Some verbs are not used with – ing. These are called stative verbs. They talk about how something is, a state. They don’t talk about an action.
No –ing with these common verbs when used in the stative form:
believe, belong, feel, hate, have, know, like, love, mean, need, prefer, realise, remember, seem, taste, think, understand, want.
Compare:
- I have a headache.
(you have a headache/this is a state not an action)
I’m having my lunch.
(having/action of eating)
As in these examples:
She is loving chocolate.
She loves chocolate.
(love is a feeling/this is a state not an action)I am knowing Michael for six years.
I have known Michael for six years.
(you know someone/this is a state not an action)
