By bahodir rustamov contents: Tenses

Adverbs of frequency
100% 75% 50% 25% 10% 0%
always usually often sometimes rarely/seldom never

• 
  Adverbs of Frequency come before the main verb but after the verb “to be” and auxiliary or modal verbs: I always do my homework at home. She is always late for school.
  
• 
  “sometimes” and “usually” can also come at the beginning or at the end:
  

Sometimes I drink wine before bed.

• 
  “rarely”, ”seldom” and “never” always come in positive structure, but in negative meaning:
  

She never has breakfast.


State verbs
State verbs are only used in simple tenses.

• 
  Verbs of thinking and opinions
  

believe think understand suppose expect agree doubt know remember forget
mean imagine realize deserve prefer


I believe you.
Do you understand?
I know his face, but I have forgotten his name.

• 
  Verbs of emotions and feelings
  

like love hate care hope wish want admit
I like black coffee.
Do you want to go out?
I don’t care.

• 
  Verbs of having and being
  

belong own have possess contain cost seem appear need depend on weigh come from resemble


This book belongs to Jane.
How much does it cost?
He has a lot of money.

• 
  Verbs of the senses
  

Look hear taste smell feel
The food smells good.

• 
  We often use can when the subject is a person.
  

Can you smell something burning?
I can hear someone crying.

• 
  Some of these verbs can be used in the Present Continuous, but with a change of meaning. In the continuous, the verb expresses an activity, not a state. Compare:
  

1. 
   I think she’s Italian. (=believe)
   

I’m thinking about my holiday. (=am considering)

2. 
   The soup tastes awful. (=has an awful flavor)
   

She’s tasting the soup. (=is tasting the flavor of)

3. 
   I can see an aeroplane in the sky. (=perceive with my eyes)
   

I’m seeing Jill tonight. (=am meeting)

4. 
   Susan looks tired. (=appears)
   

Susan is looking at some photos. (=is studying)

5. 
   The room smells of perfume. (=has the smell)
   

The cat is smelling its food. (=is sniffing)

6. 
   This towel feels soft. (=has a soft texture)
   

Jill is feeling her son’s forehead. (=is touching)

7. 
   He is selfish. (=character – permanent state)
   

He is being selfish. (behavior – temporary situation)

8. 
   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/ experience/ dream, etc.
| a baby
| difficulty/ fun/ trouble, etc.