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Quizzes > English & Grammar

Stative Verbs Test: Spot State vs Action Verbs

Quick, free state vs action verbs quiz. Instant feedback and examples.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Angie BourqueUpdated Aug 24, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration for Stative Verbs Quiz on a coral background

Use this quiz to spot stative verbs and tell them from action verbs in real sentences. Get instant feedback, clear examples, and a score you can review. For extra practice, try the action verbs quiz, the verb to be quiz, or the find the verb quiz.

Easy
Which verb in the following sentence is a stative verb: "She loves chocolate more than anyone else"?
more
chocolate
loves
She
The verb "loves" describes an emotional state or feeling rather than an action. Stative verbs like "love" usually aren't used in continuous forms (we don't say "She is loving chocolate" in standard usage). They indicate states, mental conditions, or possessions. For more on stative verbs, see .
Which of these verbs is a stative verb?
run
paint
own
swim
The verb "own" describes a state of possession and is therefore stative. In contrast, run, swim, and paint describe actions or activities and are dynamic verbs. See more examples at .
Which sentence uses a stative verb correctly?
They are selling their house.
I am owning a car.
She is cooking dinner.
I own a car.
In "I own a car," "own" is a stative verb expressing possession and is correctly used in the simple form. The continuous form "I am owning a car" is incorrect for stative verbs. Selling and cooking are dynamic verbs and correctly use continuous forms. For details, visit .
Fill the blank with the correct form of the stative verb: "I ____ that he is honest."
have been believing
believe
believed
am believing
The verb "believe" expresses a mental state or opinion and is stative. Stative verbs like this are usually used in the simple form, not the continuous tense. You would not normally say "I am believing that he is honest." See more at .
Medium
Identify the sentence that incorrectly uses a stative verb in the continuous form.
She believes the story.
I am knowing the truth.
I know the truth.
He owns two cars.
The verb "know" is stative and not used in continuous tenses, so "I am knowing the truth" is incorrect. The correct form is "I know the truth." Other options correctly use stative verbs in the simple form. More information at .
Fill in the blank with the correct stative verb: "This soup ___ delicious."
is smelling
tastes
is tasting
smells
Here "tastes" is a linking stative verb describing the inherent flavor of the soup. We use the simple form for stative senses. "Is tasting" would suggest the act of testing the soup rather than describing its quality. For more, see .
Which verb is dynamic rather than stative?
know
love
see
run
The verb "run" describes an action or activity and is dynamic. In contrast, know, see, and love usually describe states or conditions and are stative. Dynamic verbs can be used in continuous tenses (e.g., "I am running"). See the distinction at .
Which sentence correctly uses the stative verb "have" to express possession?
They are having three cats.
They have had three cats.
They had had three cats.
They have three cats.
When "have" expresses possession, it is stative and used in the simple form: "They have three cats." The continuous "They are having three cats" is incorrect for possession. Past perfect forms refer to earlier states. See more at .
Hard
In the sentence "She tastes the sauce carefully before serving," is the verb "tastes" used in a stative or dynamic sense?
Stative
Neither
Both
Dynamic
Here, "tastes" is dynamic because it describes the action of sampling or testing the sauce. In its stative sense, "taste" describes a fixed property (e.g., "The sauce tastes sweet"). For more on this distinction, visit .
Fill in the blank with the correct stative verb that expresses preference: "I ____ driving in the morning."
am preferring
prefer
have preferred
preferred
The verb "prefer" expresses a mental state or preference and is stative, so it remains in the simple present. It is not normally used in continuous forms. More examples at .
Which sentence correctly uses "feel" as a stative verb to describe a physical state?
He is feeling the cold weather.
He is feeling cold after going outside.
He feels the cold breeze on his skin.
He feels cold after going outside.
In "He feels cold after going outside," "feels" describes a state or condition. It is stative and used in simple form. The continuous versions suggest a different meaning (actively sensing rather than describing a state). For more, see .
Expert
In which sentence is the progressive form of a stative verb acceptable?
I'm hating traffic.
I'm loving this song.
I'm knowing the answer.
I'm seeing what you mean.
While "see" is generally stative when it means to perceive visually, in the sense of 'understand' it becomes dynamic. Therefore, "I'm seeing what you mean" is acceptable. Other stative verbs like "love," "hate," and "know" stay in simple forms. Learn more at .
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Study Outcomes

  1. Identify Stative Verbs -

    Identify verbs that describe states of being rather than actions across various sentences, boosting your recognition skills.

  2. Differentiate Stative and Dynamic Verbs -

    Distinguish between stative and dynamic verbs to refine your understanding of verb categories and usage.

  3. Analyze Sentence Contexts -

    Analyze sentence examples to determine which verbs denote states, enhancing your overall grammar comprehension.

  4. Apply Stative Verbs Correctly -

    Apply your knowledge by completing stative verbs exercises in the quiz, reinforcing proper usage in context.

  5. Reinforce Learning Through Examples -

    Engage with realistic stative verb examples quiz to solidify your grasp of state-describing verbs.

  6. Evaluate Your Skills -

    Interpret instant feedback and score results to identify strengths and target areas for further English stative verbs practice.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Stative vs. Dynamic: The Core Distinction -

    Stative verbs describe a state or condition (e.g., "know," "belong"), while dynamic verbs express actions or processes (e.g., "run," "grow"). According to Cambridge Dictionary, stative verbs rarely appear in continuous forms, so spotting "I know" versus "I'm knowing" helps you ace your Stative Verbs Quiz. Use the simple mnemonic "S-D" (State vs. Do) to lock in this concept fast.

  2. Key Categories of Stative Verbs -

    Most stative verbs fall into four groups: senses ("see," "hear"), emotions ("love," "hate"), possession ("have," "own"), and opinion ("believe," "think"). The SOAP mnemonic (Senses, Opinions, Adjectives, Possession) from Oxford University Press makes review a breeze. Jot down 3 - 5 examples in each category for quick recall before any stative verbs exercises.

  3. Spotting Stative Forms in Context -

    To identify stative verbs in sentences, note that they usually skip the - ing form: "I see the problem" works, but "I'm seeing the problem" does not. British Council research shows this is a reliable clue when you identify stative verbs on quizzes or in real-world texts. Practice marking verbs in sample sentences to sharpen your eye for stative recognition.

  4. Boost Your Skills with Targeted Practice -

    Engage with free stative verbs exercises and a stative verb examples quiz to reinforce each concept - instant feedback transforms weak spots into strengths. Our English stative verbs practice modules, like the Stative Verbs Quiz, integrate real-life sentences so you learn by doing. Consistent 10-minute daily drills can improve retention by up to 30% (Journal of Language Teaching, 2020).

  5. Exceptions: Mixed and Contextual Verbs -

    Certain verbs (e.g., "have," "think") can be stative ("I think you're right") or dynamic ("I'm thinking about dinner") depending on meaning and context. Merriam-Webster highlights these as "mixed" verbs - recognizing them sharpens your performance on any stative vs dynamic verbs quiz. Create two columns in your notes to separate their stative and dynamic uses for clarity.

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