Grammar and structure

TENSE-ASPECT-MOOD

Yolan Cesar D. Zea

TENSEis a form of a verb that

is used to show when an action happened. There are only two

genuine tenses in

English (present and past), although the future is also

frequently referred to as a tense.

Present Tensesignifies action, being or state of being in present time.

Examples:

1.My brother walks around the subdivision every morning.

2.The birds fly back to their nest

at noon.

Past Tensesignifies action, being or state of being that has been done already in the past.

Examples:

1.The chef cooked a delicious meal for the guests.

2. She bought some donuts a while ago.

Future Tensesignifies action still to be done or

to happen in some future time. We

use will or shall plus the simple

form of the verb.

Examples:

1.He will sing tomorrow.

2.Shall we attend the party tonight?

ASPECTis the expression of the temporal structure of an action or state. Aspect expresses on going actions or states with or without distinct end points. English has three aspects: progressive, perfect and perfect-progressive.

Present Progressiveindicates continuing action, something going on now.

This is formed with the helping

"to be" verb, in the present tense,

plus the present participle of the verb

(with an -ing ending).

Progressive Tense

Examples:

1. The summer is passing too quickly.2. Raoul is acting like his father.3. She is working through the holiday break.

Past Progressiveindicates continuing action, something that was happening, going on, at some point in the past.

This is formed with the helping "to be" verb, in the past tense,

plus the present participle of the verb (with an -ing ending).

Examples:

1. I was riding my bike all day yesterday.

2. Joel was being a terrible role model for his younger brother.

3. They were dancing a lot last night.

Future Progressiveindicates continuing action, something that will be happening, going on, at some point in the future.

This is formed with the modal "will

or shall" plus "be," plus the present participle of the verb.

Examples:

1. By this time, tomorrow night, I 

will be sleeping in my own bed.

2. Next fall, we will be enjoying all 

     the vegetables we planted last spring.

3. Will we be spending too much money 

     if we buy that big-screen TV?

Perfect TensePresent Perfect

is formed with a present tense form of "to have" plus the past participle of the verb. This indicates either that an action was completed (finished or "perfected") at some point in the past or that the action

extends to the present.

Examples:1. I have walked two miles already. 

2. I have studied up to now.

3. The company's current CEO has lied repeatedly to her employees.

Past Perfect

indicates that an action was completed (finished or "perfected") at some point in the past before something else happened. This tense is formed with the past tense form HAD plus the past participle of the verb.

Examples:1. I had walked two miles by lunch time.

2. I had run three other marathons before entering the Boston Marathon .

3. She had swum the English Channel every summer until 1997.

Future Perfect

indicates that an action will have been completed (finished or "perfected") at some point in the future. This is formed with "will" plus "have" plus the past participle of the verb.

Examples:• I will have spent all my money 

   by this time next year. 

• I will have run successfully in three marathons if I can finish this one.

• By this time next week, I will have worked on this project for twenty days.

Perfect-Progressive Tense

expresses incomplete or ongoing actions or states that began in the past and continue to a specific time.

Present-Perfect Progressive

indicates a continuous action that has been finished at some point in the past or that was initiated in the past and continues to happen. This is formed with the modal "HAVE" or "HAS" plus "BEEN" plus the present participle.

Examples: 1. Maria has been writing her dissertation

for the last six years, but she

finished yesterday.

1. She has been running and her heart is still beating fast.

2. The Redsox have been losing games since the All-Star break until now.

Past-Perfect Progressiveindicates a continuous action that was completed at some point in the

past. This is formed with the modal “HAD" plus "BEEN," plus the present participle of the verb.

Examples: 1. I had been working in the garden all

morning.

2. George had been painting his house for weeks, but he finally gave up.

3. Had they been cheating on the exams before the school put monitors in the classroom?

Future-Perfect Progressive indicates a continuous action that will be completed at some point in the future. This tense is formed with the modal "WILL" plus the modal "HAVE" plus "BEEN" plus the present participle of the verb.

Examples:1. Next Thursday, I will have been

working on this project for three years.

2. By the time he finishes this semester, Gerald will have been studying nothing but parasites for four years.

3. Will they have been testing these materials in the lab before we even

get there?

MOODS• conveys the speaker's attitude

about the state of being of what

the sentence describes.

• is the form of the verb that

shows the mode or manner in which a thought is expressed.

Indicative Moodis used to express a fact. Being sure of the speaker’s attitude (not a wishful thought or command).

Examples:

1.We want to get high grades.

2.The topic requires research.

3.She needs a shower.

Subjunctive Moodexpresses doubt or something contrary to fact. It states probability, possibility and wishful thoughts. (if, maybe, may, probably, wish)

Examples:

1.If I should see him, I would tell him.

2.May you live long and prosper.

Imperative Moodexpresses command, prohibition, entreaty (petition), or advice.

Examples:

1. Don’t smoke in this building.2. Be careful!3. Don’t drown that puppy!

Questions:Identify of what tense/aspect are the following sentences:

1.Right now, you are typing the computer.

(present progressive)

2. You have visited Argentina before.

(present perfect)

3. I had been working with the project all day.

(past perfect-progressive)

ENDThank you very much.Good life to

all!

References:• Dryer, M. S. (n.d.). Position of Tense-Aspect Affixes.

Retrieved 01 06, 2015, from http://www.linguisticsnet.com/: http://goo.gl/kVUDwq

• Kosur, H. M. (2013, 12 2). The English Verb System For ESL Students. Retrieved from http://www.brighthubeducation.com/.

• Kosur, H. M. (2013, 12 2). The English Verb System For ESL Students. Retrieved 01 7, 2015, from http://www.brighthubeducation.com/: http://goo.gl/yN9dNN

• Kosur, H. M. (2013, 12 2). The Formation and Use of the Perfect Aspect in English. Retrieved 01 7, 2015, from http://www.brighthub.com/: http://goo.gl/GDJk3V

• Kosur, H. M. (2013, 12 2). The Formation and Use of the Perfect-Progressive Aspect in English. Retrieved 01 7, 2015, from http://www.brighthubeducation.com/: http://goo.gl/Rw2Pcj

• Buenaventura, R. B. (2011). Grammar in Focus. Quezon City: SIBS Publishing House.

• Dawson, R. (2013, 08 26). English Grammar 101: Verb Mood. Retrieved 01 09, 2015, from http://www.dailywritingtips.com/: http://goo.gl/jA4hHE

• Foundation, C. D. (n.d.). Guide to Grammar and Writing. Retrieved 01 9, 2015, from http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/: http://goo.gl/IWXm