past perfect- continuous with no difference in meaning.

- He had taught/had been teaching at the school for more than twenty years by 2001.

The time expressionsused with the past perfect- continuous:

for, since, how long, before, until, by 2 o’clock yesterday, by that time, by then.

FUTURE TENSES

Future Simple Tense (will + bare infinitive)

We use the future simple:

• For predictions about the future, based on what we think, believe or imagine, using the verbs think, believe, expect etc, the expressions be sure, be afraid, etc, and the adverbs probably, certainly, perhaps, etc. I'm sure Bill will get the job.

• For decisions made at the moment of speaking – on the spot decision. We've run out of milk. I’ll go to the supermarket and get some.

• For promises, threats, warnings, requests, hopes and offers. Will you help me with my history essay?

• For actions, events, situations which will definitely happen in the future and which we can’t control. Ben will be five years old in August.

Be going to

We use be going to:

• For plans, intentions or ambitions for the future, it is not exact an event will happen.I’m going to go to India one day.

• Actions we have already decided to do in the near future but we haven’t arranged them to do. Nicky is going to visit her friends in London next weekend.

• Exact predictions based on what we can see or what we know, especially when there is evidence that something will happen. There isn't any cloud in the sky. It is going to be a nice day.

Time expressionsused with the future simple and be going to:

tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, think, believe, expect, be sure, be afraid, probably, certainly, perhaps, I promise / hope, soon, next week/month/year/summer etc, in a week/month etc.

Future Continuous Tense (will be + present participle)

We use the future continuous:

• For actions which will be in progress at a stated future time.

I'm going on holiday to Spain. This time next week l’ll be lying in the sun,

• For actions which willl definitely happen in the future as the result of a routine or arrangement.

She will be playing tennis with Andrew tomorrow morning.

• When we ask politely about someone’s plans for the near future to use the information for ourselves.

Will you be driving to the party tonight? Yes, why? I want to be there too.

Time expressionsused with the future continuous:

at 2 o’clock tomorrow, this time next year, etc.

Future Perfect Tense (will have + past participle)

We use the future perfect:

• For an action which will be finished before a stated future time. They will have arrived in London by 5 o'clock.

Time expressionsused with the future perfect:

before, by, by then, by the time, until/till

Note: until/till are only used in negative sentences:

- She will not have finished the report until/till 6 o'clock. She will have finished the report by 6:30 (not until.)

Future Perfect -Continuous Tense (will have been + present participle)

We use the future perfect continuous:

• To emphasise the duration of an action up to a certain time in the future. By June, he will have been teaching in this school for fifteen years.

Note:The future perfect- continuous is used with by... for.