What do you know about Aspect?

As explained, we use different verb forms depending on how we look at time -

• Is the action temporary or permanent?
• Is the description an essential truth or just a passing event?
• Do we know when an action occurred in the past, or do we think this information is not relevant?
• Do we need to introduce extra grammar structure to ensure that the speaker understands the sequence of events?

The English language has two different aspects:

• Continuous aspect
• Perfect aspect

The Continuous Aspect

The continuous aspect has the function of expressing actions that happen in a time-frame that is temporary in nature:

• I am living in Ireland at the moment, although my home is in Rio de Janeiro.
• I am wearing a blue t-shirt today. Tomorrow I will wear a dress.
• I was talking to my brother yesterday. He lives in another city and I miss him.
• I was eating my dinner when the phone rang

The Perfect Aspect

The perfect aspect has the function of expressing experiences that happen in a way that is disconnected from time: I have seen the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Taj Mahal in India.

• I have studied 3 languages
• I had finished my studies two years before I read that book.
• I am so glad you are here. I had wanted to talk to you.
• I had lived in Hong Kong before moving to Singapore. Then I came to Ireland.

English verb patterns are made up of different combinations from these two conjugating verb constructions (present and past), plus these two aspects.