Tense & Aspect: 8.i. Chapter Overview

Chapter 8: Tense & Aspect from English Grammar: A Descriptive Linguistic Approach
by Gulsat Aygen | 9781465262745 | 1st Edition | 2014 Copyright

Property of Kendall Hunt Publishing
Chapter 8
Tense & Aspect
Contents
Chapter 8 Tense & Aspect
8.i. Chapter Overview
8.i.i. Preview
8.i.ii. Vocabulary
8.1. Tense
8.1.1. Present Tense
Exercises 8.1.1. Simple Present Tense Identification
8.1.2. Past Tense
Exercises 8.1.2. Simple Present/Simple Past Tense Identification
8.1.3. Future Tense
Exercises 8.1.3. Tense Identification
8.2. Aspect
8.2.1. Progressive Aspect
Exercises 8.2.1. Progressive Aspect Identification
8.2.2. Perfect Aspect
8.2.2.1. Simple Past Tense vs. Present Perfect
Exercises 8.2.2. Progressive/Perfect Aspect Identification
8.2.3. Perfect Progressive Aspect
Exercises 8.2.3. Perfect Progressive Aspect Identification
8.2.4. Simple Aspect
Exercises 8.2.4. Aspect Identification
8.2.5. Review of Tense and Aspect:
Exercises 8.2.5. Tense & Aspect Identification
Chapter 8 Cumulative Application
Summary Points for Chapter 8:
Chapter 8 Review
Answer Key for Chapter 8 Review
8.i. Chapter Overview

8.i.i. Preview
The goal of this chapter is to identify the first two major inflectional properties marked on verbs: tense and
aspect. We will study the tense and aspect system of English. We will classify tense as past, present, and future.
We will classify aspect as progressive, perfect, and perfect progressive. The aspect types may co-occur with
anytense.
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English Grammar
8.i.ii. Vocabulary
Directions: Write the definitions of the following in your own words, and, if possible, give an example of each
type of word.
Word
Definition
Tense
utterance time
inflection
past
present
future
hypothetical
aspect
simple
progressive
perfect
perfect progressive
8.1. Tense
We categorize time as past, present, and future. We locate states and events in one of these categories when we
speak or write. The grammaticalized form of time in an utterance is called tense.Tense is always marked on the
first verb of the verb complex:
The cat is purring right now.

The auxiliary verb is marks present tense.
The cat was purring when I held it.

The auxiliary verb was marks past tense.
Tense is marked on verbs that denote states or events:
States are expressed with linking verbs or other stative verbs that do not denote actions:
The adventurous young woman is very creative.
He likes the tango.
Events are expressed with action verbs:
The department chair throws a party every semester.
They watched a classic film together.
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Chapter 8: Tense & Aspect
157
Table 8.1. Tense

Past
Present
Future
She walked
She walks
She will walk
8.1.1. Present Tense

The present refers to the time when a sentence or utterance is spoken or written. The present event (E) or the
present time (T) always includes the utterance time, which is the actual time of speech (now, today, this year, this
century, etc). If we assume time to be a line, we can place the utterance time (UT) in the middle and refer toit
asnow.
Using a timeline, events in the present tense occur at the UT or
within a time frame that includes the UT.
Tina Says 8.1.1.a.:
I see him now.
The term simple before a tense

name refers to the fact that there is
no aspect marked on the verb.
E/T
_______________________UT _______________________
past present future
now
! Simple present tense

! Simple past tense
! Simple future tense
Table 8.1.1. Present Forms of the Auxiliary Verbs

[BE]
Singular
[DO]
Plural
Singular
[HAVE]
Plural
Singular
Plural
I am
we are
I do
we do
I have
we have
you are
you are
you do
you do
you have
you have
s/he, it is
they are
s/he, it does
they do
s/he, it has
they have
When the present event refers to a current state, a habitual or recurrent

event in the present time, or to a timeless event, it is called the simple
present tense.
Simple present tense may refer to:
the present state of a subject:

I am in my office now.
the timeless present:

Five times five equals twenty-five.
Tina Says 8.1.1.b.:
Utterance time is the speech

time. The time when the
speaker utters a sentence or
the writer writes a sentence is
the Utterance time.
a more restricted time frame for a state of affairs that may exist in the future:
He is tall.
We live in Chicago.
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habitual events that happen every day/every week:

