1. Tense System • Level 2

State Verbs

10 Questions • 3 Minutes

📖 Lesson: State Verbs

Rule: No Continuous Form

Some verbs describe states, not actions. These verbs CANNOT generally be used in continuous (-ing) tenses, even if happening now.

Categories of State Verbs

Thoughts: Know, Believe, Understand, Remember. (NOT "I am knowing")
Feelings: Like, Love, Hate, Want, Need. (NOT "I am wanting")
Possession: Have, Own, Belong. (NOT "It is belonging")
Senses: Smell, Taste, Hear, See. (Usage varies)

Tricky Verbs (Action vs State)

*Think*: "I think it's good" (Opinion = State). "I am thinking about it" (Mental process = Action).
*Have*: "I have a car" (Possession = State). "I am having lunch" (Eating = Action).

📋 Practice Questions

10 questions from this quiz — preview them here, then take the interactive quiz above. Your full answer review with explanations unlocks when you finish the test.

1. I _____ the answer.

Aam knowing
Bknow
Cknowing
Dknows

2. She _____ a new car.

Ais wanting
Bwants
Cwant
Dwanting

3. This bag _____ to me.

Ais belonging
Bbelongs
Cbelong
Dbelonged

4. Do you _____ in ghosts?

Abelieving
Bbelieve
Cbelieves
Dbelief

5. I _____ it smells good.

Athink
Bam thinking
Cthinks
Dthought

6. Be quiet! I _____.

Athink
Bam thinking
Cthinks
Dthought

7. I _____ you.

Aam understanding
Bunderstand
Cunderstood
Dunderstands

8. This soup _____ delicious.

Atastes
Bis tasting
Ctaste
Dtasting

9. The chef _____ the soup.

Atastes
Bis tasting
Ctaste
Dtasted

10. He _____ a lot of money.

Ais owing
Bowes
Cown
Downing