Tense-Aspect Combinations in English

Consider (2):

• I will leave on Saturday morning.
• I leave on Saturday morning.
• I’m leaving on Saturday morning.
• I will have a meeting on Saturday morning.
• I have a meeting on Saturday morning.
• I’m having a meeting on Saturday morning.

Consider (3)

• I have a meeting on Saturday morning.
• *I have a headache on Saturday morning.
• I’m having a meeting on Saturday morning.
• *I’m having a headache on Saturday morning.
• end of present progressive

Past Progressive What is the form?

Past Progressive

• Form: was, were + V + ing
• Example: We were eating dinner when the phone rang.
• (“Past” is the tense; “progressive” is the aspect.)

Meaning/use: Past Progressive is usually used in one of three ways:

1. To show that an unfinished action occurred at a particular time in the past.

Example 1: At eight o’clock last night, I was taking a shower.

To show that an unfinished action in the past was interrupted by another action in the past.

Example 2: While I was taking a shower, a gorilla walked in.

3. To show two unfinished actions occurring at the same time in the past.

Example 3: While I was taking a shower, my sister was washing dishes.

Note: Past Progressive usually occurs only in sentences with either TWO CLAUSES, or a TIME EXPRESSION. When I was eating, the phone rang. (1st clause) (2nd clause) At eight o’clock, I was taking a shower. (time expression)

It CAN occur in a sentence with a single clause if a time-related sentence is nearby. Last night, I called the police. Our neighbors were making too much noise. end of past progressive