Some verbs are not usually used in the continuous form, even when we are talking about temporary situations or states. These are called stative verbs.
有一些动词不经常用于进行时,甚至当我们谈论一些暂时性的情况或者状态时也不用,这些动词叫做静态动词。
• So, we say I’m sorry, I don’t understand rather than I’m not understanding.

1. Stative verbs are often verbs connected with thinking and opinions.
1. 静态动词经常是一些和思考和意见相联系的动词。
• She doesn’t know what to do NOT She isn’t knowing what to do

• Do you agree with me?
• I don’t recognize it, do you?

Other verbs in this groupinclude:
类似的动词还有下面这些:
believe, doubt, guess, imagine, mean, remember, think

2. Other stative verbs are connected with feelings and emotions
2. 其他静态动词是跟感觉和情绪联系在一起的。
• I like this song. Who sings it? NOT I’m liking this song

• What do you want to do now?
• I hate my new boss!

Other stative verbs in this group include:
其他同类型的静态动词有:
dislike, love, prefer. want, wish
NB – although ‘enjoy’ is a verb of emotion, it is used in the continuous tense
注意——虽然enjoy是一个表示情绪的动词,它可以被用于进行时态。
• I’m enjoying the party.

3. ‘see’, ‘hear’, ‘taste’, ‘smell’, ‘feel’ are verbs that describe senses.
3. ‘see’, ‘hear’, ‘taste’, ‘smell’, ‘feel’等描述感官的动词
These verbs aren’t usually used in continuous forms. They are often used with ‘can’.
这些动词不经常用于进行时态,他们经常和can连用。
• It smells of smoke in here. NOT It’s smelling of smoke in here

• I can’t see anything. It’s too dark.

4. Stative verbs describe things that are not actions.
4. 静态动词描述那些不是动作的事情。
Look carefully at these 2 sentences.
仔细看下面这两个例句。
• He smells of fish.

• He’s smelling the fish.

The second sentence is an action – not a state. The man wants to know if the fish is OK to eat.
第二句是一个动作——不是一个状态,那人想知道鱼是不是可以吃的意思
• I think we should go to Croatia for our holiday this year.
• Sorry, what did you say? I was thinking about my holiday.
The first sentence is an opinion but the second sentence is an action.
第一句是一个意见,而第二句是一个动作。