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Lesson 2

Stative Verbs with Continuous Meanings+ Collocations with Go, Do & Play

🎯 By the end of this lesson you can:
  • Use some stative verbs in continuous tenses ✅
  • Choose correctly between go, do & play ✅
  • Avoid the most common student mistakes ✅
🔥 Warm-Up · 5 min

Look & Think!

Read these two sentences. Talk to a partner:

Sentence A

"I think English is important."

What tense? Why?

Sentence B

"I am thinking about my future."

What tense? Why?

💬 Do both sentences use "think" the same way?

No! "Think" can be STATIVE (opinion) or ACTION (process). Same word — two different meanings! That's today's lesson. 🎉
📚 Quick Review

Remember: Action vs Stative

🎬 Action = Movie  |  📷 Stative = PhotoAction verbs move. Stative verbs stay still.
❌ I am knowing the answer.
✅ I know the answer.
But wait… today we learn some stative verbs CAN be used in continuous — when the meaning changes! 🤯
🔄 Dual-Meaning Verbs · THINK

THINK — Two Meanings!

Stative (Opinion)Subject + think + that + opinion
Action (Process/Activity)Subject + am/is/are thinking + about + object

📷 Opinion (Stative)

I think Angkor Wat is beautiful.

= my opinion, always true

🎬 Process (Action)

I am thinking about my trip to Siem Reap.

= I am doing it right now

💬 "She is thinking about her exam." — Is she having an opinion or is it a process happening now?

A process happening now! She is actively thinking. ✅ Continuous is correct here.
🔄 Dual-Meaning Verbs · HAVE

HAVE — Two Meanings!

Stative (Possession)I have a motorbike. (I own it)
Action (Activity / Experience)I am having lunch. / We are having a great time!

📷 Possession

She has a bicycle.

🎬 Activity

She is having a banh mi for lunch!

❌ I am having a new phone. (possession)
✅ I have a new phone.

💬 "We are having a party tonight!" — Possession or Activity?

Activity! 🎉 "Having a party" is an experience/event. Continuous is correct!
👁️ Sense Verbs · SEE / LOOK / WATCH

See, Look & Watch

SEE = stative

I see a temple. (automatic / happens by itself)

LOOK = action

I am looking at the temple. (choosing to do it)

WATCH = action

I am watching the monks. (paying attention)

👁️ See = it happens. 👀 Look / Watch = you choose.

💬 "I ___ a beautiful sunset over the Mekong." — see / am looking at / am watching?

All three can work! But meaning changes: SEE = it appeared in my view AM LOOKING AT = I chose to look AM WATCHING = I am paying attention to it moving
👃 Sense Verbs · TASTE / SMELL / FEEL

Taste, Smell & Feel

📷 Stative (describe quality)

This amok tastes delicious!

The market smells amazing.

The weather feels hot today.

🎬 Action (you are doing it)

I am tasting the soup. (checking it)

She is smelling the flowers. (choosing to)

He is feeling better now. (process)

💬 "The chef ___ the curry." — taste / is tasting?

IS TASTING ✅ — the chef is actively checking the flavour. It's an action!
📖 Reading · Cambodia Story

Read Together!

Sophea is thinking about her weekend. She has a motorbike and she usually goes to Kep beach.

Right now, she is having breakfast at a café in Phnom Penh. She can see the river from her table — the water looks beautiful this morning.

Her coffee smells amazing. She is tasting it slowly because it is very hot.

She thinks Saturday will be a perfect day for the beach. She knows the road well, so she is not worried.

💬 Why do we use "is thinking" but "thinks" in the same passage?

"Is thinking" = she is doing the mental process right now (active). "Thinks" = her opinion (stative). Same verb — different meaning!

💬 "She has a motorbike." Can we say "She is having a motorbike"?

No! ❌ "Have" = possession here. We cannot use continuous. ✅ "She has a motorbike."
⚽ 🏃 🎨
Part 2

Collocations withGO · DO · PLAY

Which verb do we use with sports and activities? Let's find out!

⚽ PLAY

PLAY — Sport & Games

RuleUse PLAY with competitive sports & games — things with a ball or opponent 🏆
play footballplay basketballplay badmintonplay chessplay cardsplay volleyball

Every weekend, Dara plays football at the Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh. After the game, his friends play cards in the park.

💬 Is there a winner and a loser in football? → Does "play" fit? Why?

Yes! Competitive sports with opponents → use PLAY ⚽
🏊 GO

GO — Activities ending in -ING

RuleUse GO with activities that end in -ing — usually done alone 🌊
go swimminggo runninggo cyclinggo hikinggo fishinggo shopping

On Sunday mornings, Maly goes running along the Tonle Sap river. Sometimes she goes cycling to the night market with her sister.

💬 Can you "go chess"? Why not?

