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。

1. 延续性动词：表示能够延续的动作，也可以表示经验与经历.

eg: learn, work, stand, lie, walk, sleep, keep, wait, watch, sing, read, stay, live…

延续性动词可以与for 和 since 引导的时间状语连用：

eg:

He has lived here for 6 years.

(他在这儿住了六年了，一直住在这儿，live是延续性动词，并且很有可能继续居住下去)

I have known her since then.

(自从那时起我就认识她了，一直都认识，know是延续性动词)

2.非延续性动词：也成终止性动词或瞬间动词，表示不能延续的动作，这种动作发生后立即结束.

eg: open, close, begin, finish, come, go, move, borrow, lend, buy, die…

非延续性动词不能与for 和 since 引导的时间状语连用，常用的时间状语有 two years ago, at 5 o’clock, yesterday, the day before yesterday, this morning 等表示过去的时间.

eg:

His grandmother died 10 years ago.

She finished the work at 6 o’clock.