I run by the lake every morning.
even a millennium, as long as that timeframe includes the utterance time. The inclusion of the utterance
time is marked by the presence of the present demonstrative this:
Such shows attract audiences only in this century.
future events if it is certain that the future event will take place:
The wedding ceremony begins at five oclock.
Her plane leaves before noon.
the past, called the historic present, aka the narrative present, as a narrative style. It is used to narrate past
events, or events of fiction, as well as events in headlines:
The short story takes place in Kiev.
A store keeper kills the burglar!
In the simple present tense, the verb is in its basic form except when the subject is in the 3rd person singular:
I go we go
you go you go
s/he, it goes they go
When the subject is in the 3rd person singular, the verb takes the {-s} ending. If the verb ends with the letters s/
ss/x/ch or sh, the ending for simple present tense is {-es}:
The cat crosses the street at green lights.
The time-denoting adverbs, adjectives or nouns that are used most commonly in the simple present tenseare:
Adjectives: Every: every day, every week, every time

This: this week, this year, this century
Frequency adverbs: always, sometimes, never, etc.

Nouns functioning as adverbs: now, today
Exercises 8.1.1. Simple Present Tense Identification

Directions: Underline the present tense verbs in the following sentences.
Example: My ninety-four year old neighbor exercises every day.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
A powerful antioxidant called astaxanthin gives salmon its characteristic color.

In the novel, the main character falls in love with the daughter of his boss.
Tina sleeps for eighteen hours every day.
Researchers claim that there are very good reasons to drink berry juices.
Cranberry juice protects against hardening of the arteries.
My doctor insists that blackcurrant juice reduces inflammation.
Goji berry juice improves energy and promotes weight-loss.
She claims that Acai juice is good for joint pain.
She prefers more sweetness in her juice and adds apple juice to her drinks.
The flu always makes you feel tired.
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8.1.2. Past Tense

Past tense refers to any event (E) located before the utterance time, and it is marked on auxiliary verbs or
content verbs.
If we use a timeline, we locate events/times in the past tense before the UT.
I saw him yesterday.

E/T
_______________________UT _______________________
past present future
yesterday
Table 8.1.2. Past Forms of the Auxiliary Verbs
[BE]
[DO]
[HAVE]
Singular
Plural
Singular
Plural
Singular
Plural
I was
we were
I did
we did
I had
we had
you were
you were
you did
you did
you had
you had
s/he, it was
they were
s/he, it did
they did
s/he, it had
they had
When the past event refers to a past state or a single event in the past, it is called the simple past tense.
Simple past tense is marked on content verbs. The past tense marker for regular content verb s is {-ed}:
PRESENT
PAST
walk
walked
talk
talked
consider
considered
Irregular content verb s may have different past tense forms, as discussed in Chapter 5:
PRESENT
PAST
catch
caught
sleep
Slept
think
thought
There are adverbs, adjectives, and nouns that refer to the past:
yesterday, five days ago, last year

I walked to my office yesterday.
[WALK]
present tense = walk past tense = walked
Rescue dogs saved many lives after the earthquake last year.
[SAVE]
present tense = save past tense = saved
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Exercises 8.1.2. Simple Present/Simple Past Tense Identification

Directions: Underline the simple present tense verbs and double underline the simple past tense verbs in the
following sentences.
Example: They deserted the horses in the mountains last week, but I want to help those horses.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Digestion requires more energy than all other activities of the body.
Her day started with one hour of exercise and resistance training.
The bestselling author gave an interesting talk at the university club last weekend.
Most college students prefer to communicate with their extended families through social media.
The newlyweds decided to have a fall-themed wedding.
8.1.3. Future Tense

The future tense refers to any event after the utterance time. The future is traditionally regarded a tense although it
has more modal qualities, given that the future is not factual, but hypothetical. Hypothetical means it is imagined
or thought of, but is not a fact in the actual world. When the future event refers to a future state or a single event
in the future, it is called the simple future tense.
If we use a timeline, we locate events in the future tense after the UT.
I will live here next year.
E/T
_______________________ UT
Tina Says 8.1.3.a.:
_______________________
past present future next year
The simple future tense is expressed in different forms in English. The
most commonly used form is with the auxiliary will + basic form of
the verb:
The present progressive is also

used to express the future.
We are giving a retirement
party for him next week.
As we will see, present

progressive is formed with
[BE] V+ing
The financial aid personnel will help students in need.

