Event Shape / Aspect
Is it ongoing, completed, habitual, repeated, or just starting?
Signification
The internal time shape of an event: in progress, finished, repeated, habitual, started, continued, or result-focused.
Comment le repérer
Ask how the event unfolds over time, not just when it happens.
Exemples
still|already|used to|finished|ongoing
is reading|has written|keeps asking
She is writing the letter.
Visual guide
Event = line, aspect = shape start ── writing ── end now: [in progress] She is writing the letter. Ask: ongoing? finished? repeated?
Time vs aspect: WHEN? past / now / future SHAPE? ongoing / done / habitual English: is reading / has written Other languages: verb form, aux, particle, prefix, or context
Vue par langue
Dans votre langue maternelle
Aspect is encoded by tense choice, periphrases, adverbs, and context rather than a single system.
Elle est en train d’écrire la lettre.
She is in the process of writing the letter.
Dans votre langue d’apprentissage
En anglais, l’aspect est très important : les formes progressive, perfect et perfect progressive changent la façon de présenter l’événement.
She has been studying.
has been studying = événement en cours et encore pertinent maintenant
Les apprenants confondent souvent les formes simples, progressives et perfect, surtout le present perfect et le simple past.
Same block, different coding
Both languages use this block strongly, but they signal it differently. Focus on form changes, not only meaning.