Recognizing the Aspects of Verb

Verbs have two tenses: the past tense and the present tense.
Verbs also have aspects.

Aspect of verb is the verb form used to indicate completion, duration,

or repetition of an action.

The four aspects of verbs are the simple, the perfect, the progressive,
and the perfect progressive.

The chart shows the tense-aspect forms of verbs:

Perfect Progressive
Simple Perfect Progressive
have + been + -ing
have + -en be + -ing

has/have sung
sing/sings am/is/are singing has/have been singing
present has/have talked
talk/talks am/is/are talking has/have been talking

sang had sung was/were singing had been singing

past
talked had talked was/were talking had been talking

Resources:
Joy In Learning English Grade 6
The Simple Aspect

Study these sentences.

1. Grandfather still composes songs.
2. He composed a folk song last month.

Any verb in the indefinite or simple tense is said to be in the simple aspect.
What do the verbs composes and composed express?
Which tells about a complete action? a habitual action?

The Perfect Aspect

The perfect aspect is used to express a completed action.

Read the sentences below. They show the combination of present tense and the
perfect aspect of the verb.

Present Perfect
1. Father has been a musician since he was 16.
2. I have already watched one of his concerts.
3. He has just performed at the Araneta Coliseum.

Past Perfect
1. Father had already performed with the famous orchestra before 2010.
2. If I had trained more seriously, I would have passed the singing audition.

The Progressive Aspect

The progressive aspect is about an event that is incomplete or limited.

Read these sentences.

Present Progressive
1. Father is playing his guitar now.
2. He is teaching music at the Conservatory.
3. My grandparents are living with us.
4. They are leaving us next year.

Past Progressive
1. Father was playing his guitar at 7:30 this morning.
2. The boys were dancing when the lights went out.
3. Sheila was reading all day long.

Resources:
Joy In Learning English Grade 6