TENSES ASPECTS

WEEK 2
SIMPLE ASPECT
DESCRIBES AN ACTION THAT IS SEEN TO
BE COMPLETE AND PERMANENT
The action is viewed as a whole unit

The sun rises at the east (= all the time)

I've read the book and seen the film (completed action)

My father always wore a suit to work (habit)

He died in 1992 (action completed in the past)

The shop will close at 5:30 (simple fact)

 A specific time
period isn't
Because the simple aspect I drink 3
expresses a completed
particularly
action , we must use it if
cups of
relevant, we focus
on the fact that the sentence contains a coffee a
the action number of things that day
takes/took place refers to things done

 THE
CONTINUOUS
ASPECT
Describes an action that is in
progress and temporary

Continuous verb forms express activities, or a series of

activities , viewed at some point between their beginning
and end.
 CONTINUOUS ASPECT
FOCUSES ON THE DURATION WE ARE AWARE OF THE
OF AN ACTIVITY PASSING OF TIME THE ACTIVITY IS NOT
I've been working here for a long PERMANENT AND THE
I' ve been a teacher for 10 years DURATION IS LIMITED
time
now
I'm staying with friends until I have
a place to stay

THE ACTIVITY MAY N OT BE

COMPLETE IS GENERALLY AVOIDED GIVES VERBS SUCH AS LIVE
WITH STATIVE VERBS OR WORK A LIMITED
Who's been drinking my tea? DURATION AND MAKES THEM
I understand your situation TEMPORARY
i'm working as a waiter until I go to
university
 Some characteristics...
1 2 3
The action of some verbs lasts a The action of these verbs It has become common recently
short time. These are often found becomes longer or repeated with to use the continuous aspect
in the simple aspect the continuous aspect even with stative verbs, to add a


sense of immediacy in a
She's cut her finger I've been cutting wood (for a colloquial context.
He hit me long time)

I'm really wishing she hadn't
He was hitting me (Again and come!
again)
 THE PERFECT
ASPECT
AN ACTION AN ACTION PRODUCING A
COMPLETED BEFORE RESULT OR A STATE OF
ANOTHER TIME AFFAIRS RELEVANT TO A
LATER SITUATION
I've read his latest book
( some time before now) I've read his latest book (I

know the story now)
When I arrived, Mary had

cooked the meal When I arrived, Mary had

(sometime before I cooked the meat. (It was
arrived) on the table then).

I will have learned my

I will have learned my
lines before the play
lines before the play
starts (I'll know them in
starts. (some time before
time for the play).
then)

 Some characteristics...
2
1 3
If we want to direct attention
specifically to the result or state The exact time of the action or
Perfect verb forms explicitly link
produced by the earlier action, event is either irrelevant or
an earlier action or event with a
without drawing attention to the disregarded.
later situation
activity that has produced the The important elements are not

state, we don't use a perfect form. time when, but the occurrence of
He has been to LA before

the action itself and the results
or state of affairs produced by it.
I know the book. Is good (present)
The meal was ready, I ate it (past)
I know my lines. I'll give a good
performance (future).