Introduction
The main reason why you’ll want to know the difference between stative and dynamic verbs is that stative verbs do not have a continuous tense.
There are a number of continuous tenses, and what they all have in common is that they contain a present participle (e.g., shooting, eating) and some helping verbs.
You can’t use a stative verb in this form:
Incorrect: I am believing you.
Correct: I believe you.
Now that you know why the distinction matters, let’s see how we can keep these verbs apart.
Non-continuous Verbs
Not all verbs regularly express continuous action. Here are some examples of non-continuous verbs:
Emotion or feeling: hate, love, feel, want …
Possession: own, possess, belong …
Thought and opinion: believe, know, realize, understand …
Communication: agree, mean, promise …
These are stative verbs, in that they express a state, not an action. That’s why you wouldn’t say “I am owning a mountain bike.”
However, there are plenty of exceptions. You might say “I am loving this” or “I think I am understanding you.” When used in this way the verb takes on a more dynamic aspect.
More Information
For more information, please see our introduction to all twelve verb tenses in English.