Stative Verbs - Measurement and Other States
Indicating weight, distance, height and count
Measurements vs. Measuring
| STATIVE VERB | DYNAMIC VERB |
|---|---|
These verbs are variations of the verb "be" or equivalence; they are used for weight, distance, height and counting |
Dynamic verbs are activities that we take action to do or perform. They take progressive and nonprogressive verb forms. These verbs are transitive verbs, which include objects. |
The Golden Gate Bridge measures 8,981 feet long. |
The tailor is measuring the gentleman for his new suit. transitive verb |
The Golden Gate towers reaches 746 feet into the air. |
The firemen are reaching for the child on the roof. transitive verb sometimes |
The Eiffel Tower weighs 6,400 metric tons. |
The grocer is weighing the apples on a scale. transitive verb |
The weight of the span equals the weight of one tower. |
|
The Golden Gate Bridge costs two dollars the cross. |
These mistakes are costing me a lot of money. transitive verb, no passive form |
We owe the bank some money. |
|
The United States consists of 50 states. |
|
The pool contains 15,000 gallons of water. |
The police contained the crowd in a small area. transitive verb |
The book includes several good solutions. |
The author included several ideas in his book. transitive verb |
The baby weighs ten lbs. vs. The nurse is weighing the baby.
Common Mistakes
| ERROR | FIX |
|---|---|
(Verb use depends on what "this" is.) |
How much is this costing us? (an ongoing project of rising costs)
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Practice
Stative versus Dynamic
- Select the response from the menu that best completes the sentence.
- Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right.