Action verbs and state verbs

1.Verbs can express actions or states.

Actions	States
Jane went to bed. I’m buying a new briefcase. I lent Jeremy five pounds.	Jane was tired. I need a new briefcase. Jeremy owes me five pounds.

An action means something happening, something changing. Action verbs are verbs like do, go, buy, play, stop, take, decorate, say, ask, decide etc.

A state means something staying the same. These verbs are state verbs:

adore	depend	doubt	lack	owe	seem
be	deserve	envy	like	own	understand
believe	desire	exist	love	pity	want
belong to	despise	hate	matter	possess	wish
consist of	detest	intend	mean	prefer
contain	dislike	know	need	resemble

Most action verbs refer to physical actions, but some are verbs of reporting (say) or verbs of thinking (decide). State verbs express meanings such as being, having, opinions and feelings.

2. We can use action verbs with the continuous, but state verbs are not normally continuous.

We are decorating the flat, but NOT We are owning the flat.

Some state verbs cannot be passive.

3. Some verbs have different meanings. One meaning can be an action and another meaning can be a state.

Actions	States
We’re having lunch how. (action – ‘eating’)	We have a big kitchen. (state – ‘own’)
We’re thinking about moving. (action – ‘deciding’)	I thing we ought to move. (state – ‘believe’)
Jeff tasted the soup.	The soup tasted like water.
expect/expecting trouble	expect so (= believe)
imagine/imagining the result	imagine so (= believe)
care/caring for the sick	not care what happens
admire/admiring the view (= looking at it with pleasure)	admire someone’s courage (= approve of)
look/looking at a picture	look lovely
smell/smelling the powder	smell strange
appear/appearing in a film	appear perfectly calm
measure/measuring the door	measure two metres
weigh/weighing the luggage	weigh ten kilos
fit/fitting a new switch	fit perfectly
cost/costing a project	cost a lot of money

4. We can use the continuous with some state verbs if we see something as active thinking or feeling for a period of time, rather than a permanent attitude.

I love holidays. (permanent attitude)

I’m loving every minute of this holiday. (active enjoyment)

Here are some more examples.

How are you liking the play? ~ Well, it’s all right so far.

We were expecting visitors. You’re looking pleased with yourself.

This holiday is costing me a lot. I’m hoping to get a job.

Be can be an action verb meaning ‘behave’.

The dog was being a nuisance, so we shut him out.

NOTE: a) Mean (=have the meaning) is always a state verb.

What does this word mean?

b) Enjoy expresses an action.

I’m enjoyjng the party. NOT I enjoy the party.

5. Some verbs always express states and so cannot be continuous.

At the moment the building contains some old machinery.

I know the town quite well now.

These verbs are belong to, consist of, contain, depend on, deserve, desire, know, matter, own, possess, prefer, seem.

NOTE: The expression get to know can be continuous.

I’m getting to know the town quite well.

6. Hurt, ache and feel can be simple or continuous with little difference in meaning.

My arm hurt/was hurting. I feel/I’m feeling depressed.

7. We often use can and could for perceptions.

I can see something under the sofa.

We could hear music. I can smell something burning.

Sam could feel the weight of the rucksack.

We do not normally use the continuous. NOT I’m seeing something.

We can use the past simple when the thing that we saw or heard was a complete action.

We saw a magnificent sunset.

Tom heard the whole story.

They felt the building shake.

Smell, taste and feel as action verbs express a deliberate action.

Steve picked up the bottle and smelled the milk.

When we arrived, people were already tasting the wine.

Judy was feeling her way in the dark.

NOTE: a) See (= meet) is an action verb, and see (= understand) is a state verb.

I’m seeing the doctor in half an hour.

You put the cassette in here, like this. ~ Oh, I see.

b) Look (at something), watch, and listen are action verbs.

We looked/We were looking at the sunset.

c) Feel (= believe) is a state verb.

I feel we should discuss the matter.

Appendix 2