State verbs

VERB	CORRECT	NOT CORRECT
adore	He adores his new baby.	He is adoring his new baby.
agree	She didn't agree with us.	She wasn't agreeing with us.
appear*	He appears to be angry. Meaning: If you look at him, he seems angry. He looks like he is angry. *Not a state verb with these meanings: Start to be seen Eg: Stains started appearing on the wall. Be present, be seen Eg: She is appearing at the theatre tomorrow.	He is appearing to be angry.
appreciate*	He doesn't appreciate good wine. Meanings: Recognize how good someone or something is and to value them or it. OR: Understand a situation and realize that it is important. Eg: I appreciate that it's a difficult decision for you to make. *Not a state verb with this meaning: Increase in value Eg: The value of our house has appreciated by 50%.	He isn't appreciating good wine.
be*	He is tired now. *Not a state verb with the meaning: Acting He is being stupid. (He is acting stupid now) Compare this with: He is stupid. (He always not intelligent)	He is being tired now.
believe	I don't believe the news.	I am not believing the news.
belong	This book belonged to my grandfather.	This book was belonging to my grandfather.
care*	I don't care how much it costs, just buy it. Meaning: Think that something is important and to feel interested in it or upset about it. *Not a state verb with this meaning: Protect someone or something and provide the things that that person or thing needs. Eg: Caring for a sick relative can be difficult.	I'm not caring how much it costs, just buy it.
concern	This email concerns you.	This email is concerning you.
consist	Bread consists of flour, water and yeast.	Bread is consisting of flour, water and yeast.
contain	This box contains a cake.	This box is containing a cake.
cost	This car costs $60,000.	This car is costing $60,000.
depend	It depends on the weather.	It's depending on the weather.
deserve	He deserves to pass the exam.	He is deserving to pass the exam.
desire	The hotel had everything you could possibly desire.	The hotel was having everything you could possibly desire.
disagree	I disagree with you.	I am disagreeing with you.
dislike	I have disliked mushrooms for years.	I have been disliking mushrooms for years.
doubt	I doubt what you are saying.	I am doubting what you are saying.
feel*	I don't feel that this is a good idea. Meaning: have an opinion *Not a state verb with the meaning: Touch something in order to discover something about it. Feel how cold my hands are! *We can use feel as either a state or an action verb with this meaning: Have an emotion or a physical sensation Eg: I feel sick. I'm feeling sick. I feel happy. I'm feeling happy.	I am not feeling that this is a good idea.
fit*	This shirt fits me well. Meanings: Be the right size for someone/something Be appropriate for something/someone *Not a state verb with the meaning: Provide something of the correct size and position Eg: The doctors are fitting her with an artificial leg.	This shirt is fitting me well.
hate	Julie has always hated dogs.	Julie has always been hating dogs.
have*	I have $10. She has a brother. I have black hair. Meaning: own something, something belongs to me *Not a state verb with many have+noun action expressions: Eg: She's having lunch. We're having a break. He's having a shower. They're having a party.	I'm having $10. She is having a brother. I'm having black hair
hear	Do you hear music?	Are you hearing music?
hope	I hope you come to my party.	I'm hoping you come to my party.
imagine*	I imagine you must be tired. Meaning: I think this is probably true. *Not a state verb with the meaning: Have a mental picture of something Eg: "I'm imagining what this room could be like if we put in new carpets.	I am imagining you must be tired.
impress	He impressed me with his story.	He was impressing me with his story.
include	This cookbook includes a recipe for bread.	This cookbook is including a recipe for bread.
involve	The job involves a lot of travelling.	The job is involving a lot of travelling.
know	I've known Julie for ten years.	I've been knowing Julie for ten years.
like	I like reading detective stories.	I am liking reading detective stories.
look*	He looks tired. Meaning: When we look at him, he appears tired, he seems tired. *Not a state verb with this meaning: Point your eyes at something in order to see it Eg: Look at this picture. Can you see a bird?	He is looking tired.
love	I love chocolate.	I'm loving chocolate.*
matter	It doesn't matter.	It isn't mattering.
mean	'Enormous' means 'very big'.	'Enormous' is meaning 'very big'.
measure*	This window measures 150cm. Meaning: be this long *Not a state verb with the meaning: Find out how long something is Eg: She's measuring the doorway to see if the bed will go through it.	This window is measuring 150cm.
mind*	She doesn't mind the noise. Meaning: be annoyed or upset about something *Not a state verb with the meaning: Take care of something Eg: I can go out because Tim is minding my children.	She isn't minding the noise.
need	At three o'clock yesterday I needed a taxi.	At three o'clock yesterday I was needing a taxi.
owe	I owe you £20.	I am owing you £20.
own	She owns two cars.	She is owning two cars.
prefer	I prefer chocolate ice cream.	I am preferring chocolate ice cream.
promise*	I promise to help you tomorrow. Meaning: A word we use to make a promise – to say we will definitely do something *Not a state verb when we are describing someone making a promise. Eg: The politician is promising everything to the crowd.	I am promising to help you tomorrow.
realise	I didn't realise the problem.	I wasn't realising the problem.
recognise	I didn't recognise my old friend.	I wasn't recognising my old friend.
remember	He didn't remember my name.	He wasn't remembering my name.
see*	I see what you mean Meaning: I understand I see her now, she's just coming along the road Meaning: I see with my eyes *Not a state verb with this meaning: Meet / have a relationship with someone Eg: I'm seeing Anna on Tuesday. I've been seeing my boyfriend for 2 months.
seem	The weather seems to be improving.	The weather is seeming to be improving.
smell*	That fish smells bad. Meaning: When you smell it with your nose, it has this smell *Not a state verb with this meaning: Use your nose to smell something. Eg: The dog is smelling the tree.	That fish is smelling bad.
sound	Your idea sounds great.	Your idea is sounding great.
suppose	I suppose John will be late.	I'm supposing John will be late.
surprise	The noise surprised me.	The noise was surprising me.
suspect	I suspect that he is lying. Meaning: Think that something is probably true, especially something bad	I'm suspecting that he is lying.
taste*	This soup tastes great. Meaning: When you put it on your tongue, it has this taste. *Not a state verb with this meaning: Use your tongue to find out the taste of something. Eg: I can't taste the soup because I have COVID.	This soup is tasting great.
think*	I think coffee is not good for your health. Meaning: have an opinion *Not a state verb with the meaning: Use your brain Eg: I'm thinking about how to solve my problem. I can't think with all this noise!	I'm thinking coffee is not good for your health.
understand	I don't understand this question.	I'm not understanding this question.
value*	She values her privacy. Meaning: Think that something is important, valuable. *Not a state verb with this meaning: To assess the value of something. The inspector is valuing the house – He's deciding how much it is worth.	She is valuing her privacy.
want	I want to go to the cinema tonight.	I am wanting to go to the cinema tonight.
weigh*	This cake weighs 450g. Meaning: have this weight. *Not a state verb with this meaning: Find out the weight of something Eg: She is weighing our bags before we get on the plane.	This cake is weighing 450g.
wish*	I wish I was rich. Meaning: A word we use to make a wish. *Not a state verb when we are describing someone making a wish. Eg: The child is blowing the candles out on her birthday cake and wishing for a pony.	I am wishing I was rich.