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Lesson Plan August 14, 2026

Topic: Verbs not normally used in continuous forms

In this lesson we will learn about using verbs that you do not usually use in continuous forms.

think, believe, know, understand, like, hate, have, feel, smell, taste, etc

There are a few kinds of verbs that you do not usually use in continuous forms. these are verbs related to

Section A: Thoughts

Think, believe, know and understand

• A: What do you think of the new James Bond film?
  B: It’s fantastic.

• I don’t believe you. It can’t be true.

• I didn’t understand the last part. Can you explain it again?

Section B: Likes and dislikes

Like, hate, preger

• I really like that new restaurant.

• I prefer hot drinks to cold drinks.

Section C: Possessions

Have, own, and belong to

• This ring belonged to my grandmother.

• She doesn’t have much money.

Section D: Senses

Feel, smell, taste and sound

• This chicken tastes good.

• Have you heard their new album? It sounds amazing.

Section E: Notes

Some of these verbs do have continuous forms when they have a different meaning

Verbs describing senses:

• These flowers smell lovely.

• She’s smelling the flowers.

• This soup tastes too salty.

• He’s tasting the soup.

Have and Think

• Have

  • He has two showers in his house. (= to possess)

  • A: Where’s Anthony?
    B: He’s having a shower. (= taking)

  • She ishaving a baby! (= giving birth)

  • I amhaving a very bad day. I dropped my new phone and the screen broke.

• Think

  • I think my car is faster than yours. (= to believe, have an opinion)

  • I’m thinking of buying a new car. (= to consider)

  • She was thinking about her last holiday. (= to remember)

Lesson Notes

Words & Phrases

• Baby Babble / Babbling (Noun / Verb) = The soft, repeating speech sounds (like "ba-ba" or "da-da") that young babies make before they learn to speak real words.

  • Around six months old, infants often start to babble and make noises like "ba-ba."

  • She listened closely to her little brother's happy babble in his crib.

• What (temperature) do you set the AC (at / to)?

  • I set it (at / to) 26.5C.

Appropriate Language

The word “babble” has other useful meanings as well

• Babble (Verb / Noun) = To talk quickly or continuously in a way that is confused, hard to understand, or not very important; or the continuous, quiet sound of flowing water.

  • He was so nervous during the interview that he started to babble.

  • She can babbleon about her favourite movies for hours.

  • We sat near a small stream and listened to the soft babble of the water over the rocks.

Verbs not normally used in continuous forms

These are often called “state verbs” or “stative verbs”. Some verbs can be both stative and action verbs.

• Be

  • be is usually a stative verb, but when it is used in the continuous it means 'behaving' or 'acting'

    • you are stupid = it's part of your personality

    • you are being stupid = only now, not usually

• Think

  • think (stative) = have an opinion

    • I think that coffee is great

  • think (dynamic) = consider, have in my head

    • What are you thinking about? I'm thinking about my next holiday

• Have

  • have (stative) = own or possess

    • I have a car

    • Yu has three sisters.

  • have (dynamic) = part of an expression

    • I'm having (a party / a picnic / a bath / a good time / a break)

• See

  • see (stative) = see with your eyes / understand

    • I see what you mean

    • I see her now, she's just coming along the road

  • see (dynamic) = meet / have a relationship with

    • I've been seeing my boyfriend for three years

    • I'm seeing Robert tomorrow

• Taste

  • taste (stative) = has a certain taste

    • This soup tastes great

    • The coffee tastes really bitter

  • taste (dynamic) = the action of tasting

  • The chef is tasting the soup