English Exercises: state verb or action verb

Downloadable worksheets:

ALL ENGLISH TENSES (ACTIVE VOICE) - COMPLETE GRAMMAR-GUIDE IN A CHART FORMAT WITH FORM, USE, EXAMPLES AND TIME PHRASES (4 pages) FOR ALL LEVELS
Level: intermediate
Age: 12-17
Downloads: 5256

MULTIPLE CHOICE - FOUR TENSES 1
Level: elementary
Age: 10-14
Downloads: 5174

THE PAST PERFECT TENSE
Level: elementary
Age: 13-17
Downloads: 4125

TEST YOUR GRAMMAR. ALL THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE TENSES.
Level: intermediate
Age: 14-17
Downloads: 3523

FOUR TENSES REVIEW -PRESENT SIMPLE- PRESENT CONTINUOUS-PAST SIMPLE AND PAST CONTINUOUS (B&W VERSION+ KEY INCLUDED)
Level: elementary
Age: 12-14
Downloads: 3536

Worksheet: Simple Present or Present Continuous?
Level: intermediate
Age: 12-17
Downloads: 3148

STATE AND ACTION VERBS:(EXPLANATION AND EXERCISES).

A- STATE AND ACTIONS

COMPARE:

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A state means something staying the same	An actionmeans something happening.
STATES	ACTION
The door is blue.	I'm painting the door.
The farmer owns the land.	The farmer is buying the land.
The box contains old magazines.	He puts the magazines in the box.
State verbs cannot usually be continuous	Action verbs can be either simple or continuous.
E.g. NOT ~~The farmer is owning the land~~	E.g. He puts everithing away. OR� He is putting everithing away

Other state verbs are: seem, consist of, exist, belong, depend on, deserve, matter, mean, know, understand, remember, love, like.

B- Sometimes one meaning of a verb is a state and the other is an action.

Compare:

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STATES	ACTIONS
I think you're right. (= believe)	I'm thinking about the problem.
We have three cars. (=own)	We're having lunch. (= eating)

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C- STATE VEBS IN THE CONTINUOUS.

�We can use some state verbs in the continuous when we talk about a short period of time.

Compare:

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STATES	ACTIONS
I love/ enjoy parties.	I'm loving /enjoying this party.
I like school.	I'm liking school a lot better now.

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EXERCISES:

Say which verbs express states and which express actions:

1. I spoke to our new neighbours.��

2. They seem very nice.��

3. The husband builds houses.��

4. Our old house doesn't exist any more.��

5. I have to go to the dentist.��

6. What does "dentist" mean?��

Verbs with different meanings: Gavin is visiting Judy and baby Emma. Put in the correct form of the verb.

Gavin: Hello, Judy. I rang at about ten, but there was no reply.��

Judy: Oh, that was probably when �the doctor.�� saw / was seeing

Gavin: Where�s little Emma?

Judy: She�s asleep. She �a very good girl at the moment.��'s / 's being

��I �at these photos of her.��look / 'm looking

Gavin: Oh, she�s lovely. I �she��think / 'm thinking

�� beautiful.�� looks / 's looking

Judy: That jacket was too big then. It �properly.��didn't fit / wasn't fitting

Gavin: In this one she �her tea.�� has / 's having

Judy:�� And in this one she �about something.�� thinks / 's thinking

��I'm not sure what.

Gavin: You �lots of photos of her already.�� have / 're having

Judy: Mark took this one , look. She cried all the time the nurse

�� her. When she was born, she��weighed / was weighing

�� four kilos, you know.�� weighed / was weighing

Gavin: I �. A big strong girl.��see / 'm seeing

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Write a sentence which follows on. Choose from these sentences.

I think it's going to suit me. And I've still got a chance to win it.
I've never wanted to change it. It uses a lot of petrol
It's too expensive to buy I play it every weekend.

1. I enjoy the game.�

2. I'm enjoying the game.

3. The car is costing a lot of money.

4. I'm liking my new job.

5. I like my job.

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