Writing Prompt ~ Believe Vs. Belief

Posted by: Tara Benwell

Writing Prompt: The word believe is a state or stative verb. These kinds of verbs express states rather than actions. Stative verbs aren’t normally used in the continuous tense (though sometimes it is possible). English learners often confuse the verb believe with the similar sounding noun belief. Demonstrate your understanding of the stative verb believe and the noun belief by writing a letter to a friend about something you heard that you don’t believe.

Example

Dear Maxwell,

I heard from Erica that you are moving to Mexico. I can’t believe this! You wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye, would you? I guess I shouldn’t believe everything I hear from Erica. She likes to make things up. One time she told me that she won the lottery and I believed her. Another time she told me her grandmother died. I can’t believe I gave her one-hundred dollars to help pay for her grandmother’s funeral. She has some odd beliefs too. She believes that birthmarks are war wounds from another life. You know what my beliefs are, right? I believe that our bodies die but our souls live forever. I was raised with those beliefs. Well, I don’t know how I got off track so easily. Anyhow, I believe you owe me an apology and a farewell if you are moving! If you aren’t moving, I’ll be relieved beyond belief.

Call me soon,
Ella

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Written by Tara Benwell for EnglishClub

Tara Benwell is a Canadian freelance writer and editor who specializes in materials and articles for the ELT industry.
© EnglishClub.com

8 comments

• Sanvi Gupta says:
  

  Hey Kella,
  Hope you are doing well these days! When I got to know that you got a job in the most prestigious company in New York, I could hardly believe it. You know I have always believed in hard work as a stepping stone to success and today you reached the zenith. Peoples beliefs are sometimes idiotic when they think our success depends on destiny or you may call it luck. But you know I have always disagreed on this fact. I’m happy that you believed me and I feel obliged to be an inspiration for you. I want you to always believe in yourself as you always do and you will pass every stage of your life with flying colors. I wish you all the best for your upcoming successful years and meet me soon.

  Take care,
  Rebecca.

• melika says:
  

  Hi you

• Madhav says:
  

  Hello Raju,
  How are you? How is your school year coming along? Mine’s getting cumbersome as we converge to the final examinations. I cannot believe it has been an year already!. I feel only last week we were enjoying the evening summer breeze along the lake. But the good news is we are also approaching the holidays and I hope you are planning to comeback again this year for village festival. As you know its a belief here that people coming together on the day of festival increases the positive aura and Gods will bless us with another good year.

  Hope to see you soon
  Madhav

• alwafaa says:
  

  dear samah,
  in fact ,I can not beleive the news on your mother’s healthy problems what I have just heard from my husbund today. I can’t beleive that your mother got covid 19 virus .how did she get it if she never went outside ,when speaking to your mother yesterday I felt how she was tired ,I believe she got the virus when I was speaking with her,I konw you are very worried about your mother,I can give you a lot of recipes from herbs.besides I also hope you always have a strong belief in the love of god
  take care og yourself

• Tasia says:
  

  Can you believe what President Trump has said on the conference? He called the coronavirus ‘Chinesevirus’ and emphasized it several times.Without any confirmed conclusion on the source of covid-19 from laboratory technician ,it’s sooo, stupid.
  I always have my beliefs on our medical professionals and authority that we will control the tide and get back to the semblance of normality soon.

• Fernanda Fareli says:
  

  Dear Maria,

  I have heard many things about the Coronavirus and its consequences all over the world. I believe that this difficult situation will pass on. My belief in God gives me strength to do the right thing and to help my family and my community.

  I wish you are well.
  Kisses

• Tobías says:
  

  Dear Carlos

  In my last class of philosophy, the teacher started to speak about astrology. I could not believe it! He referred to a supposed relation between planets and our souls. He believes that everybody has their identity planet. Could you believe this? In a university class a teacher speaking about his own beliefs!

• Haveaball says:
  

  Dear Lan!
  In fact, I cannot believe the news on your father’s healthy problems what I have just heard from Minh today. When speaking to your father yesterday, I found that his health still very well. I’m really shocked and don’t believe that your father is undergoing treatments for heart disease in hospital at the moment. I know you are very worried about your father’s health status but expecting you to believe in medical team who can help him quickly recover from this complication. Besides I also hope you always have a strong belief in the love of God who can do everything for us if we truly believe in God.
  Take are of yourself.
  Son.