State verbs express states or conditions which are relatively static. They include verbs of perception, cognition, the senses, emotion and state of being:
In the present simple, the auxiliaries do and does (in the third person singular) followed by the bare infinitive form of the main verb can be used in affirmative sentences to express emphasis. In speech, the auxiliary is stressed:
In the past simple, the auxiliary did followed by the bare infinitive form of the main verb can be used in affirmative sentences to express emphasis. In speech, the auxiliary is stressed:
In a story which is told in the past tense, the main events (the ones that happen in the foreground and carry the story forward) are expressed with the past simple, while the past continuous is used for background events:
An infinitive can be a to-infinitive or a bare infinitive (without to). There is no difference in meaning between them; some structures require a to-infinitive, while others call for a bare infinitive:
I ought to call them. (to-infinitive) I had better call them. (bare infinitive)
