Stative and dynamic verbs are two types of English verbs. This lesson shows you the difference between stative and dynamic verbs. 

Dynamic Verbs

These are for activities. They are actions we can see or hear. They can be used in all verb tenses in English. Here are some examples:

Play, jump, talk, smile.

Stative Verbs

These are states or feelings. They can’t be seen or heard. They are never used in continuous tenses. These are some

of the common stative verbs:

Admit/Agree/Appear/Believe Belong/Care/Deny/Defend / Desire/Dislike/Doubt/Exist/ Feel/ Hate/Have/Hear/  Hope/Imagine/Include/Involve/  Know/Like/Look/Love / Mean/Need/Own/Prefer  Realize/Recognize/Remember/Resemble / Smell/Sound/Suppose/Taste / Think/Understand/ Want/Wish

So why does it matter? Because these verbs can’t be used in continuous tenses. They are never continuously happening, like you could say I am playing or She is dancing.

INCORRECT Examples:

I am loving baseball.

I was wanting pizza for dinner.

I am needing ten dollars.

Some stative verbs can be used actively in special situations:

Be

You are annoying.

You are being annoying.

Think

I think studying history is important.

I am thinking about my girlfriend.

Have

I have a dog.

I am having a party.

I am having a good time.

Feel

I am not feeling well.

I feel that the test is difficult.

Senses

Verbs of the senses can be complicated. Use these rules to understand which verbs are active and which are stative.

Hears

Listen is active and hear is stative.

I am listening to the radio.

I am hearing the radio. (Incorrect)

Eyes

Watch and look are active and see is stative

I am watching television.

I am looking at the news paper.

I am seeing the bird. (Incorrect)

Watch is used for things that move or show actions. (Television, sports, etc.)

Look is for things that do not move.(Art, Books, etc.)

Nose

Smell can be active or stative depending on the situation.

I am smelling (the action of smelling)

I smell something burning.

Mouth

Taste can also be active or stative.

I am tasting the soup. (Action)

However, it is better to say “I am trying the soup.”

I taste salt in this soup. (State)