动词按其动作发生的方式、发生过程的长短可分为延续性动词与非延续性动词。
一. 延续性动词表示能够延续的动作, 如：learn, work, stand, lie, know, walk, keep, have, wait, watch, sing, read, sleep, live, stay等。延续性动词可以与表示时间段的状语连用。
表示时间段的短语有:for+一段时间,for 2 years; since从句,since he came here; since+时间点名词,since last year, since 5 days ago; how long; for a long time等。
例: He has lived here for 6 years.
You can keep the book for 5 days.
I stayed there for 2 weeks last year.
How long did you stay there last year?
二. 非延续性动词也称终止性动词、瞬间动词, 表示不能延续的动作, 这种动作发生后立即结束。如:open, die, close, begin, finish, come, go, move, borrow, lend, buy等。
非延续性动词在肯定句中与表示时间点的状语连用，如：two years ago; at 5 o‘clock
例: He died 5 years ago.
否定的终止性动词可以与表示时间段的时间状语连用。例:
I haven‘t left here for 3 years.
I haven‘t heard from him for 3 weeks.
三. 延续性动词与非延续性动词之间的转换：leave --- be away, borrow --- keep, buy --- have, begin/start --- be on, die --- be dead, finish --- be over, join --- be in+组织机构, be a member of+组织机构, open sth --- keep sth open, fall ill --- be ill, get up---be up, catch a cold --- have a cold, come here --- be here, go there --- be there, become --- be, come back --- be back, fall asleep --- be asleep, get to/ arrive/reach --- be (in), leave --- be away from, get to know --- know, go (get) out →be out， put on→ wear；catch a cold →have a cold等。
例: The old man died 4 years ago. ----The old man has been dead for 4 years. ---- It is 4 years since the old man died. ----Four years has passed since the old man died.
He joined the Party 2 years ago. -----He has been in the Party for 2 years.
I bought the book 5 days ago. ---- I have had the book for 5 days.
例: He died 5 years ago.
否定的终止性动词可以与表示时间段的时间状语连用。例:
I haven‘t left here for 3 years.
I haven‘t heard from him for 3 weeks.
I bought the book 5 days ago. ---- I have had the book for 5 days.
