Types of Verbs:
Before you begin the verb tense lessons, it is extremely important to understand that NOT all English verbs are the same. English verbs are divided into three groups: Normal Verbs, Non-Continuous Verbs, and Mixed Verbs.
Group I: Normal Verbs:
Most verbs are "Normal Verbs." These verbs are usually physical actions which you can see somebody doing. 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."