Nonprogressive Verbs or Nonaction Verbs

Although these verbs are happening at the present, in this very moment, they use simple present tense. These verbs talk about or describe mental states, emotional states, possession, sense perceptions, or other existing states.

Mental States:

know suppose imagine think

realize feel doubt need

understand want remember prefer

believe recognize think

Emotional States:

love dislike mind like

appreciate fear envy care

hate

Possession:

have* possess own belong

Sensory Perception:

hear taste * smell * see* feel*

Other Existing States:

seem look exist owe be contain cost include consist of appear

weigh

Verbs that change meaning according to tense:

I thinkyou are nice. (opinion)

I am thinking about that problem. (action – considering)

She feels sick. (health)

She is feeling the cat’s fur. (action – touching)

I have a new car. (possession)

Expressions with the progressive tense.

I am having a good time. I am having lunch. (eating) I am having a baby. I am having trouble with this. I am having a party.

You look beautiful. She looks cold. (perception)

I am looking for my keys. I am looking out the window.(action)

This soup tastes wonderful. (perception)

The cook is tasting the soup. The chef is tasting the dish. (action)

You appear to be ill. You look like you’re ill.(perception)

He is appearing on stage in Vegas. (action)

This soup smells great! (perception)

Look at John. He is smelling the roses. (action)

He weighs too much. (state – condition)

He is weighing the vegetables. (action)

I see the car. (perception)

I am seeing a doctor. (consulting/visiting) I am seeing Bob. (dating)

He is a nice person. (state – condition)

He is being nice. (action = behaving;a temporary characteristic)

He is being foolish, nice, kind, lazy, careful, patient, silly, rude, polite, impolite. (some of the most common – expressions)