TENSE AND ASPECT
Stative verbs are normally found only in the non-progressive forms. Stative verbs include 1. BE and HAVE, as in Go away! We are busy. We have a lot of work to do. But BE meaning ‘act (in a certain way)’, and HAVE meaning something other than ‘possess’, can be used in the progressive: Wait for me. You are being impatient. (=acting impatiently) I am still having my breakfast. 2. Verbs which contain the idea of being or having, eg: APPLY TO (‘be true of” or ‘have reference to’) eg. The rule applies to everyone. BELONG TO (‘be the property of’) eg. This camera belongs to me. COMPARE (‘be like’ or ‘be as good as’) eg. My computer doesn’t compare with yours. CONCERN (‘be of importance to’) eg. This matter concerns you. CONTAIN (‘have’ or ‘hold’) COST (‘be equal in value to’) eg. How much does this cheese cost? DEPEND ON (‘be dependent on’) eg. It depends on you. DESERVE (‘be worthy of’) eg. You certainly deserve to win. DIFFER FROM (‘be different from’) eg. My answer differs from yours. EXIST (‘be’) eg. Mammoths do not exist in the modern world. HOLD (‘have’) eg. How many people does this hall hold? MATTER (‘be of importance’) eg. It doesn’t matter to me. MEASURE (‘be of a certain length etc.’) eg. This room measures five meters by four. OWN (‘have’) eg. Many peole in this country own the houses they live in. POSSESS (‘have’) eg. I owe such qualities as I possess to my parents. RESEMBLE (‘be like’) eg. George resembles his father in the way he walks. STAND FOR (‘be a substiture for’) eg. The sign + stands for “plus”. WEIGH (‘be of a certain weight’) eg. I weigh 65 kilos.
NOTE: Some of these verbs can also refer to activity, in which case they can freely be used in the progressive. Eg. I am applying (=making application) to you for assistance. I am applying this ointment to the wound to ease the pain. In this book the author is comparing these two countries. We are depending (=are relying) on you to help us. Hold your arm out. – I’ m just measuring your sleeve. In the disaster area people are existing (=keeping themselves alive) on what scraps of food they can find.
3. Verbs referring to an involuntary reaction of the senses: FEEL, HEAR, SEE, SMELL, TASTE
FEEL and TASTE refer to involuntary reactions which correspond to the deliberate act of listening and looking. FEEL, SMELL and TASTE can refer to both the involuntary reaction and the voluntary, deliberate act. Thus:
The verb CAN often occurs before the five verbs in the right-hand column, eg. I can hear, see, feel, smell, taste something. FEEL can occur freely in the simple tense or in the progressive when it refers to one’s own physical condition, as in I feel (am feeling) hungry.
4. Verbs referring to mental or emotional states: ASSUME, ASTONISH, BELIEVE, CARE, CONSIDER, DETEST, DISLIKE, DOUBT, ENVY, EXPECT, FEAR, FEEL (=think), FIND (=consider), FORGET, GUESS, HATE, HOPE, IMAGINE, IMPRESS, KNOW, LIKE, LOVE, MEAN, MIND, NOTICE, PLEASE, PREFER, REALIZE, RECOGNIZE, REGRET, REMEMBER, SATISFY, SUGGEST, SUPPOSE, SURPRISE, THINK, UNDERSTAND, WANT, WISH.
Notice the difference between the following pairs: We consider (=believe) him to be very loyal. We are considering (=studying) your application. I expect (=suppose) you are rather tired. I am expecting (=waiting for) a visitor. I feel (=think) you’re right. I am feeling very hungry. Does anyone mind (=object) if I open the window? Is anyone minding (=looking after) the baby while you’re out? I think (=believe) he’s crazy. Be quiet. I am thinking (=giving thought to the problem).
Note that stative verbs do not normally occur in the progressive. But it is possible for any of them to be used in the progressive provided the speaker is emphasizing the idea of an uncompleted involuntary act, or incomplete physical or mental state, as in Something is wrong with my eyes. I am seeing double. I am forgetting (=beginning to forget) my English. Now we are understanding (=beginning to understand) this a little better.
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