Non-continuous verbs

Some verbs do not have continuous forms. Some verbs do have continuous forms but their infinitive and continuous forms have different meanings. Here is a list of some non-continuous verbs in English: like, love, hate, dislike, taste, smell, weigh etc.

I like her smile. (NOT I am liking her smile.)

I hate liars. (NOT I am hating liars.)

I love children. (NOT I am loving children.)

I want to go. (NOT I am wanting to go.)

I don’t know. (NOT I am not knowing.)

Most copular verbs (e.g. appear, seem, look, sound, hear, see, smell, taste) are not used in continuous forms.

The soup smells good. (NOT The soup is smelling good.)
The fish tastes awful. (NOT The fish is tasting awful.)

Special cases

When feel means ‘have an opinion’, it is not used in the continuous form.

I feel we should give him another chance. (NOT I am feeling we should give him another chance.)

When see means ‘understand’ it is not used in the continuous form.

I see you have a problem. (NOT I am seeing you have a problem.)

When think means ‘have an opinion’, it is not used in the continuous form.

I think she is making a mistake. (NOT I am thinking she is making a mistake.)