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Tense and Aspect
How to talk about when things happen
🕰️ Why do we
need it?
Imagine saying:
"I eat breakfast."
But are you talking about right now? Every day? Yesterday? Without tense and aspect, we don’t know when or how long something happens.
This grammar family is like a calendar and a clock built into your words—it helps you say:
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When something happens (past, present, future)
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How long it lasts (moment, ongoing, repeated)
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If it’s finished or still happening
⚙️ How does it work?
We combine two tools:
1. Tense (when)
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Past → "I walked."
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Present → "I walk."
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Future → "I will walk."
2. Aspect (the shape of the action over time)
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Simple → a single moment or general truth
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("I walk every day.")
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Progressive → action in progress
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("I am walking now.")
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Perfect → completed with a link to another time
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("I have walked.")
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Perfect Progressive → action in progress and connected to another time
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("I have been walking for an hour.")
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🎯 When do we use this?
Telling stories (clear time order)
Making plans (what happens next)
Sharing routines (daily life)
Describing progress (what you’ve done or are doing)
🧠 Tip for Learners:
Think of Tense as:
“when the photo was taken,”
and Aspect as:
“what the photo shows happening.”
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