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.
[B]Group I Normal Verbs[/B]
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.
[B]Normal Verbs[/B]
to run, to walk, to eat, to fly, to go, to say, to touch, etc.
Examples:[/LEFT]
[LIST][*][LEFT]I [B]eat[/B] dinner every day.[/LEFT][*][LEFT]I [B]am eating[/B] dinner now.[/LEFT][/LIST][LEFT]
[B]Group II Non-Continuous Verbs[/B]
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:
[B]Abstract Verbs[/B]
to be, to want, to cost, to seem, to need, to care, to contain, to owe, to exist...
[B]Possession Verbs[/B]
to possess, to own, to belong...
[B]Emotion Verbs[/B]
to like, to love, to hate, to dislike, to fear, to envy, to mind...
Examples:[/LEFT]
[LIST][*][LEFT]He [B]is needing[/B] help now. [I]Not Correct[/I][/LEFT][*][LEFT]He [B]needs[/B] help now. [I]Correct[/I][/LEFT][/LIST][LEFT]He [B]is wanting[/B] a drink now. [I]Not Correct[/I]
He [B]wants[/B] a drink now. [I]Correct[/I]
[B]Group III Mixed Verbs[/B]
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."
[B]Mixed Verbs[/B]
to appear, to feel, to have, to hear, to look, to see, to weigh...
[B]List of Mixed Verbs with Examples and Definitions:[/B]
[I]Donna seems confused.[/I][/LEFT][*][LEFT]My favorite singer [B]is appearing[/B] at the jazz club tonight. [I]Normal Verb[/I]
[I]My favorite singer is giving a performance at the jazz club tonight.[/I]
[/LEFT][/LIST][LEFT]to have:
I [B]have[/B] a dollar now. [I]Non-Continuous Verb[/I]
[I]I possess a dollar.[/I]
I [B]am having[/B] fun now. [I]Normal Verb[/I]
[I]I am experiencing fun now.[/I]
to hear:
She [B]hears[/B] the music. [I]Non-Continuous Verb[/I]
[I]She hears the music with her ears.[/I]
She [B]is hearing[/B] voices. [I]Normal Verb[/I]
[I]She hears something others cannot hear. She is hearing voices in her mind.[/I]
to look:
Nancy [B]looks[/B] tired. [I]Non-Continuous Verb[/I]
[I]She seems tired.[/I]
Farah [B]is looking[/B] at the pictures. [I]Normal Verb[/I]
[I]She is looking with her eyes.[/I]
to miss:
John [B]misses[/B] Sally. [I]Non-Continuous Verb[/I]
[I]He is sad because she is not there.[/I]
Debbie [B]is missing[/B] her favorite TV program. [I]Normal Verb[/I]
[I]She is not there to see her favorite program.[/I]
to see:
I [B]see[/B] her. [I]Non-Continuous Verb[/I]
[I]I see her with my eyes.[/I]
I [B]am seeing[/B] the doctor. [I]Normal Verb[/I]
[I]I am visiting or consulting with a doctor. (Also used with dentist and lawyer.)[/I]
I [B]am seeing[/B] her. [I]Normal Verb[/I]
[I]I am having a relationship with her.[/I]
He [B]is seeing[/B] ghosts at night. [I]Normal Verb[/I]
[I]He sees something others cannot see. For example ghosts, aura, a vision of the future, etc.[/I]
to smell:
The coffee [B]smells[/B] good. [I]Non-Continuous Verb[/I]
[I]The coffee has a good smell.[/I]
I [B]am smelling[/B] the flowers. [I]Normal Verb[/I]
[I]I am sniffing the flowers to see what their smell is like.[/I]
to taste:
The coffee [B]tastes[/B] good. [I]Non-Continuous Verb[/I]
[I]The coffee has a good taste.[/I]
I [B]am tasting[/B] the cake. [I]Normal Verb[/I]
[I]I am trying the cake to see what it tastes like.[/I]
to think:
He [B]thinks[/B] the test is easy. [I]Non-Continuous Verb[/I]
[I]He considers the test to be easy.[/I]
She [B]is thinking[/B] about the question. [I]Normal Verb[/I]
[I]She is pondering the question, going over it in her mind.[/I]
to weigh:
The table [B]weighs[/B] a lot. [I]Non-Continuous Verb[/I]
[I]The table is heavy.[/I]
She [B]is weighing[/B] herself. [I]Normal Verb[/I]
[I]She is determining her weight.[/I]
[B]Some Verbs Can Be Especially Confusing:[/B]
to be:
Joe [B]is[/B] American. [I]Non-Continuous Verb[/I]
[I]Joe is an American citizen.[/I]
Joe [B]is being[/B] very American. [I]Normal Verb[/I]
[I]Joe is behaving like a stereotypical American.[/I]
Joe [B]is being[/B] very rude. [I]Normal Verb[/I]
[I]Joe is behaving very rudely. Usually he is not rude.[/I]
Joe [B]is being[/B] very formal. [I]Normal Verb[/I]
[I]Joe is behaving very formally. Usually he is not formal.[/I]
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 [B]feels[/B] great. [I]Non-Continuous Verb[/I]
[I]The massage has a pleasing feeling[/I].
I [B]don't feel [/B]well today. [I]Sometimes used as Non-Continuous Verb[/I]
[I]I am a little sick.[/I]
I [B]am not feeling[/B] well today. [I]Sometimes used as Normal Verb[/I]
[I]I am a little sick.[/I]
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."[/LEFT]