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State Verbs – Simple vs Progressive

State Verbs – Simple vs Progressive

Why Some State Verbs Can Be Progressive

State verbs usually describe feelings, thoughts, possession, senses, appearance, or relationships. Normally, they are used in the simple form.

However, some state verbs can also be used in the progressive form when the meaning changes to:

  • temporary behaviour
  • an active process happening now
  • a temporary experience
  • a developing situation
  • a deliberate action
Simple Form Progressive Form Difference
I think he is right. I am thinking about the problem. Opinion vs active mental process
The soup tastes good. The chef is tasting the soup. General quality vs action now
She has a new car. She is having lunch. Possession vs activity/experience
He looks tired. He is looking at the screen. Appearance vs action
I see your point. I am seeing the dentist tomorrow. Understanding vs meeting/appointment
Important:

Some state verbs almost never use the progressive form: know, believe, own, belong, understand.

Other state verbs can use both forms with different meanings: think, have, see, taste, smell, feel, look.
Score: 0 / 25

1. I ______ your idea is excellent. (Opinion)
a) think
b) am thinking [Ich denke, dass deine Idee ausgezeichnet ist.]

2. I ______ about changing jobs. (Mental process now)
a) think
b) am thinking [Ich denke gerade darüber nach, den Job zu wechseln.]

3. She ______ a beautiful house. (Possession)
a) has
b) is having [Sie hat ein schönes Haus.]

4. She ______ dinner with friends tonight. (Temporary event)
a) has
b) is having [Sie isst heute Abend mit Freunden zu Abend.]

5. This soup ______ fantastic. (General quality)
a) tastes
b) is tasting [Diese Suppe schmeckt fantastisch.]

6. The cook ______ the soup now. (Action now)
a) tastes
b) is tasting [Der Koch probiert gerade die Suppe.]

7. He ______ tired today. (Appearance)
a) looks
b) is looking [Er sieht heute müde aus.]

8. He ______ at the mountains. (Action now)
a) looks
b) is looking [Er schaut gerade auf die Berge.]

9. I ______ what you mean. (Understanding)
a) see
b) am seeing [Ich verstehe, was du meinst.]

10. I ______ the dentist tomorrow. (Arrangement)
a) see
b) am seeing [Ich habe morgen einen Termin beim Zahnarzt.]

11. This flower ______ wonderful. (General smell)
a) smells
b) is smelling [Diese Blume riecht wunderbar.]

12. She ______ the perfume carefully. (Action now)
a) smells
b) is smelling [Sie riecht gerade vorsichtig an dem Parfüm.]

13. I ______ much better today. (State)
a) feel
b) am feeling [Ich fühle mich heute viel besser.]

14. The doctor ______ my arm. (Action now)
a) feels
b) is feeling [Der Arzt untersucht gerade meinen Arm mit den Händen.]

15. I ______ this music very much. (Emotion)
a) love
b) am loving [Ich liebe diese Musik sehr.]

16. I ______ this holiday! (Strong temporary enjoyment)
a) love
b) am loving [Ich genieße diesen Urlaub gerade total!]

17. She ______ very polite. (General character)
a) is
b) is being [Sie ist sehr höflich.]

18. She ______ unusually quiet today. (Temporary behaviour)
a) is
b) is being [Sie ist heute ungewöhnlich ruhig.]

19. The machine ______ strange today. (Appearance)
a) seems
b) is seeming [Die Maschine scheint heute seltsam zu sein.]

20. We ______ more problems this week. (Temporary experience)
a) see
b) are seeing [Wir erleben diese Woche mehr Probleme.]

21. I ______ your point completely. (Understanding)
a) understand
b) am understanding [Ich verstehe deinen Standpunkt vollkommen.]

22. They ______ about moving abroad this year. (Temporary plan)
a) think
b) are thinking [Sie denken dieses Jahr darüber nach, ins Ausland zu ziehen.]

23. The coffee ______ too bitter. (General taste)
a) tastes
b) is tasting [Der Kaffee schmeckt zu bitter.]

24. The waiter ______ the wine before serving it. (Action now)
a) tastes
b) is tasting [Der Kellner probiert gerade den Wein.]

25. We ______ a lot of positive changes lately. (Developing temporary situation)
a) are seeing
b) see [Wir erleben in letzter Zeit viele positive Veränderungen.]