Action verbs vs. Stative verbs: What they are and what they do

“He yawned after a long hike.”

Action Verbs (dynamic verbs)

Action verbs, also known as dynamic verbs, are verbs that describe specific physical or mental actions. They tell us what the subject of a sentence is doing while describing dynamic actions.

• What they do
  • These verbs describe actions or processes and indicate something that is happening, has happened, or will happen.  
  • They often involve physical or mental activity.  
  • They can be used in continuous tenses (e.g., “-ing” forms).  
• Physical actions
  • “He wrote a letter.”  
  • “She kicked the ball.”
  • “The dog ran across the yard.”  
• Mental actions
  • “She analyzed the data.”
  • “They thought about the problem.”
  • “We decided to go.”

Stative verbs

Stative verbs, also known as state verbs, are verbs that describe a state of being, a condition, or a mental or emotional process, rather than a physical action.

• What they do
  • Stative verbs describe a state, condition, or situation. They express things like:
    • Emotions (e.g., love, hate, like)  
    • Possession (e.g., have, own, belong)  
    • Senses (e.g., hear, see, smell)
    • States of being.  
    • Thoughts and opinions (e.g., believe, know, think)  
  • They generally do not describe actions in progress.  
  • They are typically not used in continuous tenses.

Important to note

• Some verbs can be both action and stative, depending on the context. For example:
  • “I think it’s a good idea.” (stative – opinion)
  • “I’m thinking about moving.” (action – process of thinking)
  • “I see a bird.” (stative – perception)
  • “I am seeing the doctor tomorrow.” (action – meeting)

Summary notes

• Action verbs bring life and energy to sentences. They make writing more vivid and engaging by showing what is happening.
• Stative verbs give us information about the internal or existing condition of a subject, rather than what the subject is actively doing. Simply put, they describe states, not actions.