State Verbs in Continuous Tenses – English Grammar Exercises for B2
You are the Director’s Assistant, sending an email to inform other departments that the Director has scheduled a closed-door meeting with an important investor tomorrow afternoon.
Choose the most appropriate option (A, B, C, or D) to complete each sentence. Pay attention to the scheduling context to determine whether the verb “SEE” is functioning as a state (stative) or dynamic (action) verb.
1 Please be informed that the Director ______ the lead investor at 2 PM tomorrow.
(A) sees
(B) is viewing
(C) is seeing
(D) is see
2 Therefore, he will be completely unavailable because he ______ them privately to discuss the new merger.
(A) is seeing
(B) sees
(C) see
(D) is looking
3 I ______ from his online calendar that his morning schedule is also fully booked.
(A) am looking
(B) see
(C) am seeing
(D) am see
4 The Director ______ the point of rescheduling, so the 2 PM timeslot is strictly fixed.
(A) isn’t seeing
(B) don’t see
(C) doesn’t see
(D) isn’t watching
5 We ______ a lot of potential in this partnership, which is why this meeting is absolutely crucial.
(A) are looking
(B) sees
(C) are seeing
(D) see
6 Tomorrow morning, our legal team ______ the investors’ lawyers to finalize the contract details.
(A) is seeing
(B) sees
(C) is perceiving
(D) are see
7 If you ______ Mr. Davis in the hallway today, please do not bother him with trivial matters.
(A) will see
(B) look at
(C) see
(D) are seeing
8 I ______ why the marketing department wants to join, but this is a closed-door session for executives only.
(A) am seeing
(B) see
(C) do seeing
(D) am realizing
9 As of right now, the receptionist ______ to the final preparations in the main boardroom.
(A) is looking
(B) is seen
(C) sees
(D) is seeing
10 The Director expects absolute silence in the corridor while he ______ the stakeholders.
(A) seeing
(B) is seeing
(C) sees
(D) is looking at
11 I have reviewed the agenda thoroughly, and I ______ no reason to alter the current schedule.
(A) am seeing
(B) have see
(C) am viewing
(D) see
12 Please note that the Director ______ anyone else for the rest of the afternoon tomorrow.
(A) doesn’t see
(B) isn’t looking at
(C) isn’t seeing
(D) isn’t seen
13 We ______ to it that all financial reports are printed before the clients arrive.
(A) are seeing
(B) see
(C) are watching
(D) seeing
14 Anyone who ______ the confidential files on his desk must leave them completely untouched.
(A) watches
(B) sees
(C) see
(D) is seeing
15 Even though we ______ a sudden drop in sales this week, the Director remains optimistic about the pitch.
(A) see
(B) are seeing
(C) are looking
(D) seeing
16 The investors ______ the new prototype in action during tomorrow’s interactive presentation.
(A) are looking
(B) is seeing
(C) see
(D) are seeing
17 I ______ exactly what the Director meant when he called this our “make-or-break” moment.
(A) see
(B) am seeing
(C) sees
(D) am looking
18 Make sure the lobby is spotless; we want to ensure they ______ our company in the best possible light.
(A) are seeing
(B) seen
(C) are looking at
(D) see
19 By the time you arrive tomorrow, the Director ______ the venture capitalists in Room A, so do not knock.
(A) will be looking at
(B) will be seeing
(C) will see
(D) is seeing
20 He ______ his personal financial advisor later tonight just to double-check the final valuation figures.
(A) is seeming
(B) sees
(C) seeing
(D) is seeing
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (C) is seeing
- Why it is correct (Key): “See” here means “having an appointment with” or “meeting someone.” This is a planned dynamic action in the near future, so the Present Continuous is required.
- Error analysis: (A) is a Common Mistake; learners often memorize that “see” is always a state verb and use the simple tense. (D) is a Structural Error (missing “-ing”). (B) is a Strong Distractor; “viewing” means inspecting documents or watching media, not holding a business meeting.
