Types of Verbs
Autor: Fabiolous teaching | Publicado: 2015-09-05T19:06:00-03:00


Group I Normal Verbs
Most verbs are "Normal Verbs." These verbs are usually physical 
actions which you can see somebody doing something. These verbs can be used in all
 tenses.


Normal Verbs
to run, to walk, to eat, to fly, to go, to say, to touch, etc.

  
      Examples:

      
I eat dinner every day.
I am eating dinner now.



Group II Non-Continuous Verbs
The second group, called "Non-Continuous Verbs," is smaller. These 
verbs are usually things you cannot see somebody doing. These verbs are 
rarely used in continuous tenses. They include:


Abstract Verbs
to be, to want, to cost, to seem, to need, to care, to contain, to owe, to exist...


Possession Verbs
to possess, to own, to belong...


Emotion Verbs
to like, to love, to hate, to dislike, to fear, to envy, to mind...


    Examples:

      
He is needing help now. Not Correct
He needs help now. Correct


He is wanting a drink now. Not Correct
He wants a drink now. Correct



Group III Mixed Verbs
The third group, called "Mixed Verbs," is the smallest group. These 
verbs have more than one meaning. In a way, each meaning is a unique 
verb. Some meanings behave like "Non-Continuous Verbs," while other 
meanings behave like "Normal Verbs."


Mixed Verbs
to appear, to feel, to have, to hear, to look, to see, to weigh... 


List of Mixed Verbs with Examples and Definitions:
to appear:


Donna appears confused. Non-Continuous Verb
        Donna seems confused.
My favorite singer is appearing at the jazz club tonight. Normal Verb
        My favorite singer is giving a performance at the jazz club tonight.


to have:


I have a dollar now. Non-Continuous Verb
        I possess a dollar.
I am having fun now. Normal Verb
        I am experiencing fun now.


to hear:


She hears the music. Non-Continuous Verb
        She hears the music with her ears.
She is hearing voices. Normal Verb
        She  hears something others cannot hear. She is hearing voices in her mind.


to look:


Nancy looks tired. Non-Continuous Verb
        She seems tired.
Farah is looking at the pictures. Normal Verb
        She is  looking with her eyes.


to miss:


John misses Sally. Non-Continuous Verb
        He is sad because she is not there.
Debbie is missing her favorite TV program. Normal Verb
        She is not there to see her favorite program.


to see:


I see her. Non-Continuous Verb
        I see her with my eyes.
I am seeing the doctor. Normal Verb
        I am  visiting or consulting with a doctor. (Also used with dentist and lawyer.)
I am seeing her. Normal Verb
        I am having a relationship with her.
He is seeing ghosts at night. Normal Verb
        He sees something others cannot see. For example ghosts, aura, a vision of the future, etc.


to smell:


The coffee smells good. Non-Continuous Verb
        The coffee has a good smell.
I am smelling the flowers. Normal Verb
        I am sniffing the flowers to see what their smell is like.


to taste:


The coffee tastes good. Non-Continuous Verb
        The coffee has a good taste.
I am tasting the cake. Normal Verb
        I am trying the cake to see what it tastes like.


to think:


He thinks the test is easy. Non-Continuous Verb
        He considers the test to be easy.
She is thinking about the question. Normal Verb
        She is pondering the question, going over it in her mind.


to weigh:


The table weighs a lot. Non-Continuous Verb
        The table is heavy.
She is weighing herself. Normal Verb
        She is determining her weight.



Some Verbs Can Be Especially Confusing:
to be:


Joe is American. Non-Continuous Verb
        Joe is an American citizen.
Joe is being very American. Normal Verb
        Joe is behaving like a stereotypical American.
Joe is being very rude. Normal Verb
        Joe is behaving very rudely. Usually he is not rude.
Joe is being very formal. Normal Verb
        Joe is behaving very formally. Usually he is not formal.


NOTICE: Only rarely is "to be" used in a continuous form. This is 
most commonly done when a person is temporarily behaving badly or 
stereotypically. It can also be used when someone's behavior is 
noticeably different.

to feel:


The massage feels great. Non-Continuous Verb
      The massage has a pleasing feeling.
I don't feel well today. Sometimes used as Non-Continuous Verb
      I am a little sick.
        I am not feeling well today. Sometimes used as Normal Verb
      I am a little sick.


NOTICE: The second meaning of "feel" is very flexible and there is no
 real difference in meaning between "I don't feel well today" and "I am 
not feeling well today."