[HELP]
present tense = help past tense = helped future tense = will help
There is a tendency to use the will future form when a decision about the immediate future is made only at the
utterance time:
A: May I have your order please?

B: I will have chicken and rice.
Another future form is [BE] + going to + basic verb:
The students are going to use clickers when they take quizzes in this class.
In this form, the auxiliary verb [BE] is inflected in the present for the meaning to be in the future.
The [BE] + going to future is commonly usually used for expression of intention. If one has thought about
what is said in advance, one prefers this form of the future. Imagine a scenario in which you are out to celebrate
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your weight loss after you have been dieting for a month, and you have already decided what to eat for celebration
in advance:
A: May I have your order please?

B: I am going to have chicken and rice.
The most commonly used adverbs, adjectives, nouns and prepositional phrases which refer to the future are
the following:
Adjective: Next: next week, next year, next decade

Noun functioning as an adverb: tomorrow
Prepositional phrases: in two years, in a week, etc.
Tina Says 8.1.3.b.:
Exercises 8.1.3. Tense Identification

Directions: In the following sentences, underline the simple present
tense verbs, double underline the simple past tense verbs, and put the
future tense verbs within <angled brackets>.
Example: If they hear that you are already here, they <will want> to
joinus.
Being inflected refers to the

addition of grammatical
information such as tense or
aspect. When the auxiliary
verb [BE] is inflected in the
present it takes the forms
am, is, are depending on
the subject. When a regular
content verb is inflected in the
past it takes an additional ed
form.
1. Last year, he followed the footsteps of Rousseau in Switzerland

and Paris and spent three weeks in Europe.
2. Next summer, the researcher will do fieldwork in the Caucasians.
3. The attorney objected to the claims of the prosecution because he had full faith in his clients innocence.
4. He decided to propose to his girlfriend right after his promotion.
5. My sister worked in a science lab and told me that beets boost immunity.
6. Most investigators are going to analyze the initial reports.
7. Playing with clay will help you relax.
8. You dont have to be a genius to participate in a book club.
9. Many centuries ago, her ancestors migrated from the steppes of Central Asia.
10. When will everybody understand that I will never give up my principles?
8.2. Aspect
Aspect is a grammatical category that refers to the manner in which a verbal action is viewed or experienced
in terms of whether the action is complete or ongoing. English has two aspects: progressive and perfect. The
progressive refers to an ongoing event; the perfect refers to a completed
event. The progressive and perfect aspect may combine in a verb complex
and form the third aspect, perfect progressive aspect:
The candidates are preparing for the audition now.

progressive
The candidates have prepared for the audition for two hours.
perfect
The candidates have been preparing for the audition since they
arrived. perfect progressive
Tina Says 8.2.:
Simple present, simple past

and simple future tenses
have no aspect specification
because they refer to a single
event; therefore we call them
simple.
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These aspects co-appear with tenses depending on whether the event takes place during, before or after the
utterance time.
To determine the tense, we look at the first verb that is the auxiliary verb in a verb complex.
Past
Progressive
The candidates were

preparing for the
audition yesterday.
Perfect
The candidates had

prepared for the audition
for two hours
Perfect progressive
were = past
had = past
The candidates had

been preparing for the
audition since they
arrived.
had = past
Present
Future
The candidates are

preparing for the
audition now.
The candidates will

be preparing for the
audition tomorrow.
are = present
The candidates have

for two hours.
The candidates will have

for two hours.
have = present
The candidates have

been preparing for the
audition since they
arrived.
will = future
will = future
The candidates will

have been preparing for
the audition since they
arrived.
have = present
will = future
8.2.1. Progressive Aspect

The progressive refers to ongoing events and it is expressed with the presence of the auxiliary verb [BE] and the
ending {-ing} on the content verb:
She is sleeping now.

The sleeping is an ongoing action.
The auxiliary verb [BE] is inflected with the tense:
Present - I am working now.

