When is a verb not an action word

1
When is a verb not an action word?
2
Spot the verb

• They researched the topic thoroughly.
• The plant will be modified at a cost of 9m.
• The managing director is challenging the
  proposal.
• The union wants a voice in this decision.
• Management need to consult before taking action.

3
Dynamic vs. Stative Verbs

• Most verbs are dynamic they describe an
  action
• E.g. to research, to modify, to challenge
• I am researching my dissertation.
• I have been researching my dissertation since
  June.
• Some verbs are stative they describe a state
  of being, or a condition
• E.g. to want, to need
• I want something to eat Im hungry!
• Ive wanted something to eat since 800!
• Stative verbs do not
• take the progressive (-ing) form.
• (..except in certain cases and well talk about
  that later)

4
OK or not OK?

• The panel is submitting their report later today.
• The government is considering the issue.
• That book is belonging to me.
• He is preferring to retire early.
• Ive been studying for 3 hours every night.
• Im knowing a lot more vocabulary now.
• That song is sounding familiar.
• Im listening to every word you say.
• Im hearing every word you say.

5
Stative verbs deal with.

• Emotions, feelings, e.g.
• adore
• appreciate
• care
• desire
• detest
• dislike
• envy
• fear
• hate
• like
• love
• mind
• prefer
• respect
• trust
• want
• wish

• I adore sushi.
• We appreciate the work the secretaries do.
• The CEO doesnt care if the workers go on strike.
• .

6

• Sense perception, e.g.
• feel
• hear
• notice
• perceive
• resemble
• see
• seem
• smell
• sound
• taste

• She feels cold.
• I hear what you are saying.
• The tutors notice that you have been absent from
  class.
• .

7

• Possession, e.g.
• belong
• contain
• have
• lack
• own
• possess

• The meeting room belongs to the student
  committee.
• The company has 12 offices worldwide.

8

• Mental processes, e.g.
• agree
• believe
• doubt
• estimate
• expect
• feel
• forget
• forgive
• guess
• hope
• imagine
• know
• mean
• realise
• recall
• recognise
• regard
• remember

• We agree with your idea.
• He believes we should attempt it.
• We tend not to doubt what we read in the
  newspaper.

9

• State of being, e.g.
• be
• concern
• cost
• depend
• deserve
• equal
• fit
• matter
• mean
• need
• owe
• seem
• tend
• weigh

• Hes a foolish person.
• The study concerns plans to build a new plant
  near the city centre.
• The coat costs 75.
• .

10
What about the ones that go both ways?

• Some stative verbs can be used in the progressive
  form, but the verb then has a different meaning.
• involuntary vs. voluntary
• I smell something cooking.
• I am smelling the milk to see if its OK to
  drink.
• real vs. imaginary
• I hear music.
• Youre hearing things theres no music!
• permanent condition vs. temporary situation
• I have trouble with my boss.
• Im having trouble with my boss.

11

• care
• We care about the workers concerns.
• their concerns are important to us
• Some of the workers start work late because they
• are caring for elderly parents.
• they look after them they feed them, help them
  dress, etc.
• trust
• We trust management to look after the companys
  future.
• this is the normal state of affairs
• We are trusting management to look after the
  companys future.
• we hope they will but there is some uncertainty
  this is a one-time event

12

• wish
• I wish I had 1m. I wish youd leave me alone.
• desire for something dissatisfaction with a
  situation
• Im wishing for a new car for my birthday.
• for praying for something to come true or
  happen
• feel
• She feels a spider climbing up her leg.
• aware of the sense of touch
• He feels hes right about his decision.
• believes
• Hes feeling / feels tired/angry/cold/ill.
• physical or mental state
• Hes feeling the fruit to see if its ripe.
• touching voluntarily.

13

• hear
• I hear guitars playing. I hear you got fired.
• to receive sound involuntarily to be told
  something
• Were hearing talks of lay-offs from management.
• Were hearing a lot about global warming these
  days.
• to be aware of what others are currently
  discussing
• Hes hearing angels singing he should see a
  doctor.
• to imagine sounds
• see
• She sees a spider climbing up her leg.
• use sight
• You see Im right about the decision.
• understand
• Were seeing a decline in sales this year.
• be aware of what others are doing or what is
  happening around you
• Youre seeing things there are no angels on my
  head!
• to hallucinate imagine seeing something that
  isnt there

14

• smell
• That soup smells delicious / awful.
• to receive smell involuntarily
• That soup smells are you sure its fresh?
• to have a bad smell
• Hes smelling the fruit to see if its ripe.
• to seek smell voluntarily
• taste
• Your cooking always tastes great / awful.
• use sense of taste involuntarily
• Im tasting the wine to see if its good .
• try out taste voluntarily

15

• have
• She has beautiful eyes.
• own possess
• I have an allergy to cats. I have a headache. I
  have a broken leg.
• be unwell, sick, physical condition
• Im having a lot of headaches these days. Im
  having problems at work.
• temporary situation that one is involved in
• think
• I think youre great. I think Ill spend tonight
  studying.
• belief, intention
• Im thinking about (of) studying tonight .
• consider (maybe I will, maybe I wont)
• Im thinking about (of) what to have for lunch.
• actively use the brain!

16

• be
• He is an idiot.
• natural state of being
• He is being an idiot.
• behave temporarily in a certain way
• cost
• The meal costs 8.00.
• one-time price statement of fact
• Its costing us a lot to eat in restaurants every
  night. Its costing us only 12p a day to eat
  when we cook for ourselves! The fight against
  terrorism is costing the government 3b a year.
• overall general expenditure emphasis on price

17
So Whats the difference between

• She cares for her father.
• She is caring for her father.
• I trust you with my money.
• I am trusting you with my money.
• She wishes she had a handsome boyfriend.
• She is wishing for a handsome boyfriend.

18

• I feel your hand.
• Im feeling your hand.
• I hear voices.
• Im hearing voices.
• He smells nice.
• He smells.
• Hes smelling the soap I bought him.

19

• We have a lot of problems at the office.
• Were having a lot of problems at the office.
• I think Ill marry you.
• Im thinking about marrying you.
• She is cruel.
• She is being cruel.