Action Vs. Status

Some English ?action? verbs refer to events or actions that happen at a specific time, usually only once. These verbs cannot be used with ?how long? or expressions of duration. ?Status? verbs must be used to indicate conditions which exist over periods of time.

Some common action/status pairs are as follows:

Action/Event (one time occurrence)
(present or past)
become

get married
get engaged
get divorced

graduate

die

meet
learn
find out

buy/purchase
get/aquire

fall asleep
fall in love

Status/Condition (long time)
(present or present perfect)

be

be married
be engaged
be divorced

be out of school

be dead

know
know
know

have
have/own

be asleep
be in love

For example,
I got married last May.
I was single last April.

I am married now.

How long have you gotten married? Wrong

How long have you been married? Correct

I met Mr. Carter last week.

I have met Mr. Carter for one week.Wrong

I have known Mr. Carter for one week.Correct

Nathan became a doctor in 1998.

Nathan has become a doctor for two years.Wrong

Nathan has been a doctor for two years.Correct

I graduated last August.

How long have you graduated?Wrong

How long have you been out of school?Correct

The baby fell asleep two hours ago.

The baby has fallen asleep for two hours.Wrong

The baby has been asleep for two hours Correct

I found out the news yesterday.

I have found out the news since yesterday.Wrong

I have known the news since yesterday.Correct
(The ceremony occurred last May.)
(Status previous to last May)

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