Static Verbs of Measurement and Counting
Indicating weight, distance, height and count
States of Measurements vs. Measuring
| STATIC VERB | DYNAMIC VERB |
|---|---|
A static verb indicates a state. The verbs below are states of "equvalence" (measures, weighs, equals, costs, etc. ) indicating howwe measure or count something. A static verb usually takes the nonprogressive verb form. |
A dynamic verb indicates an activity that we take action to do or perform. The verbs beloware measuring activities and take a progressive or a nonprogressive verb form. The meaning of each verb may differ slightly from its static verb. |
The Golden Gate Bridge measures 8,981 feet long. (equals) |
The tailor is measuring the gentleman for his new suit. |
The Golden Gate towers reaches 746 feet into the air. |
The firemen are reaching the child on the roof. |
The Eiffel Tower weighs 6,400 metric tons. |
The grocer is weighing the apples on a scale. |
The weight of the span equals the weight of one tower. |
|
The Golden Gate Bridge costs two dollars the cross. |
These mistakes are costing us a lot of money. |
The repairs add up to more than 10 million dollars this year. |
The bridge director is adding up the costs for repair. |
We owe the bank some money. |
|
The United States consists of 50 states. |
|
The pool contains 15,000 gallons of water. |
The police contained the crowd in a small area. |
The book includes several good solutions. |
The author included several ideas in his book. |
See Static Verbs with Intransitive and Transitive Forms
Common Mistakes
Errors & Solutions
| ERROR | SOLUTION |
|---|---|
The baby is weighing ten pounds already.
|
The baby weighs ten pounds. (static) The nurse is weighing the bably. (dynamic) |
(Verb use depends on what "this" is.) |
How much is this construction costing us? (dynamic – a rising amount)
|
Practice 1
Stative versus Dynamic
- Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
- Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button.