Nonaction Verbs

Non-action verbs indicate state, sense, desire, possession, or opinion. The most common non-action verbs are:

• be,seem,appear (existence)
• look, sound,smell,taste,feel (senses)
• like,want,prefer,love (desire)
• have, own, possess (possession)
• think, believe, consider (opinion)

Although these verbs are happening at the present, in this very moment, they use simple present tense.  These verbs talk about or describe mental states, emotional states, possession, sense perceptions, or other existing states.

Verbs that change meaning according to tense:

I think you are nice. (opinion)
I am thinking about that problem. (action – considering)

She feels sick. (health)
She is feeling the cat’s fur. (action – touching)

Some verbs such as "have" carry multiple meanings, some of which
can be used in the continuous tenses.

I have a new car. (possession)
I am having lunch. (eating)
I am having a party.(action)

You look beautiful. (perception)
She looks cold. (perception)
I am looking for my keys.(action)
I am looking out the window.(action)

This soup tastes wonderful. (perception)
The cook is tasting the soup. (action)
The chef is tasting the dish. (action)

You appear to be ill. (perception)
You look like you’re ill.(perception)
He is appearing on stage in Vegas. (action)

This soup smells great! (perception)
Look at John.  He is smelling the roses. (action)

He weighs too much. (state – condition)
He is weighing the vegetables. (action)

I see the car. (perception)
I am seeing a doctor. (consulting/visiting)
I am seeing Bob. (dating)