Introduction — 10 min
Write: “She has a beautiful voice.” Ask students what they notice about the verb has. Explain that the lesson focuses on stative verbs.
Vocabulary lesson plan & materials
Flowers and Plants
Stative Verbs — B1–B2 grammar lesson with gardening and hobbies contexts, worksheets, reading, speaking practice and short writing.
Lesson Plan
Objective: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to identify and use stative verbs, understand their role in English grammar, and distinguish them from dynamic verbs.
Explanation — 15 min
Define stative verbs, discuss their main meanings, introduce common examples, and explain why they are not usually used in the progressive form.
Reading Activity — 15 min
Read Mary’s Garden, identify stative verbs in the passage, and answer the comprehension questions.
Practice — 15 min
Complete the two worksheets, then review the answers as a class and discuss why each target verb is stative or dynamic in context.
Conclusion — 5 min
Summarize the difference between stative and dynamic verbs and encourage students to notice stative verbs in everyday English.
Optional Role Play — 15 min
Use the dialogue cards in pairs or small groups. Students act out the situations while focusing on correct use of stative verbs.
Materials
- Whiteboard and markers or a digital whiteboard
- Reading passage and worksheets
- Dialogue cards — optional
Stative Verbs
Grammar explanation from the lesson.
Stative verbs describe states, emotions, feelings, possession, senses, thoughts, and other non-action situations. They often describe conditions that are constant or ongoing rather than actions with a clear beginning and ending.
Common Stative Verbs
lovelikehatehavebelongunderstand
seemknowpreferwantneedthink
feelseehearsmelltaste
Progressive Forms
Stative verbs are not usually used in the progressive form when they describe a state.
✗ I am knowing the answer.
✓ I know the answer.
Meaning Matters
Some verbs can be stative in one meaning and dynamic in another. The lesson worksheets contrast examples such as:
State: “I think you are right.”
Action in progress: “I am thinking about my vacation.”
State: “The cake smells delicious.”
Action in progress: “Look — he is smelling the food!”
Main Categories
- Emotions: love, like, hate, prefer
- Possession: have, own, belong
- Thoughts / knowledge: know, understand, believe, think
- Senses / appearance: seem, look, feel, smell, taste
Worksheets
Practice identifying and using stative verbs in context.
Worksheet 1 — Identifying Stative Verbs
Read the sentences. Identify the stative verb or note when the highlighted verb phrase is dynamic.
- She loves to read novels.
- They are playing in the park.
- He has got a blue car.
- I am thinking about my vacation.
- I think you are right.
- The cake smells delicious.
- Look — he is smelling the food!
- Sarah owns a beautiful necklace.
- John knows the answer.
- The roses look stunning in the garden.
- It feels like summer today.
- She believes in kindness.
Answers
- loves — stative
- are playing — dynamic; no target stative verb
- has got — stative possession
- am thinking — dynamic in this meaning: considering something
- think — stative in this meaning: opinion
- smells — stative / linking sense verb
- is smelling — dynamic: deliberately using the sense of smell
- owns — stative possession
- knows — stative knowledge
- look — stative / linking verb meaning “appear”
- feels — stative / linking sense verb
- believes — stative belief
Worksheet 2 — Using Stative Verbs
Complete each sentence with the correct form of the verb in parentheses.
- Lisa always (enjoy) reading a good book.
- Tom (have got) a collection of antique coins.
- I (know) the answer to this question.
- The coffee in the morning (smell) so inviting.
- My dog (like) to sleep in my bed.
- We (feel) happy when we're with our friends.
- Maria (understand) French very well.
- The old library (look) charming with its wooden shelves.
- They (believe) in the power of teamwork.
- The flowers in the garden (seem) to bloom earlier this year.
Answers
1 enjoys · 2 has got · 3 know · 4 smells · 5 likes · 6 feel · 7 understands · 8 looks · 9 believe · 10 seem
Mary’s Garden
Read the passage, identify stative verbs, and answer the questions.
Mary’s Garden
B1–B2Mary is a very busy woman. She has a demanding job as a lawyer, and she owns a beautiful house in the suburbs. She loves spending her weekends gardening in her backyard. She enjoys the tranquility and peace it brings to her life.
Mary's love for gardening began when she was a child. She remembers her grandmother's garden and how it always smelled of fresh flowers. Her grandmother taught her everything she knows about plants and flowers.
Currently, Mary lives with her two cats, Max and Luna. She feels a strong connection with animals and believes they understand her better than most people. Max likes to curl up on her lap while she reads, and Luna prefers to sit by the window and watch the birds.
Mary's friends often ask her for gardening advice because they admire her beautiful garden. She takes pleasure in sharing her knowledge and helping others create their own green spaces.
Reading Questions
- What kind of job does Mary have?
- What does Mary own?
- What does Mary love to do on weekends?
- When did Mary's passion for gardening begin?
- What does Mary remember about her grandmother's garden?
- Who lives with Mary currently?
- How does Max like to spend time with Mary?
- What does Luna prefer to do?
- Why do Mary's friends often ask her for advice?
- How does Mary feel about helping others with their gardens?
Answers
- She is a lawyer.
- She owns a beautiful house in the suburbs.
- She loves gardening in her backyard.
- It began when she was a child.
- She remembers that it always smelled of fresh flowers.
- Her two cats, Max and Luna.
- He likes to curl up on her lap while she reads.
- She prefers to sit by the window and watch the birds.
- Because they admire her beautiful garden.
- She takes pleasure in sharing her knowledge and helping others.
Role-Play Dialogues and Scenarios
Act out the dialogues, then create and share your own scenario and identify the stative verbs used.
Dialogue 1 — Buying Flowers
Characters: Customer (C) and Florist (F)
C: Good afternoon! I'm looking for some flowers for a special occasion.
F: Good afternoon! Of course, I can help you. What kind of flowers do you usually like?
C: Well, I love roses, but I also appreciate lilies.
F: Great choices! We have some beautiful roses and lilies today. How many roses would you like?
C: I think I'll take a dozen red roses, please.
F: These roses smell amazing, and they'll make a wonderful gift.
Dialogue 2 — Visiting a Friend
Characters: Friend 1 (F1) and Friend 2 (F2)
F1: Hi there! How are you?
F2: Hi! I'm doing well. Come on in.
F1: Your house always feels so cozy.
F2: Thank you! I have a lot of warm blankets and comfy furniture.
F1: I like the paintings on your wall. They're so colorful.
F2: Thanks! I appreciate art, and I always prefer vibrant colors.
Dialogue 3 — Morning Routine
Characters: Roommates A and B
A: Good morning! How are you today?
B: Good morning! I'm good. The coffee smells great, doesn't it?
A: Yes, it does. I love the smell of freshly brewed coffee.
B: I know, it always makes me feel awake and alert.
A: I have some cereal here if you want some.
B: Thanks, I prefer toast with butter in the morning.
Example Scenario
Situation: A customer at a coffee shop complaining about the coffee.
Stative verb: “I don't like this coffee; it tastes terrible.”
Homework
Write a short paragraph using stative verbs correctly. You may write about a hobby, your home, a garden, flowers, food, or people you know.