19. Tense and aspect as grammatical categories of the English verb

1. The category of tense. The immediate expression of grammatical time, or “tense”, is one of the typical functions of the finite verb. We consider time as realization of 3 spheres: the sphere of the PRESENT; the sphere of the PAST; the sphere of the FUTURE.

In Modern English two temporal categories are recognized in the system of the English verb: the category of primary time and the category of prospective time. Both of them answer the question: what is the timing of the process? The category of primary time provides for the absolutive expression of the time of the process denoted by the verb, i.e. such an expression of it as gives its evaluation in reference to the moment of speech. The category of primary time, having the past tense as its strong member, expresses a direct retrospective evaluation of the time of the process, fixing the process either in the past or not in the past.

The category of prospective time is purely relative. It gives the timing of the process a prospective evaluation, fixing it either in the future or not in the future.

2. The category of aspect shows the way in which the action develops, whether it is in progress or completed, etc. There are 3 aspects: common, continuous, perfect. He works. (common). He is working. (continuous). He has worked. (perfect).

The category of tense is very clearly expressed in the forms of English verb. This category denotes the relation of the action either to the moment of speaking or to some definite moment in the past or future. The category of tense and the category of aspect are intermingled. And 4 groups of tenses are distinguished: Indefinite, Continuous, Perfect and Perfect Continuous. The Indefinite has no aspect characteristics; the Continuous, Perfect and Perfect Continuous forms denote both time and aspect relations. Each of these forms includes 4 tenses: Present, Past, Future and Future-in-the Past, i. e. future from the point of view of the past. Thus, there are 16 tense-aspect forms in English (of active voice) and 10 of Passive voice.

The Indefinite form merely shows that the action takes place in the present, past or future. The form of the verb gives no indication as to its duration or completion. The Continuous form denotes an action in progress at the present moment or at a given moment in the past or future. It is formed by means of the auxiliary verb to be in the required tense and Participle I of the notional verb. The Perfect form denotes an action completed before the present moment (and connected with it) or before a definite moment in the past or future. It is formed by means of the auxiliary verb to have in the required tense and Participle II of the notional verb. The Perfect Continuous form denotes an action in progress, whose duration before a definite moment in the present, past or future is expressed. It is formed by means of the auxiliary verb to be in one of the perfect tenses and Participle I of the notional verb. (I have been working).