Are You Thinking or Do You Think? A Deep Dive into Simple vs. Continuous Tense

Let’s begin with a simple, everyday English conversation.

Scenario A: Your colleague sees you staring intently at your computer screen, lost in thought. She asks, “What are you doing?” You look up and reply, “I am thinking about the new marketing proposal.”

Scenario B: Later that day, the same colleague asks for your opinion on the proposal. “So, what’s your verdict?” You lean back in your chair and say, “I think it’s a promising start, but it needs more data.”

In both scenarios, you used the verb ‘to think’. But in one, you used the present continuous form (“am thinking”), and in the other, the present simple form (“think”). Why? Have you ever paused before using verbs like ‘think’, ‘have’, or ‘see’, wondering if you should add ‘-ing’ or not? Have you ever said something like, “I am thinking you are right,” and received a slightly confused look?

If so, you have stumbled upon one of the most fundamental—and most frequently misunderstood—rules in English grammar. The choice between a simple tense and a continuous (or progressive) tense is not arbitrary. It’s governed by the very nature of the verb itself.

Welcome to the world of Dynamic (Action) Verbs and Stative (State) Verbs.

Understanding the difference between these two “families” of verbs is the key that unlocks a whole new level of grammatical accuracy. It’s the secret to sounding more natural, more precise, and more fluent. In this deep-dive guide, we will use the common confusion around ‘think’ vs. ‘thinking’ as our gateway to exploring this crucial concept. We will provide clear definitions, extensive lists, practical examples, and exercises to transform this area of confusion into a source of confidence. This isn’t just a grammar lesson; it’s a new way to see the building blocks of the English language.

Part 1: The Two Families of Verbs – Dynamic vs. Stative

To understand when to use an ‘-ing’ ending, we first need to accept that not all verbs are created equal. They fall into two main categories based on what they describe.

1. Dynamic (Action) Verbs: The “Movie” Verbs

These are the verbs you likely think of first. Dynamic verbs describe an action, a process, or a deliberate activity. They are verbs of “doing.” Think of them as “movie” verbs because they imply movement, change, and a sequence of events with a beginning and an end.

Common examples of dynamic verbs include:

• run, walk, talk, eat, drink, play
• work, study, write, read, listen, watch
• build, create, grow, change, cook

The great thing about dynamic verbs is their flexibility. Because they represent actions happening over time, they can be used in both simple and continuous tenses.

• Simple Tense (for habits, facts, or completed actions):
  • “I run every morning.” (A habit)
  • “She wrote a novel.” (A completed action)
• Continuous Tense (for actions in progress at a specific time):
  • “I am running right now.” (An action in progress in the present)
  • “She was writing her novel when I called.” (An action in progress in the past)

2. Stative (State) Verbs: The “Snapshot” Verbs

This is the family of verbs that causes the most confusion. Stative verbs do not describe actions. They describe a state of being, a condition, a feeling, a thought, or a quality. They are not about “doing,” but about “being.” Think of them as “snapshot” verbs because they describe a static condition, not a moving picture.

The Golden Rule of Stative Verbs: Because stative verbs describe unchanging states, they are almost never used in continuous (-ing) tenses. An ‘-ing’ ending implies an ongoing action, which contradicts the very nature of a state.

You wouldn’t say, “I am being tall,” because ‘tall’ is a state. Similarly, you don’t say, “I am knowing the answer,” because ‘knowing’ is a mental state, not an action you perform.

Here is a categorized list of common stative verbs to help you recognize them:

• Verbs of Thought & Opinion: know, believe, understand, realize, recognize, remember, forget, doubt, suppose, mean
• Verbs of Emotion & Feeling: love, like, hate, dislike, prefer, want, wish, need, desire
• Verbs of Possession: have (meaning ‘own’), own, possess, belong to, contain
• Verbs of the Senses (Passive Use): see, hear, smell, taste, feel
• Verbs of Being & Appearing: be, exist, seem, appear, look (meaning ‘seem’), cost, weigh, consist of

Recognizing a verb as stative is the first step. The second is remembering the golden rule: Just use the simple tense.

