（7）始动性动词表明在某一时刻上发生的过渡和变化。它与表明在某一段时间内发生持续动作的延续性动词所包含的概念不同。始动性动词是与表示时刻（point of time）概念的时间状语相连用的；而延续性动词是与表示时段（period of time）概念的时间状语相连用的。表示时刻概念的时间状语，要用at，ago，not…till／until 等词；表示时段概念的时间状语，要用 for，till／until等词，两者不可混淆，例如：

62）a．He returned home at ten o'clock in the evening．

b．He returned home at as late as ten o'clock in the evening．

c．He didn't return home till／until ten o'clock in the evening．

（他到晚上十点才回到家。）

63） a．The child didn't stop crying until/till his mother was back．

b．The child cried until／till his mother was back．

（这孩子一直到妈妈回来才不哭了。／这孩子一直哭到妈妈回来。）

64）a．In summer it doesn't get dark till／until ten in the evenings．

b．In summer it stays light till／until ten in the evenings．

（夏天要到晚上十点才黑天。／夏季，天一直亮到晚上十点。）

65）a．Don't take the notice off the board till／until everyone's seen it．

b．Keep the notice on the board till／until everyone's seen it．

（等大家都看过了，再把这布告从布告栏取下来。／让布告一直贴在布告栏里，使大家都能看到。）

66）a．He left home three days ago．

b．He has been away from home for three days．

（他三天前离家的。／他离家三天了。）

67）a．He began to study English two years ago．

b．He has studied English to two years．

（他两年前开始学英语。／他学英语两年了。）

由上述可见：始动性动词必须与表示时刻概念的时间状语连用，而只有延续性动词才可以与表示时段概念的时间状语相连用，否则就会犯错误，例如：

68）a．He went to Paris for a short visit two weeks ago．

b．He has gone to Paris for a short visit for two weeks．（Impossible）

c．He has been in Paris for a short visit for two weeks．

d．Two weeks have passed since he went to Paris for a short visit．

（两周前他去巴黎作短暂访问。／他在巴黎作短暂访问已有两周了。／他去巴黎作短暂访问已经两周了。）

69）a．The guests arrived ten minutes ago．

b．The guests have arrived for ten minutes．（Impossible）

c．The guests have been for ten minutes．

d．Ten minutes have passed since the guests arrived．

（十分钟前，客人们到了。／客人们已来了十分钟了。／客人们到达后已经十分钟了。）

（8）始动性动词具有相应的静态性形容词（Static Adjective），前者表示过渡的动作，后者表示完成过渡动作后达到的结果或状态，举例如下：

Inchoative Verb                       Static Adjective

get angry／anger                     be angry

get broken                              be broken

get hurt                                  be hurt

get married                             be married

get accustomed                       be accustomed

fall asleep                               be asleep

fall ill                                      be ill

grow／get／become old          be old

enlarge                                   be large

thicken                                   be thick

lengthen                                 be long

dry                                        be dry

die                                         be dead

wake（up）／awake／

become awake／

awaken／waken                  be awake

go aground                             be aground

始动性动词用于现在完成时，表示该过渡动作的结束或结果，变成了一种静态，其意思相当于对应的静态性形容词，例如：

70）a．The fog has thickened．

b．The fog is now thick．

（雾浓了。）

71） a．The sky has darkened．

b．The sky has become dark．

c．The sky is now dark．

（天黑了。）

72）a．The old woman has died．

b．The old woman is now dead．

（老人死了。）

73）a．The ship has gone aground．

b．The ship is now fast aground．

（这艘船搁浅了。）

74）a．John has gone away from home．

b．John is now away from home．

（约翰离家走了。）

但是，有的始动性动词没有相应的静态性形容词，例如：

75）a．The boat has sunk．

b．This is a sunken boat．

c．The boat is wrecked．

d．This is a wreck．

（这小船沉了。）

有的静态性形容词没有相应的始动性动词，例如：

76）a．The boat is afloat．

b．The boat is floating．

c．This is a floating boat．

（小船在飘浮着。）