Simple Aspect: What It Is and How To Use It

Do you know what the simple tense is? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on simple tenses, including its definition, usage, example sentences, and more!

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What is the simple aspect?

According to Walden, there are many different forms of verbs in the English language, from a simple form of the verb to complex:

  •   Present perfect progressive tense 
  •   Simple future tense
  •   Future perfect tense
  •   Present participle tense
  •   Conditional tense
  •   Simple conditional tense
  •   Present continuous tense
  •   Infinitive tense
  •   Bare infinitive tense
  •   Conditional progressive tense
  •   Indicative tense
  •   Gerund tense or gerund phrase 
  •   Simple past tense
  •   Simple present tense
  •   Subjunctive tense
  •   Present progressive tense
  •   Conditional perfect tense
  •   Present perfect progressive/continuous tense
  •   Present indicative tense
  •   Past progressive tense 
  •   Conditional perfect progressive tense
  •   Past participle tense
  •   Past perfect tense
  •   Perfect passive tense
  •   Imperative tense
  •   Present perfect tense
  •   Future perfect progressive tense
  •   Future progressive tense
  •   To-infinitive tense
  •   Present perfect continuous tense
  •   Past perfect progressive tense
  •   Past progressive/continuous tense

Today we will go over the simple aspect. According to Grammar Monster, the simple aspect includes the simple past tense of the verb, the simple present tense of the verb, and the simple future tense of the verb. The simple tenses express facts or habits and do not specify if they are completed actions or ongoing actions. This verb tense can be used in first person, second person, or third person. These verb conjugations can express a single occurrence of a completed action, general truths, and ongoing actions. The base form of the verb for a regular verb is conjugated differently for the different first, second, and third person.

Other aspects in their own grammatical category include the progressive aspect which refers to continuous actions in the present moment, future or past, the indefinite aspect, perfect aspect, indicative mood, imperfective aspect, and other aspect’s name.

What are examples of the simple aspect of a verb?

Take a look at the below list of simple example sentences from EF, English Page, English Study Page  and English Study Here:

  •  We ate meat with my best friend yesterday.
  •  Shall we go to the cinema tonight?
  •  I don’t wash the dishes.
  •  They had a meeting with her colleagues.
  •  She will cry.
  •  The train does not leave at 10 AM.
  •  Did they lose the match?
  •  It smells very delicious in the kitchen.
  •  We won’t go to the cake shop.
  •  Will you go to the concert of realistic songs?
  •  We watched a movie last weekend.
  •  I am afraid you won’t remember me.
  •  She left for Britain with Ben Nevis yesterday.
  •  You are going to cry.
  •  Mary forgot to turn off the light.
  •  They sleep in the afternoon.
  •  He is going to jump.
  •  I cancelled my meeting for tomorrow.
  •  He smoked a cigarette.
  •  Every child likes an ice cream.
  •  She likes bananas.
  •  A gardener swept up dead leaves.
  •  She won’t watch the football match.
  •  They will play football in that field.
  •  My cat runs very fast.
  •  You children will be the future of this country.
  •  I fell off of the monkey bars as a kid.
  •  They lived in Spain.
  •  I met my wife 20 years ago.
  •  June cleans his hamsters’ cage on Tuesdays.
  •  It usually rains every day I have an exam.
  •  He had a dog last year.
  •  My daughter does the laundry.
  •  She left the school.
  •  Two boys played with a bike.
  •  We played basketball last Sunday.
  •  The Queen of England lives in Buckingham Palace.
  •  Amelia chose to stay with her father.
  •  Does she drink coffee?
  •  He’ll carry your bag for you.
  •  I will do the assignment next month,
  •  I liked the film.
  •  We did a lot of shopping at the shopping mall.
  •   I will not attend the program because of my busy schedule.
  •  California is in America.
  •  You don’t listen to me.
  •  It will rain tomorrow.
  •  George came home very late last night.
  •  What shall I tell the boss about this money?
  •  I will miss you when you move to another country.
  •  He played the violin.
  •  I enrolled in the pilates course.
  •  Tomorrow, My father will apply for a new job.
  •  Michael studied hard all year.
  •  We listened to music.
  •  We were good friends.
  •  It discovered a new land.
  •  Does she live in Paris?
  •  The lyricist will write a realistic song.
  •  Alex changed his place.
  •  It snows a lot in winter in Russia.
  •  We go to the highest mountain together.
  •  It will stay in the outside.
  •  The sun rises at 7 AM.
  •  He cut his finger and went to hospital.
  •  They bought 5 tickets for the concert.
  •  You were at the station.
  •  I run four miles every morning.
  •  Did you practice your spelling rules yesterday?
  •  Did she clean her home?
  •  Do you like spaghetti?
  •  We live in Texas.
  •  You will do exactly as I say.
  •  I will sing different kinds of songs, especially modern.
  •  Last night before bed I took a shower, moisturized my face, and brushed my teeth.
  •  I will go to London next week.
  •  He loves to play basketball.
  •  He doesn’t teach math.
  •  I’ll do the washing-up.
  •  I like geography and science.
  •  The rain stopped an hour ago.
  •  They speak English in USA.
  •  I don’t like tea.
  •  She plays basketball.
  •  Last year I traveled to Germany.
  •  I won’t leave until I’ve seen the manager!
  •  She swims every morning.
  •  I forgot my wallet.
  •  She doesn’t use a computer.
  •  They did not stay at the party the entire time.
  •  I missed the class last week.
  •  We see them every week on Saturdays.
  •  They were students last year.
  •  The baby won’t eat his soup.
  •  We go to a gallery every Sunday.

As an overview, the simple tense can be used to express habitual actions, general truths, or facts in the past, present, or future. With the exception of the simple future tense, verbs in the simple aspect are not formed using auxiliary verbs or participles.

Sources:

  1. Verb Forms: “-ing,” Infinitives, and Past Participles – Grammar – Academic Guides | Walden University 
  2. Simple future tense | EF
  3. Examples of Simple Future Tense | Learn English 
  4. 50 Sentences of Simple Future Tense | English Study Here
  5. 90 Sentences of Simple Present Tense, Example Sentences | English Study Page  
  6. Simple Past Tense | ENGLISH PAGE 
  7. 50 Sentences of Simple Past Tense | English Study Here 
  8. Simple Tenses | What Are the Simple Tenses? | Grammar Monster 
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Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.

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