Past - I was working when he arrived.
Future - I will be working when you arrive tomorrow.
Tina Says 8.2.1.a.:
Inflection refers to endings

with grammatical meaning:
She is dancing.
is = [BE] inflected for
present tense
They were talking.
were = [BE] inflected for
past tense
When progressive aspect is used with different tenses, what changes is

the time of the ongoing event; for instance, in present progressive the
ongoing event includes the utterance time. The speech time may cover
the second, minute, hour, day, week, month, year or even the century in
which the utterance is spoken or written:
Meta-modernism is dominating now/today/this year/this century/this millennium.
If the event is in the present, then the ongoing event (E) or time (T) overlaps with the UT:
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I am dancing.
_______________________ UT/ E/T _______________________

past present future
If the event is in the past, then the ongoing event or time precedes the UT:
I was dancing.
______ E/T __________UT _______________________

past present future
If the event is in the future, then the ongoing event or time follows the UT:
I will be dancing.
_______________________UT ______ E/T __________

past present future
In English, the following formula represents the progressive aspect marked on the verb complex:
[BE]Tense V+ing
In this formula, the superscript Tense means that the auxiliary verb [BE] will be inflected for tense. The formula
dictates two conditions for progressive aspect. These two conditions will help us identify progressive aspect in
verb complexes.
1. The superscript Tense means that the auxiliary verb [BE] will be inflected for any tense.
2. The following content verb needs to appear with the addition of ing.
Verbs with stative meanings do not occur in the progressive aspect since a state cannot progress.
*He is being tall.

He is tall.
Verbs that refer to actions that are considered to be beyond ones control, such as [LOVE], [WANT], and [HATE]
do not occur in the progressive aspect, either:
*They are liking it.

They like it.
*She was knowing French.

She knew French.
Exercises 8.2.1. Progressive Aspect Identification

Directions: In the following sentences, underline the progressive aspect verb complex(es). If there are no
progressive aspect phrases, write no progressive aspect.
Example: The rich lady is considering leaving her wealth to stray animals.
1. My friend is currently training for an upcoming marathon.
2. The Democrats were not expecting such a result.
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3. They will be paying the bills online starting next January.

4. Tourists might be shopping on Michigan Avenue right now.
5. Who is making all this noise?
8.2.2. Perfect Aspect

The perfect aspect refers to completed events, and it is used for events that are complete. The perfect aspect is
marked with the presence of the auxiliary verb [HAVE], and the past
participle form of the verb (the {ed/en}):
I have danced all night.
The tense is marked on the auxiliary verb [HAVE].
Present tense/perfect aspect: She has passed all her exams.

has = present tense
passed = perfect aspect
Past tense/perfect aspect: She had passed all her exams when she
heard the bad news.
had = present tense
Tina Says 8.2.2.a:
The word perfect comes from

the Latin perficere which
means to finish.
She has eaten.
The event of eating is
complete.
She is full.
Future tense/perfect aspect: She will have passed all her exams by the time her parents visit her.
will have = present tense
When the perfect aspect is used with the tenses, it refers to an event completed by a certain time (|T|= completed
time) or event (|E|= completed event): the UT (present tense), a time or event before the UT (past tense), or a
time or event after the UT (future tense).
If the event is completed by the UT or by an event or time in the present, i.e. the UT, then the form is:
I have read Shakespeare.
_______________________|E/T| UT _______________________
past present future
If the event is completed by an event or time in the past, i.e. before the UT, then the form is:
I had read Shakespeare before I came to NIU.

E1 = I came to NIU
E2 = I had read Shakespeare
_______|E2| _______|E1|_______ UT _______________________

past present future
If the event is completed by a time or event in the future, i.e. after the UT, then the form is:
I will have read Shakespeare by the end of next semester.

E = I will have read Shakespeare
T = the end of next semester
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_______________________ UT _______|E|_______|T|_______
past present future
In English, the following formula represents the perfect aspect marked on the verb complex:
[HAVE]Tense V+ ed/en
In this formula, the superscript Tense means that the auxiliary verb [HAVE] will be inflected for tense. The formula
dictates two conditions for perfect aspect. These two conditions will help us identify perfect aspect in verb
complexes.
1. The superscript Tense means that the auxiliary verb [HAVE] will be inflected for tense.
2. The following content verb needs to appear in the past participle form with {-ed/-en}.
The most commonly used prepositions referring to time in the perfect aspect are since and for. Prepositional
phrases that start with these two prepositions function as adverbs and modify the verb inflected in the perfect
aspect:
Bobs visitors have stayed for two days.
8.2.2.1. Simple Past Tense vs. Present Perfect

It is important to distinguish between simple past tense and the present perfect.
The simple past refers to events that happened before the utterance time. We usually give a date or time of such
events.
Selim ate lunch at 11a.m.
The present perfect is usually mistakenly labeled past tense.
The Grand Bizarre in Istanbul has operated since 1455.

has = present tense
has been = present perfect aspect
Suppose you stop by your friends room and ask her to have lunch with you, and she responds:
I have eaten.
What she means is that she is full now because she has already eaten.
The event is completed by the UT. Because of the perfect aspect, we know that the event is completed,
but the completion does not mean that we are in the past tense. The event is completed by the UT, but
it is relevant at the UT.
Consider the following example:
A: Jane, shall we have lunch together?

