What Is the Aspect of a Verb? (with Examples)
What Is the Aspect of a Verb? (with Examples)
The aspect of a verb is determined by whether the action is on going or completed.The four aspects are:
- Simple Aspect (also known as the indefinite aspect)
- Perfect Aspect (also known as the complete aspect)
- Progressive Aspect (also known as the continuing aspect)
- Perfect Progressive Aspect
Examples of Aspect
Here are some examples of the aspects in sentences:- He took the photos. (simple aspect - no emphasis of completed or on-going action)
- He had taken the photos by the time the owner arrived. (perfect aspect - action completed)
- He was taking the photos when the owner arrived. (progressive aspect - action on going)
- He had been taking the photos before the owner arrived. (perfect progressive aspect - action on going but then finished)
Aspect applies equally to the present tense and the future tense.
Aspects in Past, Present, and Future Tenses
Here is a table showing how the different aspects are formed in the past, future, and future tenses:| The Simple Aspect (Indefinite Aspect) | Example |
|---|---|
| simple past tense | I went |
| simple present tense | I go |
| simple future tense | I will go |
| The Perfect Aspect (Completed Aspect) | Example |
| past perfect tense | I had gone |
| present perfect tense | I have gone |
| future perfect tense | I will have gone |
| The Progressive Aspect (Continuing Aspect) | Example |
| past progressive tense | I was going |
| present progressive tense | I am going |
| future progressive tense | I will be going |
| The Perfect Progressive Aspect | Example |
| past perfect progressive tense | I had been going |
| present perfect progressive tense | I have been going |
| future perfect progressive tense | I will have been going |
