Is there a rule of thumb to distinguish stative verbs from nonstative ones?

Is there some rule of thumb to successfully distinguish stative verbs from nonstative ones?

Answer

The Aspect tag-wiki mentions three fairly reliable tests:

• 
  

  Events may be employed with the progressive construction; states ordinarily may not.

  
  

  
  

    John is buying me a beer.
  
  ^∗John is liking beer.

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  When employed in a main clause modified by a perfective when clause, events are understood to follow what is described in the when clause; states are understood to start before and continue during what is described in the when clause.

  
  

  
  

    When I met John he liked beer.
    When I met John he bought me a beer.

  
  

  
  



• 
  

  Events can serve as the complement in Wh- cleft constructions; statives cannot.

  
  

  
  

    What John did was buy me a beer.
  ^∗What John did was like beer.

  
  

  
  

Note, however, that I say 'fairly' reliable. Many verbs have both stative and eventive senses; and even those which ordinarily do not may be 'recategorized' by use in particular contexts or particular constructions. Be, for instance, is about as stative as you can get; but when it is cast in the progressive it has an 'activity' sense = 'behave':

John is being a jerk. = John is behaving like a jerk.

The Aspect tag-wiki gives some more examples.