2 (A) is seeing
- Why it is correct (Key): Similar to Q1, the Director is “meeting” them privately. This action requires the continuous tense.
- Error analysis: (B) is a Common Mistake (incorrectly treating the meeting as a state). (C) is a Structural Error (wrong subject-verb agreement for “he”). (D) is a Strong Distractor; “looking” does not convey the meaning of hosting a meeting.
3 (B) see
- Why it is correct (Key): Here, “see” means “perceive” or “understand” by looking at the calendar. It is a state of perception, which must remain in the Present Simple.
- Error analysis: (C) is a Common Mistake; applying continuous because the action of checking the calendar is happening now. (D) is a Structural Error. (A) is a Strong Distractor; “look” requires the preposition “at” (e.g., I am looking at his calendar), whereas “see from” is the correct structure here.
4 (C) doesn’t see
- Why it is correct (Key): “See the point” is an idiom meaning “to understand the reason or purpose.” “Understand” is a cognitive state verb and cannot be continuous.
- Error analysis: (A) is a Common Mistake; forcing a continuous tense onto a state of understanding. (B) is a Structural Error (wrong auxiliary for the singular “Director”). (D) is a Strong Distractor; “watch” means observing moving objects (like a movie) and makes no sense here.
5 (D) see
- Why it is correct (Key): “See potential” means “to believe or recognize that there is potential.” This expresses an opinion or a cognitive state, requiring the simple tense.
- Error analysis: (C) is a Common Mistake; using continuous for a current belief. (B) is a Structural Error (wrong agreement for “We”). (A) is a Strong Distractor; “look” refers to physical appearance, which doesn’t fit the context.
6 (A) is seeing
- Why it is correct (Key): The legal team is scheduled to “meet” the lawyers. This is a future arrangement (dynamic), so Present Continuous is used.
- Error analysis: (B) is a Common Mistake. (D) is a Structural Error. (C) is a Strong Distractor; “perceive” is a cognitive state and does not mean holding a meeting.
7 (C) see
- Why it is correct (Key): “See” here means accidentally noticing someone with your eyes (visual perception), which is a state. Furthermore, this is a First Conditional “If” clause, requiring Present Simple.
- Error analysis: (A) is a Structural Error; “will” is not used directly after “If” in this context. (D) is a Common Mistake. (B) is a Strong Distractor; “look at” implies staring intentionally, while walking down a hallway usually results in simply “seeing” someone.
8 (B) see
- Why it is correct (Key): “I see why…” means “I understand why…”. This is a cognitive state.
- Error analysis: (A) is a Common Mistake. (C) is a Structural Error. (D) is a Strong Distractor; “realizing” is also a state verb, so “am realizing” shares the exact same grammatical error.
9 (D) is seeing
- Why it is correct (Key): The phrasal verb “see to something” means “to take care of, arrange, or handle” a task. It is a dynamic, active process happening “right now.”
- Error analysis: (C) is a Common Mistake; using simple tense for an ongoing action. (B) is a Structural Error (incorrect passive voice). (A) is a Strong Distractor; “looking to” means hoping or planning, not actively arranging.
10 (B) is seeing
- Why it is correct (Key): He is actively meeting/hosting the stakeholders (dynamic action).
- Error analysis: (C) is a Common Mistake. (A) is a Structural Error (missing “is”). (D) is a Strong Distractor; “looking at” implies the Director is just standing there staring at their faces, which is contextually absurd.
11 (D) see
- Why it is correct (Key): “See no reason” means “understand that there is no reason.” State of mind.
- Error analysis: (A) is a Common Mistake. (B) is a Structural Error. (C) is a Strong Distractor; “viewing” is for watching media or inspecting files, not “reasons.”
12 (C) isn’t seeing
- Why it is correct (Key): This is the negative form of a future scheduled arrangement (not meeting anyone).
