I’m sure you’ve seen this line below the golden arches before. McDonald’s has even trademarked it. Why is so catchy? Love is a state verb. That’s the short answer.
Let’s find out more about state verbs. These verbs fall into four categories.
The four categories of state verbs
- Mental states. This includes verbs such as know, think, and believe. For example: She knows a lot about astronomy.
- Emotional states, such as like, love, prefer, and hate. For example, I like to wake up early in the morning.
- The senses–see, hear, smell, and taste. For instance, this pizza margerita tastes delicious.
- Possession. Verbs such as: own, have, and possess. For example: I own a bicycle.
What you need to know
Here is your takeaway from this post. We do not add an ‘ing’ at the end of a state verb.
So, we say: I prefer speaking French. Not: I am preferring speaking French.
We say: Yoko has a degree in chemistry. Not: Yoko is having a degree in chemistry.
But, wait a second. Can’t I say: I’m having a snack? Yes, you can.
In this case, ‘having’ is not a state verb–it’s an action verb. Action verbs are verbs such as walk, talk, and sleep. With action verbs, we can add an ‘ing’ to show an action over a period of time. For example: He is walking in the garden.
I’m having a snack = I am eating a snack.
‘Having’ here is an action verb. It is not a state verb. Does that make sense?
Now, what about I’m loving it? Is ‘love’ a state verb or an action verb? Yes, it is a state verb. Usually, if we were to follow the rules of grammar, we would not add an ‘ing’. It should be: I love it.
Yawn. That sounds so ordinary.
The line–I’m loving it–bursts into your mind. Why? Because it sounds fun. It sounds different. By breaking the rules of grammar, this line becomes memorable.
The next time you see ‘I’m lovin it’, think about state verbs. Recollect the rule about not using ‘ing’. You’ll appreciate why that grammatically incorrect sentence deserves to be trademarked.
Image credit: World Vector Logo
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