No! ❌ Chess doesn't end in -ing as an activity. You PLAY chess. GO = solo activities with -ing. 🚴
🥋 DO

DO — Individual & Non-Team

RuleUse DO with martial arts, fitness, solo activities & tasks 💪
do karatedo yogado homeworkdo exercisedo aerobicsdo gymnastics

Bopha does yoga every morning before school. Her brother does karate at a gym near Wat Phnom. In the evening, they both do their homework together.

💬 Why "do yoga" and not "play yoga" or "go yoga"?

Yoga is not competitive (not PLAY) and it doesn't become "yogaing" (not GO). It's a solo fitness activity → DO! 🧘
📊 Summary · Go / Do / Play

The Big Table!

GO

Activities + -ing
Usually solo

  • 🏊 go swimming
  • 🚴 go cycling
  • 🏃 go running
  • 🎣 go fishing
  • 🛍️ go shopping

DO

Solo / fitness /
martial arts / tasks

  • 🥋 do karate
  • 🧘 do yoga
  • 💪 do exercise
  • 📚 do homework
  • 🤸 do gymnastics

PLAY

Competitive sports
& games / team

  • ⚽ play football
  • 🏸 play badminton
  • 🎮 play video games
  • ♟️ play chess
  • 🏀 play basketball
🎯 Memory Trick
GO = "Go-ing" (the activity already has -ing!)  |  PLAY = you can win  |  DO = everything else
⚠️ Common Student Errors

Don't Make These Mistakes!

❌ I am thinking English is easy.
✅ I think English is easy. (opinion)
❌ I am having a bicycle.
✅ I have a bicycle. (possession)
❌ She does swimming every day.
✅ She goes swimming every day.
❌ He plays yoga in the morning.
✅ He does yoga in the morning.
❌ They go football after school.
✅ They play football after school.
🗣️ Speaking Task · 10 min

Talk About Yourself!

Tell your partner about your hobbies and activities. Use the correct verb!

You must use:
  • ✅ 2 sentences with GO + activity
  • ✅ 2 sentences with DO + activity
  • ✅ 2 sentences with PLAY + sport/game
  • ✅ 1 sentence with a dual-meaning verb (think/have/see)

Example

I go swimming at the pool in Phnom Penh.
I do yoga on weekends.
I play badminton with my friends.
I think badminton is the best sport!

🎟️ Exit Ticket

Before You Leave…

Write one sentence for each:

  1. A sentence using GO + activity (about Cambodia)
  2. A sentence using THINK as stative (opinion)
  3. A sentence using HAVE as action (experience)
  4. Correct this: ❌ "She plays swimming in the river."

Tip: use ← → arrow keys or swipe.

🎮

Optional Classroom Games

Choose a game to play with your students!

Game 1 · 5–10 min · Whole class

🏃 Activity Race!

Write GO / DO / PLAY on the board (or three corners of the room). Teacher calls out an activity. Students run to the correct corner.

Last person to arrive is out. Last student standing wins! 🏆

Game 2 · 10 min · Pairs

🃏 Sentence Snap!

Print or write 10 sentences on cards (mix of correct and incorrect). Students take turns reading one. Partner shouts:

Most cards at the end wins. Great for error correction!

Game 3 · 10 min · Teams

🔮 Cambodia Quiz Buzz!

Divide into 2 teams. Teacher reads a question about the lesson using Cambodia contexts. First team to buzz in and answer correctly gets a point.

Game 4 · 5 min · Solo

🎯 Find Someone Who…

Students walk around the class asking questions using today's language:

Must write the person's name. First to fill all 4 wins! ✍️

⚡ Quick Quiz

Answer from what you learned in the slides. No cheating! 😄

📝 Lesson 2 Worksheet

Answer only from what you see in the slides. Stay focused! 🎯

Part D — Write Your Own!

Write sentences about yourself or Cambodia. Use today's grammar!

16. Write a sentence about what you do on weekends. (Use GO / DO / PLAY)

17. Write a sentence using HAVE as an action (not possession).

18. Write a sentence using THINK as stative (your opinion about Cambodia).

📌 Show your teacher when done!

📋 Formula Guide

Keep this as a reference! Print it for your students.

🔄 Stative Verbs with Continuous Meanings

VerbStative MeaningContinuous Meaning
thinkI think it's good. (opinion)I am thinking about it. (process)
haveI have a bike. (possession)I am having lunch. (experience)
seeI see a temple. (automatic)I am seeing a doctor. (appointment)
tasteIt tastes great. (quality)I am tasting the soup. (action)
smellIt smells nice. (quality)She is smelling flowers. (action)
feelIt feels cold. (quality)I am feeling better. (process)

⚽ GO / DO / PLAY — Quick Rules

GO

Activity + -ing
go swimming
go running
go cycling

DO

Solo / fitness / tasks
do karate
do yoga
do homework

PLAY

Competitive / team
play football
play chess
play badminton

🧠 Memory Tricks

❌ Most Common Errors