B: Thanks, I have already eaten.
The present perfect in the answer does not refer directly to the act of eating but to the fact that the
speaker is full now because she has eaten.
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Exercises 8.2.2. Progressive/Perfect Aspect Identification

Directions: In the following sentences, underline the progressive aspect verb complex(es), and double underline
the perfect aspect verb complex(es).
Example: Her mother has cooked three different dishes for her return from college.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Acupuncture has been a major medical treatment since the Zhou dynasty.
Every creative person is trying to create a new genre in literature.
They have designed a new floor for modern paintings at the museum.
Most painters in New York are competing to get a spot on that floor.
Researchers had given up their hopes of finding a cure before a young researcher discovered a
potentialcure.
8.2.3. Perfect Progressive Aspect

The perfect and progressive aspects may combine to form the perfect progressive aspect. The perfect progressive
aspect is used to refer to an event that has/is/will be completed, but the event is/was/will be ongoing during that
given time. The perfect refers to the completed part of the event, the progressive to the ongoing part.
The cats have been playing in the garden for three hours.
The cats have been playing in the garden since 10 a.m.
have been playing = perfect progressive aspect
The cats played for three hours until now/the utterance time and the cats are still playing now.
When the perfect progressive aspect is used with the tenses, it refers to an event (E) that is both:
1. completed by a certain time (|T|= completed time) or by a certain event (|E|= completed event)
2. ongoing at that certain time (T): the UT (present tense), a time or event before the UT (past tense), or a
time or event after the UT (future tense).
If the ongoing event is completed by the UT, then the form is:
Die Antwoord has been making cutting-edge music since 2007.

E = Die Antwoord has been making cutting-edge music
T = since 2007
________T______________|E| UT _______________________
past present future
If the ongoing event is completed by an event E or time T in the past, i.e. before the UT, then the form is:
They had been learning Arabic until the semester ended.

E1 = they had been learning Arabic
E2 = the semester ended
_______|E1|_______ |E2| _______ UT _______________________

past present future
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If the ongoing event is completed by a time T or event E in the future, i.e. after the UT, then the form is:
The class will have been studying grammar for seventeen weeks.
E = the class will have been studying grammar
T = seventeen weeks
_______________________ UT _______|E|_______|T|_______
past present future
The perfect progressive aspect expresses both the completion of the event and the ongoing nature of the
event at the same time. Consequently, the verb comple x needs to satisfy the conditions both for perfect and
progressive aspect. The formula for perfect progressive aspect actually combines the perfect aspect formula with
the progressive aspect formula. The formula for perfect progressive aspect satisfies the two conditions for perfect
aspect as well as the two conditions for progressive aspect:
Perfect aspect:
[HAVE]Tense V+ -ed/-en
Progressive aspect:
[BE]Tense V+ -ing
Perfect progressive aspect:

[HAVE]Tense been V+ -ing
Bobs brother has been living in that place for over twenty years.
has been satisfies the requirements of the perfect aspect
[HAVE]Tense = has
V+ -ed/-en = been
been living satisfies the requirements of the progressive aspect:
[BE] = been
V+ -ing = living
Exercises 8.2.3. Perfect Progressive Aspect Identification

Directions: In the following sentences, put [brackets] around the perfect progressive aspect verb complex(es).
Example: Children [had been swimming] in the ocean for a while when the sharks swam by.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The lazy staff member has been complaining about the difficulty of the tasks assigned to him for years.
Your horses had been running freely for hours when I saw them.
The journalists will be trying to convince their editor to get the news piece published.
Both musicians will have been practicing for five hours in ten minutes.
Someone had been playing the piano since the early hours of the morning.
8.2.4. Simple Aspect

In brief, the tense and aspect of a sentence are marked by the inflection on the verbs as well as the choice of the
auxiliary verb. If there is no auxiliary verb, the aspect is nonexistent, and we call that simple. As we have seen in
section 1 above, present, past, and future tenses with no aspect specification are considered to be simple: simple
present tense (section 1.1.), simple past tense (section 1.2.), and simple future tense (section 1.3.).
The tense is marked on the content verb in the present and past; the future requires the auxiliary will:
Simple present: She walks to work every day.

