Event Shape / Aspect
Is it ongoing, completed, habitual, repeated, or just starting?
Significado
The internal time shape of an event: in progress, finished, repeated, habitual, started, continued, or result-focused.
Como identificar
Ask how the event unfolds over time, not just when it happens.
Exemplos
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
Vista por língua
Na tua língua
Aspect is encoded by tense choice, estar plus gerund, ter plus participle, adverbs, and context.
Ela está escrevendo a carta.
She is writing the letter.
Na língua que estás a aprender
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.