Page 30 - New Grammar with a Smile 8

3. Verbs of mental states and activity: agree, disagree, believe, disbelieve, differ,
doubt, find, forget, imagine, know, mean, recollect, remember, suppose,
think, trust, understand, etc. For example,

• I recollect there were six people at the scene that day. (NOT I am
recollecting...)
• I think we should go to the book fair. (NOT I am thinking...)

4. Verbs showing possession: belong, own, possess. For example,
• Gandhi belongs to a generation of selfless freedom fighters. (NOT Gandhi is
belonging...)

5. Verbs like seem, appear, cost, consist, contain, resemble. For example,
• This dish contains mushrooms. (NOT This dish is containing...)

• This electric kettle costs two thousand rupees. (NOT This electric kettle
is costing...)

Some state verbs have both simple and continuous forms. However, the
meanings of the same verb in these two contexts are different.

State Verb Action Verb

The cucumber tastes fresh and Dad is tasting the coffee, for sugar.
crunchy. (taste) (testing)

Eliana thinks she can climb She’s thinking about learning French.
mountains without any training. (considering)
(believes)

Your forehead feels warm. You The nurse is feeling Sunil’s forehead to
have a fever. (temperature) check if he has a fever. (touch to feel)

Mita has three cute pups. Mum is having her tea late this morning.
(possesses) (drinking)

Don’t you see how hopeless the We are seeing the Dasguptas this evening.
situation is? (understand) (meeting)

The coffee smells delicious. (aroma) Gargi is smelling the curry. (sniffing at)

Rahul enjoys the cuisine of Kerala. The kids are really enjoying the
(likes) animations. (like)

It looks like they are going to be Vinita is looking out of the window to see
really late today. (appears) if they have arrived. (observing)

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