Simple past: She walked to work yesterday.
Simple future: She will walk to work tomorrow.
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Exercises 8.2.4. Aspect Identification

Directions: In the following sentences, underline the progressive aspect verb complex(es), double underline the
perfect aspect verb complex(es), put [brackets] around the perfect progressive aspect verb complex(es), and put
<angled brackets> around the simple aspect verb complex(es).
Example: Retail companies <decided> to expand their investments last year.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
The police were following the suspect when he attempted to rob a gas station.
The behavior of the man at the train station has drawn the attention of the security guards.
Most graduates will still be unemployed next year.
The teenagers have been dancing on the beach since five oclock.
The best jazz musicians have been visiting Chicago since the 1930s.
Why had they awarded the man with a single book at the ceremony?
My neighbors are going to celebrate their 40th anniversary next month.
My father was a poet.
As a journalist, she has covered many war stories.
The new graduate students will have finished their dissertation by 2018.
8.2.5. Review of Tense and Aspect:

The brief review below will help you identify the tense and aspect of a given verb complex.
Where is tense marked?
If there is an auxiliary verb, tense is marked on the auxiliary verb.
She was planning to go to a graduate school.

was = auxiliary verb
was is the simple past tense form of the auxiliary verb [BE]
If there is no auxiliary verb, tense is marked on the content verb.
She hopes for a miracle.
hopes = content verb
hopes is the 3rd person singular simple present tense form of the verb [HOPE]
How is aspect marked?
The choice of the auxiliary verb determines the aspect:

[BE] appears in progressive aspect, [HAVE] in perfect aspect.
The inflection on the main verb marks aspect as well: on the verb, {-ing} appears in progressive aspect, past
participle {ed/en} appears in perfect aspect:
Progressive aspect:
Present progressive: She is walking to work now.

Past progressive: She was walking to work when I saw her.
Future progressive: She will be walking to work tomorrow at 9 a.m.
Perfect aspect:
Present perfect: She has walked to work for five years.

Past perfect: She had walked to work when I called her to offer a ride.
Future perfect: She will have walked to work by 9am tomorrow.
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Perfect progressive aspect:

Present perfect progressive: She has been walking to work since I saw her.
Past perfect progressive: She had been walking to work until she was given a shuttle pass.
Future perfect progressive: She will have been walking to work for ten years next week.
Table 8.2.5. Tense/Aspect System of English

TENSE
ASPECT
Past
Simple
V-ed
I walked
was/were V-ing
Progressive
[BE]Tense V+-ing
I was walking
had V-en
Perfect
[HAVE]Tense V+ed/-en
I had walked
had been V-ing
Perfect
progressive
[HAVE]Tense been
V+-ing
I had been
walking
Present
V(-s)
Will V
I will walk
I walk
am/is/are V-ing
I am walking
has/have V-en
Future
I have walked
has/have been
V-ing
will be V-ing
I have been
walking
I will be walking
will have V-en
I will have walked
will have been V-ing
be + going to + V
I am going to walk
I will have been walking
Exercises 8.2.5. Tense & Aspect Identification

