Verbs not used in progressive forms

Many of these non-progressive verbs refer to states rather than actions.

I love you. (NOT I am loving you.)

I like this color. (NOT I am liking this color.)

I rang her up because I wanted to speak.

(NOT I rang her up because I was

wanting to speak.)

Some verbs are not used in progressive forms.

Here is a list of some common verbs which are not often used in progressive forms

Believe, doubt, feel, imagine, know,dislike, love, hate, prefer, realize,recognize, remember, see, suppose,think, understand, want, wish,appear, hear, look, see, seem, smell,sound, taste, agree, deny, disagree,impress, mean, promise, satisfy,surprise, belong, concern, consist,depend,, involve,,, need, own,possess, weigh etc.

Notes

Feel does not have a

progressive form when it

means ‘have an opinion’.

I feel you are making a

mistake. (NOT I am feeling

you are making a mistake.)

See does not have a

progressive form when it means

‘understand’.

I see what you mean. (NOT I am

seeing what you mean.)

Look does not have a progressive

form when it means ‘seem’.

She looks like she is rich. (NOT

She is looking like she is rich.)

Weigh does not have a

progressive form when it means

‘have weight’.

He weighs 70 kilos. (NOT He is

weighing 70 kilos.)

PRACTICE

1.We____________of buying a new car.

are thinking

think

2.A coffee ____________good after a

meal.

tastes

is tasting

has tasted

3.I______________you very much. I want to be your

boyfriend

am liking

like

will like

4.The waiter _______________the wine and it seems it is

good.

will taste

tastes

is tasting

5.Mary _______________a new boy at the

moment. He is Polish.

is seeing

see

has seen

6.Don't talk to me now. I_____________to the

radio.

am listening

listen

have listened

7.How ___________________today ? Much

better, really.

are you feeling

do you feel

did you feel

8.I_____________the best way to travel is on

foot.

Think

am thinking