Active vs State vs Stative

Active - Dynamic = descrive activities / Simple & Continuous (progressive) form

Es: run, write, make, eat

State verbs = describe a state (NO action) / They CANNOT normally be used in the continuous

• thinking: agree, belive, doubt, expect, realise, think*, understand...
• attitude: like - dislike, hate, love, need, prefer, want
• sense / perception: hear, see*, smell*, taste*
• appearance: appear*, look* (=seem), resemble, seem
• being, possession: be*, belong to, consist of, have*
• other verbs: come*, cost, fit matter, mean

• can be use in the continuous form BUT with a CHANGE in MEANING

Tense & aspect

Aspect

Progressive: auxiliary to be (reflecting the tense) + verbING

• Event which is taking place during a limited time
• Focus on the action (rather than the time frame or the result)

Perfect: LINKS two TIMES together

Auxiliary to HAVE (reflecting the tense) + past participle (-ed / irregular)

• By showing that an event has started in the past and is ongoing