- Error analysis: (A) is a Common Mistake; using the simple tense for a specific upcoming plan. (D) is a Structural Error (passive voice changes the meaning entirely). (B) is a Meaning Trap.
13 (A) are seeing
- Why it is correct (Key): “See to it that…” means “to make sure that…”. It represents the active effort of ensuring something gets done (dynamic).
- Error analysis: (B) is a Common Mistake. (D) is a Structural Error. (C) is a Strong Distractor; “watching to it” is an invalid English collocation.
14 (B) sees
- Why it is correct (Key): Visual perception by chance (state verb). The indefinite pronoun “Anyone” combined with “who” requires a singular verb (“sees”).
- Error analysis: (D) is a Common Mistake; assuming an ongoing action. (C) is a Structural Error (missing the ‘s’). (A) is a Strong Distractor; “watches” implies intentional surveillance, which doesn’t fit spotting a file on a desk.
15 (B) are seeing
- Why it is correct (Key): In Advanced/Business English (B2/C1), “see” combined with trends or data (a drop, an increase) means “experiencing.” It acts as a dynamic verb and is often used in the continuous to highlight a temporary trend (“this week”).
- Error analysis: (A) is a Common Mistake; strictly applying the “state verb only” rule and ignoring business idioms. (D) is a Structural Error. (C) is a Meaning Trap.
16 (D) are seeing
- Why it is correct (Key): The investors are scheduled to watch/experience the presentation tomorrow. It is a planned dynamic event.
- Error analysis: (C) is a Common Mistake. (B) is a Structural Error (wrong agreement for plural “investors”). (A) is a Strong Distractor; “looking” must be followed by “at” (looking at the new prototype).
17 (A) see
- Why it is correct (Key): “See what you mean” equals “Understand.” State verb.
- Error analysis: (B) is a Common Mistake. (C) is a Structural Error (“I sees”). (D) is a Meaning Trap.
18 (D) see
- Why it is correct (Key): “See someone/something in a good light” is an idiom meaning “to have a favorable opinion of.” It represents a cognitive state.
- Error analysis: (A) is a Common Mistake. (B) is a Structural Error. (C) is a Strong Distractor; “look at in a good light” translates word-for-word but destroys the proper English idiom.
19 (B) will be seeing
- Why it is correct (Key): The phrase “By the time…” combined with a scheduled meeting indicates an action that will be in progress at a specific point in the future. This requires the Future Continuous.
- Error analysis: (C) is a Common Mistake; “will see” fails to emphasize the ongoing nature of the meeting (which is why you shouldn’t knock). (D) is a Structural Error; “is seeing” does not align with “By the time you arrive tomorrow.” (A) is a Meaning Trap.
20 (D) is seeing
- Why it is correct (Key): A scheduled meeting with his financial advisor later tonight.
- Error analysis: (B) is a Common Mistake. (C) is a Structural Error. (A) is a Strong Distractor; “seem” is a pure state verb and cannot take the continuous form.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
At the CEFR B2 level, the verb SEE is a highly flexible “Mixed Verb.” Its grammar changes depending on its context:
1 SEE as a State Verb (NEVER used in Continuous Tenses):
- Visual Perception: When it means passively noticing something with your eyes. (e.g., I see the file on the desk.)
- Understanding / Opinion: When it means “to understand” or “to hold a view.” (e.g., I see your point. / I see what you mean. / I see no reason to change.)
2 SEE as a Dynamic Verb (CAN be used in Continuous Tenses):
- Meeting / Appointments: When it means intentionally meeting someone or having an appointment. It is frequently used in the Present Continuous for future plans. (e.g., The Director is seeing the investors tomorrow.)
- Taking care of tasks: In the phrasal verb “see to something,” meaning to handle or arrange. (e.g., I am seeing to the catering arrangements.)
- Experiencing Trends (Business Context): When discussing data, “seeing a trend/drop/increase” means actively experiencing it. (e.g., We are seeing a massive drop in sales this quarter.)