Directions: In the following sentences, underline the verb complex(es) and write the tense aspect of each verb
complex above it using the code system below:
Simple present
SPr
Present
progressive
PrPg
Present
perfect
PrPf
Present perfect
progressive
PrPfPg
Simple past
SPa
Past progressive
PaPg
Past perfect
PaPf
Past perfect
progressive
PaPfPg
Simple future
SF
Future
progressive
FPg
Future
perfect
FPf
Future perfect
progressive
FPfPg
PaPg
SPa
Example: My cousin was giving me a hard time for bringing my husband to the party when you called.
1. I am getting worried about his health because he has not called me this week.
2. They have been protesting the GMOs in food for over twenty years now.
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170
English Grammar
3. The civil rights advocates in Chicago will have been working to defend the Bill of Rights for over
fifty years next year.
4. When I called her to ask her on a date, she had already made plans for the weekend.
5. Will you be joining us at the concert at the symphony this evening?
6. English has borrowed many words from other languages of the world.
7. Had the kids been playing video games for hours when you went home?
8. Considering the impact of his new investments on the success of the company, I am not surprised
that he has become the CEO.
9. They were whispering to each other when the concertmaster walked on stage.
10. Whenever she skips her daily exercise in the morning, she takes a long walk in the evening.
11. Everyone who signs these documents has a right to claim a copy.
12. I am going to go on a long vacation after the semester ends.
13. They have brought the new bed; now we sleep more comfortably.
14. The shop keeper didnt want to help us when we asked him the directions to the opera.
15. The newlyweds have been trying to make their parents happy.
Chapter 8 Cumulative Application

Directions: In the following paragraph, underline the verb complex(es) and write the tense aspect of each verb
complex above it using the code system below:
Simple present
SPr
Present
progressive
PrPg
Present perfect
PrPf
Present perfect
progressive
PrPfPg
Simple past
SPa
Past
progressive
PaPg
Past perfect
PaPf
Past perfect
progressive
PaPfPg
Simple future
SF
Future
progressive
FPg
Future perfect
FPf
Future perfect
progressive
FPfPg
SPr
Example: The goal of this chapter is to identify the first two major inflectional properties marked on verbs: tense,
and aspect.
We have studied the tense and aspect system of English in this chapter. We have classified tense as past, present,
and future, and aspect as progressive, perfect, and perfect progressive. We have formulated the tense-aspect
combinations to understand the tense-aspect system easily. When I was studying the tense-aspect system of
English for the first time, I did not see any distinction between tense and aspect. The names of the tenses are very
confusing if you do not understand the difference between tense and aspect and do not learn that the names of so
called tenses actually consist of both the tense and the aspect of a verb complex. In later years, I learned about
aspect. Since then, I have been trying to find a simple way to describe the tense-aspect system of English. Finally,
I came up with the formulae presented in this chapter. I believe that the formulae presented in this chapter will
help students of grammar in understanding the tense-aspect system easily. I will be thinking about the topic in the
coming years to find yet a better and simpler way to explain it.
Summary Points for Chapter 8:
Tense is a grammatical manifestation of the time of the event or state in the sentence.
There are three tenses: present, past, future.
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171
Simple present verb is bare except for the 3rd person singular when there is an s at the end of the verb.
Simple past verb requires an ed at the end of the regular verbs; irregular verbs may have
different forms.
Simple future verb has either the modal will or am/is/are going to before the verb.
Simple present, simple past, and simple future tenses refer to a single event in the given time with reference
to the utterance time.
Aspect refers to the action being complete or ongoing.
There are two aspects and a combination of the two aspects in English: progressive, perfect, and perfect
progressive.
Progressive aspect refers to ongoing events, and it is marked with the presence of the auxiliary verb [BE]
and the -ing ending on the verb.
Perfect aspect refers to completed events, and it is marked with the presence of the auxiliary verb [HAVE]
and the verb in the past participle form ed/-en.
Perfect progressive aspect is formed by the presence of [HAVE] followed by been and the verb in the past
participle form ed/-en.
Chapter 8 Review
Directions: Fill out the chart with the formula and a simple example.
Tense
Aspect
Past
Example: Formula: subject + VERB + {-ed} + (object)Example:

eg: I loved her.
Present
Formula: 1st
eg:
Formula:
eg:
Future
Formula: eg: Formula: eg:
Simple
Formula:
eg:
Perfect
Formula:
eg:
Progressive
Formula:
eg:
Perfect
progressive
Formula:
eg:
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English Grammar
Answer Key for Chapter 8 Review

Tense
Aspect
Past
Example: Formula: subject + VERB + {-ed} + (object)

Example: eg: I loved her.
Present
Formula: 1st & 2nd person singular & plural, & 3rd person singular =
subject + basic verb + (object)
eg: I love them. You love me. They love us.
Formula: 3rd person plural = basic verb +{- s} + (object);
s/ss/x/ch or sh = subject + basic verb +{-es} + (object)
eg: She loves you. It swishes.
Future
Formula: subject + will + basic verb + (object)eg: I will love.Formula:

subject + [BE] + going to + basic verb + (object)
eg: Im going to love.
Simple
Formula: subject + basic verb + (object)

eg: I paint.
Perfect
Formula: subject + [HAVE]Tense V+ ed/en + (object)

eg: I had painted.
Progressive
Formula: subject + [BE]Tense V+ing + (object)

eg: I am painting.
Perfect
progressive
Formula: subject + [HAVE]Tense been V+-ing + (object)

eg: I have been painting.
Note: Objects may not be required depending on the type of verb.
More To Do with Grammar: Chapter 8

