State verbs are verbs which do not normally have continuous tenses because they describe a state rather than an action. These include:

• verbs which express likes and dislikes: like, love, hate, dislike, enjoy, pre etc
  e.g. Cathy likes romantic films
  
• verbs of perception: believe, know, notice, remember, forget, recognize, understand, realize, seem, think, etc.
   e.g. I don't believe a word he's saying.
  
  
• verbs of the senses: see, hear, feel, taste, look, smell, sound. We often use can or could with these verbs when we refer to what we see, hear, etc. at the moment of speaking.
  e.g. The soup tastes delicious
  John must be in the attic. I can hear her footsteps.
  
• some other verbs: be, contain, fit, include, matter, need, belong, cost, owe, mean, own, appear, want, have (=possess), etc.
  e.g. This book is mine. It belongs to me.

Some state verbs have continuous tenses, but there is a difference in meaning. Study the following examples:

• I think she's Italian. (=believe)
  I'm thinking about my holiday (=am considering)
  
• The soup tastes awful. (=has an awful flavour)
  She's tasting the soup. (=is testing the flavour of)
  
• I can see an aeroplane in the sky. (=perceive with my eyes)
  I'm seeing Jill tonight. (=am meeting)
  
• Susan looks tired. (=appears)
  Susan is looking at some photos. (=is studying)
  
• The room smells of perfume. (=has the smell)
  The cat is smelling its food. (=is sniffing)
  
• This towel feels soft. (=has a soft texture)
  Jill is feeling her son's forehead. (=is touching)
  
• He is selfish. (character - permanent state)
  He is being selfish. (behavior - temporary situation)
  
• He has a sports car. (=possesses)
  He's having lunch now. (=is eating - idiom)

Some idioms with have include:

                             breakfast / lunch / dinner, etc.

                            a bath / shower / swim /party, etc.

have                    a(n) accident l experience/ dream, etc.

                            a baby

                            difficulty / fun / trouble, etc.