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
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 la langue d’apprentissage
Aspect is central: perfective, imperfective, participles and auxiliary constructions shape event meaning.
كان يقرأ عندما اتصلتُ.
He was reading when I called.
Learners may use one verb form for all ongoing, habitual, and completed meanings.
Same block, different coding
Both languages use this block strongly, but they signal it differently. Focus on form changes, not only meaning.