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"More and more forests are disappearing because of fires." or "More and more forests disappear because of fires." which one is grammatically correct? Our English teacher said that disappear is a stative verb. I am not sure if she is right or wrong, because she makes a lot of grammatical mistakes while teaching and I always notice it. But maybe I am the wrong one

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  • Would you think 'More forests seem to be disappearing every year' is wrong? 'Disappear' can be punctive (Dumbledore disappeared in that infuriating way of his) or refer to a gradual process.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Nov 7, 2019 at 19:11
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    Where did you get the idea that it can't? :)
    – Lambie
    Nov 8, 2019 at 0:55

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Both are correct. The verb disappear is frequently used in the present continuous: for example, the title of a recent New York Times article:

Independent Hotels Are Disappearing as Chains Grow 1

In this usage, I do not believe disappear is a stative verb. Oxford defines it as

disappear (v) cease to be visible. 2

With the example

He disappeared into the trees.

This is not a state of being but rather an action.

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