A Guide on Dynamic and Stative Verbs

What are “dynamic” and “stative verbs”? This blog post will go over the difference between these two types of verbs, explain how to use them, and provide examples.

Dynamic and stative verbs represent two opposite types of verbs; while dynamic verbs indicate physical action (like jump or play), stative verbs convey a state of being or condition (like prefer or have).

A major difference between dynamic and stative verbs is that stative verbs cannot be used in progressive (continuous) tenses.

Some verbs can be both dynamic and stative, depending on the context of the sentence

Dynamic Verb vs. Stative Verb

Verbs are one of the most essential (and complex) parts of speech. There is a lot to learn about verbs, like how to conjugate them. But this blog post is dedicated to explaining the difference between two different types of verbs in particular: dynamic and stative verbs.

What Are Dynamic Verbs?

Let’s start with the easier of the two: dynamic verbs (also known as action verbs or event verbs).

These are the type of verbs that represent physical action or processes. A large percentage of these verbs are easy to identify because they occur externally. Additionally, dynamic verbs can be defined as motivated actions that have a clear beginning and end.

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Dynamic verbs can be used in the simple and perfect tenses (shown above) or in the progressive aspect (shown below).

However, some dynamic verbs don’t occur externally. They describe mental or internal actions.

Dynamic Verb Examples:

Here’s a list of a few examples of dynamic verbs:

What Are Stative Verbs?

Stative verbs describe a state of being or existence, like to be or to have. These verbs can also express a feeling (I love) or a physical state (there was). Unlike dynamic verbs, stative verbs tend to be subjective, and have no definitive start or end.

Unlike dynamic verbs, stative verbs cannot be used in progressive forms (to be + ING form of verb). For example, the following sentence would be grammatically incorrect:

Stative Verb Examples:

Here are a few examples of verbs that are commonly stative.

What About Verbs That Can Be Dynamic and Stative?

Dynamic and stative verbs would be easy to understand if they were as clear-cut as explained above. Unfortunately, sometimes the line between dynamic and stative verbs blurs. There are some verbs that can be dynamic in some situations, and stative in others.

But how can you tell if a verb is dynamic or stative? As we explained earlier, dynamic verbs tend to be motivated actions with a clear beginning and end, whereas stative verbs are usually subjective and have no definitive start or end. Consider the following examples:

In the first example, thinking can be described as a motivated action. Moreover, it’s a temporary action, so there’s a beginning and end to the thinking the subject is doing.

However, in the second example, think can be considered an action that’s subjective and there’s no clear beginning or end; therefore, it’s a stative verb in this context. Again, if the verb is being used in the progressive tense, then it’s dynamic.

Understanding Dynamic and Stative Verbs

To master English, you must master verbs. There’s no way around it. But, if you need some help, LanguageTool can ensure that you’re using the right form of a verb. Additionally, this multilingual spelling and grammar checker can suggest stylistic improvements that’ll help your writing reach the next level.