Do you know what verb aspect is? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on verb tenses, including its definition, usage, example sentences, and more!
Your writing, at its best
Compose bold, clear, mistake-free, writing with Grammarly's AI-powered writing assistant
According to Walden, there are many different aspects or tenses of verbs in the English language:
past perfect tense
past participle
Simple past tense
Conditional perfect tense
Simple future tense
verb tenses
present tense verbs
Future progressive tense
past progressive tense
Perfect passive tense
perfect tenses
Future perfect tense
simple tenses
past tense verbs
progressive verb tense
Past progressive/continuous tense
Present perfect tense
present progressive tense
future verb tenses
Present perfect progressive/continuous tense
present perfect progressive tense
Conditional perfect progressive tense
Imperative tense
Indicative tense
Future perfect progressive tense
Conditional progressive tense
perfect progressive tense
To-infinitive tense
Simple conditional tense
Past perfect progressive tense
past tenses
Subjunctive tense
future tense
present tense
Present participle tense
simple present tense
Imperfect tense
perfect verb tense
Gerund tense or gerund phrase
progressive tenses
Conditional tense
Past participle tense
Bare infinitive tense
These are all called aspects or tenses of a verb. According to Grammar Monster, aspects include the perfective aspect, progressive aspects, simple aspect, the indicative mood, the present progressive aspect, the continuous aspect, the completive aspect, perfective verbs, perfect progressive aspect, an imperfective verb, the infinitive form, subjunctive mood, perfect progressive tenses, the imperfective aspect, and more. These are all used for different things such as ongoing action, a complete action, general truths, things in present time, past actions, repetition, habitual action, things that happened in past time, et cetera. The present tense form of the verb discusses currently happening action, for example. The future tense verbs refer to future action that will be taken. There are many different verb tenses with regular verbs and irregular verbs are conjugated differently. These different tenses may seem confusing at first, but after a lesson they will be second nature.
See if you can determine which aspect the following sentences from Your Dictionary are in.
You will meet Joe at the next party. (a prediction)
Erin smokes.
By next week, she will have been traveling for six months.
My alarm rings at seven. (it will ring whether I am there to hear it or not)
Jessica will take the elevator on Thursday. (a prediction based on observation)
He quit drinking many years ago.
I have been cooking for days.
The party starts at eight. (a scheduled event)
I walk to work every day.
He had been traveling for 36 hours.
He will have finished his science project by the time school starts.
I will walk to work tomorrow. (a promise and prediction)
You met Joe at Jim’s party.
I have eaten dinner already.
Jim doesn’t drink anymore.
Erin will spend thousands of dollars on tobacco this year. (a prediction based on calculation)
The elevator inspector comes on Tuesday. (an unchanging appointment)
Jessica always takes the elevator.
Erin smoked 20 cigarettes on Friday.
By 8 P.M., the oven will be roasting.
The candles are flickering.
They had danced for over three hours before going home.
The castle was shining in the moonlight.
I walked to work yesterday.
Jim’s AA meeting is next Wednesday. (a scheduled event)
Jessica took the elevator this morning.
Jim won’t drink any kind of alcohol. (a prediction based on observation)
Do you know Joe?
What are other grammar terms?
There are many different literary and grammatical techniques and devices that you might see when you are reading prose or poetry. It is important to recognize these terms because they are always used for some purpose. Knowing these devices can help readers understand the author’s deeper meaning and why they are using such a device. Take a look at the below list of grammatical devices from OED and see how many you know! Then try researching ones that are unfamiliar to you.
Overall, there are many different verb tenses and aspects in the English language. Verbs are a grammatical category. Try seeing if you can spot different verb aspects used in sentences today.
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.
Kevin
November 26, 2021
Common Questions
