UNIT

When you studied English at a lower level, you learned that you usually use simple present, not present continuous,

with certain verbs:

Right: Simple Present

1. They know the answer.

2. I love my mother.

3. She only weighs 95 lbs.* She needs to eat more.

*about 44 kilos

The verbs you see above are called stative

don’t usually use them with present perfect

Possession: have, own, possess, belong

Thinking: know, understand, believe

Emotion: like, dislike, love, hate

Right:

4. I have a car. I’ve had a car for two years.

5. We’re worried about her. She’s down

to 95 lbs. She has never weighed

in her whole life.

6. I’ve never liked him, not since the first day

I met him.

7. She has never believed in God.

8. He has been absent every single day this

week, and I’m tired of doing his work for

him.

COMMON EXCEPTIONS

When have doesn’t mean to possess or

9. They have a party every Friday night. / They’

party every Friday night for years.

10. I have a headache. / I’ve had a headache since this

my accident.

11. I have a big problem. / I’ve occasionally

having real problems understanding this chapter. I don’t know what I’m going t

When weigh is transitive (=when it has a direct object), it can be continuous:

12. He weighs 175 lbs. (intransitive,

13. He works in the mailroom. He weighs

they need. (transitive, has a direct object: the packages) /

about half of the things that need to be sent. He’ll have to hurry up if he wants to leave

on time. / He has been weighing

Book4ClassSetAW07-2 5/25/2014 10:58 AM

NIT 15: STATIVE VERBS

When you studied English at a lower level, you learned that you usually use simple present, not present continuous,

Wrong: Present Continuous

���� They are knowing the answer.

���� I’m loving my mother.

She needs to eat more. ���� She’s only weighing 95 lbs. She needs to eat more

stative verbs. Just as you don’t usually use them with pres

present perfect continuous, either. Here is a list of some common stative verbs:

have, own, possess, belong Measurement: cost, weigh (intransitive)

know, understand, believe Relationship: concern

State: be

Wrong:

a car for two years. ���� I’ve been having a car for two years

We’re worried about her. She’s down ���� She has never been weighing so little in her

so little whole life.

him, not since the first day ���� I’ve never been liking him.

���� She has never been believing in God

absent every single day this ���� He has been being absent every single

week, and I’m tired of doing his work for day this week.

or own (拥有, poseer, ser dueño de), it can often be continuous:

a party every Friday night. / They’ve had a party every night this week. / They’

party every Friday night for years.

a headache since this morning. / I’ve been having bad headaches since I had

occasionally had problems understanding him, but not very often. / I’

real problems understanding this chapter. I don’t know what I’m going to do. The test is tomorrow!

(=when it has a direct object), it can be continuous:

(intransitive, no direct object, not continuous)

weighs the packages to determine how much postage

(transitive, has a direct object: the packages) / So far, he has only weighed

about half of the things that need to be sent. He’ll have to hurry up if he wants to leave

has been weighing packages for an hour, and he’s starting to get bored.

5/25/2014 10:58 AM ©Roland Trego - 136 -

When you studied English at a lower level, you learned that you usually use simple present, not present continuous,

95 lbs. She needs to eat more.

Just as you don’t usually use them with present continuous, you

either. Here is a list of some common stative verbs:

(intransitive)

a car for two years.

so little in her

in God.

absent every single

, it can often be continuous:

a party every night this week. / They’ve been having a

bad headaches since I had

problems understanding him, but not very often. / I’ve been

o do. The test is tomorrow!

ostage

weighed

about half of the things that need to be sent. He’ll have to hurry up if he wants to leave

ng to get bored.

Book4ClassSetAW07-2 5/25/2014 10:58 AM ©Roland Trego - 137 -

Exercise 1. Read the whole conversation carefully. After that, go back and rewrite the sentence in

parentheses. Make sure you use the right tense and fill in the missing words.

a. a. Did you hear about Dick and Jane?

b. What?

a. They’re getting divorced.

b. Well, that doesn’t surprise me. That guy’s a creep*. *a strange, unpleasant, offensive person

(I never like him, not since first day I meet him) *奇葩, 变态,asqueroso

→ I’ve never liked him, not since the first day I met him.

1. a. Guess what?

b. What?

a. Greg is resigning. He’s found a better-paying job. *辞职, dimitir de, renunciar a

b. That’s not news. (I know that for several day)

___________________________________________________________________

a. Who told you?

b. Mary in the Accounting Department.

2. a. Your son and his wife have a marriage made in heaven*, don’t they? *perfect

b. It sure seems like it. And let me tell you, (he love her since day they meet)

___________________________________________________________________

a. Well, that’s easy to understand. She’s so sweet, not to mention beautiful! (=and beautiful, too)

3. a. Have you had any sudden changes in your weight recently?

b. No. (I weigh 165 lbs. for last ten year)

___________________________________________________________________

4. a. (How long you have your new car?)

___________________________________________________________________

b. For a couple weeks.

a. It’s really sharp*. *stylish

b. Thanks. We love it.

5. a. (She be on cloud nine* since he ask her get married) *to be extremely happy

___________________________________________________________________

b. I can imagine. So, when is their wedding? *极其高兴, estar en el séptimo cielo

a. In June.