Aspects of the Present Tense
What are the aspects of the present tense?
Four traditional aspects can be combined with the present tense to create structures known as present simple, present continuous (or present progressive), present perfect, and present perfect continuous. Although these structures are often taught as separate “tenses,” they are actually a fusion of the present tense and aspect. The tense informs us of when the action takes place in relation to the present, while the aspect gives us insight into how the event unfolds over time.
(전통적인 네 가지 aspect (상)가 present tense (현재 시제)와 결합하여 present simple (현재단순형), present continuous (현재 진행형), present perfect (현재 완료형), present perfect continuous (현재 완료진행형) 이라는 구조를 만들 수 있다. 이러한 구조들은 종종 별개의 “시제”로 알려지지만, 실제로는 present tense (현재 시제)와 aspect (상)의 결합이다. 시제는 행동이 현재와 관련하여 언제 일어나는지를 알려주며, 상은 이벤트가 시간에 따라 어떻게 전개되는지에 대한 인지력을 제공한다.)
Present Simple
The present simple structure is used to express general facts and habits that are true in the present time. It is formed using the bare infinitive (the base form of the verb), or, in the case of the third person singular, the bare infinitive + “-s” or “-es.” For example:
- “We love Thai food.”
- “James swims on Sundays.”
- “We study at the library every day.”
Present Continuous
The present continuous is a combination of the present tense and the continuous aspect. It is used to describe actions that are currently happening or will happen in the near future. It is formed using the present form of the verb be (are, am, or is) + the present participle. For example:
- “They’re playing outside.” (in progress now)
- “Can I call you back? I’m driving.” (in progress now)
- “We’re eating dinner with my in-laws tonight.” (in progress in the future)
The continuous aspect is not usually used with stative verbs. For example, we cannot say “I am knowing John many years” or “She is seeming sad.”
Present Perfect
The present perfect is a grammatical combination of the present tense and the perfect aspect, used to express actions or states that began in the past but has a connection to the present, emphasizing the completion of the action. It is formed using have/has + the past participle. For example:
- “She’s already eaten.”
- “We’ve seen this movie.”
- “I’ve had a bad cold this week.”
Present Perfect Continuous
The present perfect continuous is a grammatical combination of the continuous, perfect aspect, and present tense used to indicate actions that started in the past and are still relevant in the present. The main difference between it and the present perfect aspect is that the present perfect continuous emphasizes the progression of the action rather than its completion. Like the present continuous, it is primarily used with action verbs and not with stative verbs. The present perfect continuous is formed using have/has + been + the present participle. For example:
- “We have been waiting for a long time.”
- “My little sister has been sitting very quietly.”
- “I’ve been cleaning all day.”