• Correct: “I understand the problem.”
• Incorrect: “I am understanding the problem.”
• Correct: “This book belongs to me.”
• Incorrect: “This book is belonging to me.”

Part 2: The Main Event – Unpacking ‘Think’ vs. ‘Thinking’

Now let’s return to our original puzzle. Why can ‘think’ sometimes be continuous (“am thinking”) and sometimes not? It’s because ‘think’ is a special “mixed verb” that can belong to both families, depending on its meaning.

1. ‘Think’ as a Stative Verb (Meaning: To have an opinion or belief)

When you use ‘think’ to express your opinion, your belief, or what is in your mind as a fact, you are describing a mental state. It is not an action you are performing; it is simply the current state of your thoughts. In this context, ‘think’ is a stative verb and follows the golden rule.

• Examples:
  • “I think this is a good idea.” (This is my opinion.)
  • “She thinks the meeting is at 2 PM.” (This is her belief.)
  • “What do you think about the new policy?” (I am asking for your opinion.)

In these examples, it would be incorrect to use the continuous form. Saying “I am thinking this is a good idea” sounds unnatural because an opinion is a state, not a process you are actively performing at that second.

2. ‘Think’ as a Dynamic Verb (Meaning: The process of considering or using your mind)

When you use ‘think’ to describe the process of contemplation, the active and deliberate use of your brain to consider a problem or an idea, it becomes an action. This action has a duration—it starts, it continues, and it will eventually end. In this context, ‘think’ is a dynamic verb and can be used in the continuous tense.

• Examples:
  • A: “You’re very quiet. What’s on your mind?” B: “I’m thinking about what to do this weekend.” (The process of consideration is happening now.)
  • “Please don’t interrupt me, I’m thinking.” (I am actively using my brain.)
  • “She was thinking of moving to a new city, but she decided to stay.” (The process of consideration was happening in the past.)

Understanding these nuances is what separates basic, functional English from truly fluent and accurate English. It’s a key focus in our courses, where we use conversational practice to help students internalize these differences. To see how our teaching methods can help you, explore our English classes in Oslo: https://nlsnorwegian.no/learn-english/

Part 3: The “Mixed” Verbs – Verbs That Change Their Personality

‘Think’ is not the only verb that can live a double life. Several common verbs can be stative or dynamic depending on their meaning in the sentence. Mastering these is a hallmark of an advanced learner.

1. ‘Have’

• Stative (meaning ‘to possess’): This is the most common meaning. It describes the state of ownership.
  • “I have two brothers.” (Incorrect: I am having two brothers.)
  • “She has a new car.”
• Dynamic (meaning ‘to experience’ or ‘to take part in’): When ‘have’ is part of an expression describing an action or experience, it becomes dynamic.
  • “We are having a wonderful time on vacation.”
  • “He is having a party on Saturday.”
  • “I am having lunch right now. Can I call you back?”

2. ‘See’

• Stative (meaning ‘to perceive with your eyes’): This describes the passive state of having sight.
  • “I see a mountain in the distance.” (Incorrect: I am seeing a mountain.)
  • “Do you see that man over there?”
• Dynamic (meaning ‘to meet with’ or ‘to date’): When ‘see’ means to have an appointment or to be in a romantic relationship, it’s an action.
  • “I am seeing my doctor tomorrow at 10 AM.” (Meaning: I am meeting with him.)
  • “They have been seeing each other for six months.” (Meaning: They are dating.)

3. ‘Taste’ and ‘Smell’ These sensory verbs can describe either the quality of an object (stative) or the action of a person (dynamic).

• Stative (describing a quality):
  • “This soup tastes amazing!” (The soup has this quality.)
  • “These flowers smell lovely.” (The flowers have this quality.)
• Dynamic (describing an action):
  • “The chef is tasting the soup to check the seasoning.” (The chef is performing the action of tasting.)
  • “Why are you smelling the milk? Has it gone bad?” (You are performing the action of smelling.)

4. ‘Be’ This is the ultimate stative verb, describing existence itself. However, even ‘be’ can be used in a continuous form in one specific, advanced context.

