Stative Verbs Verbs that describe a state or condition, not an action. Stative verbs describe a state or condition, often involving thoughts, emotions, senses, relationships, or possessions. They typically aren't used in continuous (progressive) forms because they describe situations that are constant rather than actions in progress. Here are some common categories and examples of stative verbs: 1. Emotions and Preferences like, love, hate, prefer, need, want, desire Example: "I want a new book.