Action verbs vs State verb

Present
tense
Simple Present
S + V s/es+ O
S + tobe (is, am, are)
+ N/adj/adv
Habitual action
John goes to school by
bus everyday.
General truth
Maia is a smart
student in her class.
The sun sets in the
west.

Present continuous
S + tobe (is, am, are)
+ V ing
to say that we are in
the middle of an
action.
I'm waiting for the
train.
(I'm at the station now. I'm
waiting means that I am in
the middle of a period of
waiting. The wait is not yet
over.)

Verbs
Action verbs
An action means
something
happening.
I'm cleaning the flat.
The farmer is buying the
land.
clean the microscope
and put it in the box
after using it.
Action verbs can be
simple or continuous.

State verbs
A state means
something staying the
same.
The farmer owns the
land.
State verbs cannot usually
be continuous.
NOT
The farmer is owning the
land.

State
verbs

believe, belong, consist of,

contain, depend on, deserve,
exist, hate, know, like, love,
matter, mean, own, need,
prefer, remember, resemble,
seem, understand, want,
realise, suppose

Exception
PERMANENT STATE (simple tenses)
I love/enjoy parties.
I like school.
SHORT PERIOD (continuous)
I'm loving/enjoying this party.
I'm liking school much better now.
Sometimes we can use either the simple or
the continuous with no difference in
meaning.
You look well, OR You're looking well.
We feel a bit sad. OR We're feeling a bit
sad.

Do you see that house? (= have in sight)

with
Mark is seeing his boss. {= having a meeting with)