• Stative (describing a permanent quality or identity): This is the normal use.
  • “He is very intelligent.”
  • “She is a doctor.”
• Dynamic (describing temporary behavior): You can use ‘is/are being’ to say that someone is behaving or acting in a certain way right now, which is different from their usual character.
  • “You are being so silly! Stop it!” (You are behaving silly at this moment, you are not a silly person in general.)
  • “Why is he being so nice to me today? It’s unusual.” (He is acting nice, which is not his normal state.)

Part 4: Practical Application and Common Mistakes

Let’s put this knowledge to the test. Recognizing these rules is one thing; applying them is another.

Spotlight on Common Mistakes: Here are some incorrect sentences learners often make, with explanations.

• Incorrect: “I am wanting to buy a new laptop.”

  • Why? ‘Want’ is a classic stative verb of emotion/desire. It describes a state, not an action.
  • Correct: “I want to buy a new laptop.”

• Incorrect: “This new building is seeming very tall.”

  • Why? ‘Seem’ is a stative verb of appearance. It describes a quality or impression.
  • Correct: “This new building seems very tall.”

• A Note on Advertising: You might see a famous slogan like McDonald’s “I’m lovin’ it” and think the rule is broken. This is a deliberate stylistic choice in marketing to make a feeling (a state) sound more active, modern, and dynamic. It’s catchy, but it is not standard, grammatically correct English for everyday use.

Practice Quiz: Choose the Correct Verb Form Test your understanding! Choose the correct verb form in each sentence. The answers are at the bottom.

1. I ______ (think / am thinking) you should apply for the job.
2. Be quiet for a moment, I ______ (think / am thinking).
3. She ______ (has / is having) a beautiful house by the sea.
4. They ______ (have / are having) dinner right now.
5. This coffee ______ (tastes / is tasting) a bit strange.
6. The cook ______ (tastes / is tasting) the sauce to see if it needs more salt.
7. I ______ (see / am seeing) what you mean. It’s a difficult situation.
8. My brother ______ (sees / is seeing) his new girlfriend tonight.
9. He ______ (is / is being) very rude today. Normally he is so polite.
10. I ______ (don’t know / am not knowing) the answer to that question.

A quiz can tell you if you’re right, but a teacher can explain why in a way that truly sticks. Getting personalized feedback on your own speaking and writing is the fastest way to correct these ingrained mistakes. Find out more about our expert instructors: https://nlsnorwegian.no/learn-english/

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(Quiz Answers: 1. think, 2. am thinking, 3. has, 4. are having, 5. tastes, 6. is tasting, 7. see, 8. is seeing, 9. is being, 10. don’t know)

Conclusion: From Knowing the Rules to Feeling the Language

We’ve journeyed deep into the world of English verbs, moving from the simple confusion of ‘think’ vs. ‘thinking’ to the fundamental concept that separates states from actions.

The core lesson is this: To choose between a simple or a continuous tense, you must first ask yourself, “What is the meaning of the verb in this specific context?” Is it describing a passive, ongoing state (a snapshot), or is it describing a deliberate, active process (a movie)?

At first, you will need to consciously think about this rule. You might need to mentally check your lists of stative verbs. This is a normal and necessary part of the learning process. But as you read more, listen more, and practice speaking more, something amazing will begin to happen.

You will develop an intuitive feel for the language.

You will get to a point where you don’t need the rule, because “I am knowing the answer” will simply sound wrong to your ear. That internal sense of what is natural and correct is the true marker of fluency. It means the language is no longer just a set of rules you have memorized, but a system you inhabit.

The journey from knowing the rules to feeling the language requires practice, exposure, and guidance. Start today by paying attention to every verb you use. Is it a state, or is it an action? This one simple question will transform your grammatical accuracy and bring you one giant step closer to speaking English with confidence and precision.

Ready to fast-track your journey from conscious rules to intuitive feeling? Join a class where you can put this knowledge into practice every day.

Master the grammar that matters. Register for an English course at NLS today and start speaking with confidence: https://nlsnorwegian.no/learn-english/