The Tense and Aspect System Chapter 7, Part 7 ENGLISH 5050: English Syntax and Morphology Robert F. van Trieste, Ph.D. All quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from chapter 7 of The Grammar Book, 2nd edition.

“Future” Tense Perfect Aspect A future action that will be completed prior to a specific future time: I will have finished all this word processing by 5 P.M. A state or accomplishment that will be completed in the future prior to some other future time or event: At the end of the summer the Blakes will have been married for 10 years.

Present Tense Progressive Aspect: 1 Activity in progress: He is attending a meeting now. Extended [temporary] present (action will end and therefore lacks the permanence of the simple present tense): I'm studying geology at the University of Colorado. A temporary situation: Phyllis is living with her parents. Repetition or iteration in a series of similar ongoing actions: Henry is kicking the soccer ball around the backyard. Expresses future (when event is planned; usually with a future-time adverbial): She's coming tomorrow.

Present Tense Progressive Aspect: 2 Emotional comment on present habit (usually co-occurring with frequency adverbs always or forever): He's always delivering in a clutch situation. (approving) He's forever acting up at these affairs. (disapproving) A change in progress: She's becoming more and more like her mother.

Past Tense Progressive Aspect An action in progress at a specific point of time in the past: He was walking to school at 8:30 this morning. Past action simultaneous with some other event that is usually stated in the simple past: Karen was washing her hair when the phone rang. While Alex was traveling in Europe, he ran into an old friend. Repetition or iteration of some ongoing past action: Jake was coughing all night long. Social distancing . . .: I was hoping you could lend me $10.

“Future” Tense Progressive Aspect An action that will be in progress at a specific time in the future: He will be taking a test at 8 A.M. tomorrow. [He is going to be taking a test at 8 A.M. tomorrow. He should be taking a test at 8 A.M. tomorrow.] Duration of some specific future action: Mavis will be working on her thesis for the next three years. [Mavis is going to be working on her thesis for the next three years. Mavis could be working on her thesis for the next three years.]

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