Verbs usually not used in any of the progressive tenses

VERB	EXAMPLE	OTHER USES OF THIS VERB
be	(a) I am hungry.
SENSES hear taste smell see	(b) I hear a noise. (c) This food tastes good. (d) I smell gas. (e) I see a butterfly.	You will be hearing from me. (I will write or phone you.) The doctor is seeing a patient. (meeting with)
MENTAL ACTIVITY know believe think understand recognize remember forget mean	(f) I know his phone number. (g) I believe his story. (h) I think he is a kind man. (believe)     (i) I understand your problem now. (j) I don't recognize him. (k) I remember my first teacher. (1) I forget his name, (m) I mean this book, not that one.	I am thinking about this grammar. (Certain thoughts are going through my mind right now.)     I have been meaning to call you. (intending)
POSSESSION possess own have belong	(n) He possesses many fine qualities. (o) She owns a house. (p) He has a car. (possesses)     (q) That belongs to me.	I am having trouble. He is havinga good time. (experiencing).
ATTITUDES want prefer need appreciate love like hate dislike seem	(r) I want to leave now. (s) He prefers to stay here. (t) I need some help. (u) I appreciate your help. (v) I love my family. (w) I like this book. (x) She hates dishonesty. (y) I dislike this book. (z) He seems to be a nice person.
VERB ATTITUDES look appear	She looks cold. (seems to be)   He appears to be asleep. (seems to be)	I am looking out the window. (using my eyes to see) The actor is appearing on the stage.

Note: Never … again is not used with the Present Simple

e.g. I’ m never painting the house by myself again.

(NOT: I never paint the house by myself again.)

Grammar Exercises

Exercise 1. Expand the following into sentences in order to make true statements with doesn’t or don’t where necessary.

1. water/ boil/at 100°C

Water boils at 100°C.

R ice/ grow/ on trees

Rice doesn’t grow on trees.

2. chicks/ hatch/ from eggs

3. kangaroos/ live/ in Spain

4. plants/ need/ water to grow

5. rain/ fall/ from clouds

6. astronauts/ travel/ in submarines

7. cows/ lay/ eggs

8. pandas/ live/ in Italy

9. elephants/ eat/ meat

10. fish/ walk/ on land

11. the sun/ set/ in the east

12. bees/ give milk

13. caterpillars/ turn/ into butterflies

14. wool/ come/ from sheep