Linguists:
Tense and aspect are major inflectional/

functional categories that are pivotal to the
clausal architecture in languages. There are
many interesting grammatical phenomena
related to tense. One such phenomenon is the
sequence of tense:
Educators:
It is crucial to distinguish tense from aspect

because they refer to different grammatical
categories.
A major mistake students make is to assume
that all instances of the {ing} on a verb refer
to the present and that all instances of the
past participle refer to the past tense; both
assumptions are incorrect.
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If an ongoing event in the past is

interrupted by another act/event in the
past, the former is expressed in the past
progressive, and the latter in the simple
past tense.
I was still cooking when he came.
was cooking = past progressive
came = simple past tense
When an event in the past precedes
another past event, then the former is
expressed using the past perfect.
I had already cooked when he came.
had cooked = past perfect
came = simple past tense
There are specific patterns in which the tense
of an independent clause determines what the
tense and aspect of the dependent clause can
be. (see Chapter 12 for clauses)
I know that she saw him.
I knew that she had seen him.
She has grown wiser since she had the
accident.
Give the students a text a passage from a

book or magazine that uses:
both present perfect and simple past
tense.
Ask them to identify the tense of each
sentence.
sentences in the progressive aspect but
in different tenses.
Ask them to identify the tense of each
sentence.
Ask the students to write a paragraph on
their accomplishments in their lives to date
using the present perfect.
Have students underline their verb
complexes/predicates.
173
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Tense & Aspect: 8.i. Chapter Overview

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Chapter 8: Tense & Aspect from English Grammar: A Descriptive Linguistic Approach

by Gulsat Aygen | 9781465262745 | 1st Edition | 2014 Copyright

8.i. Chapter Overview

The cat is purring right now.

The cat was purring when I held it.

Tense is marked on verbs that denote states or events:

Chapter 8: Tense & Aspect

Table 8.1. Tense

She will walk

8.1.1. Present Tense

Tina Says 8.1.1.a.:

I see him now.

The term simple before a tense

! Simple present tense

Table 8.1.1. Present Forms of the Auxiliary Verbs

When the present event refers to a current state, a habitual or recurrent

the present state of a subject:

the timeless present:

Tina Says 8.1.1.b.:

Utterance time is the speech

habitual events that happen every day/every week:

The cat crosses the street at green lights.

Adjectives: Every: every day, every week, every time

Frequency adverbs: always, sometimes, never, etc.

Exercises 8.1.1. Simple Present Tense Identification

A powerful antioxidant called astaxanthin gives salmon its characteristic color.

Chapter 8: Tense & Aspect

8.1.2. Past Tense

I saw him yesterday.

yesterday, five days ago, last year

Exercises 8.1.2. Simple Present/Simple Past Tense Identification

8.1.3. Future Tense

I will live here next year.

Tina Says 8.1.3.a.:

The present progressive is also

As we will see, present

The financial aid personnel will help students in need.

A: May I have your order please?

Another future form is [BE] + going to + basic verb:

Chapter 8: Tense & Aspect

A: May I have your order please?

Adjective: Next: next week, next year, next decade

Tina Says 8.1.3.b.:

Exercises 8.1.3. Tense Identification

Being inflected refers to the

1. Last year, he followed the footsteps of Rousseau in Switzerland

The candidates are preparing for the audition now.

Tina Says 8.2.:

Simple present, simple past

The candidates were

The candidates had

The candidates had

The candidates are

The candidates will

The candidates have

The candidates will have

The candidates have

The candidates will

8.2.1. Progressive Aspect

She is sleeping now.

The auxiliary verb [BE] is inflected with the tense:

Present - I am working now.

Tina Says 8.2.1.a.:

_ UT/ E/T _

E/T UT ___________________

___________UT E/T

___|E2| _|E1|_ UT ___________________

___|E1|_ |E2| _ UT ___________________