Tense and Aspect Review

• Remember that tense tells you the time (past, present, future), while aspect tells you about the flow or completeness of the action (simple, continuous, perfect). Choosing the right combination changes the exact meaning of your message.
• Aspect
• Focus
• Example
• Simple
• Facts, habits, completed wholes
• Sarah leads the design team in Boston.
• Continuous
• Ongoing actions, temporary states
• Mark is currently restructuring the studio.
• Perfect
• Connection to a reference point
• We have already established our design vision.
• Remember
• Use simple forms for permanent facts and completed single actions.
• Use continuous forms for actions in progress or temporary situations.
• Use perfect forms to show completion or relevance before another point in time.
• Examples
• Rachel has managed the Chicago office since January.
• They were reviewing the wireframes when the client called.
• By next month, David will have finished his first ninety days.
• Common mistakes
• I am working at Apple in Cupertino for five years.
• I have been working at Apple in Cupertino for five years.

Complete the sentences

• By the time Lisa joined the studio in Austin, they (hire) ____ three new product designers.
• Right now, Kevin (conduct) ____ a listening tour across the Seattle branch.
• Our team in New York (complete) ____ the current-state assessment yesterday afternoon.
• Before taking this role, Emma (work) ____ at Google in San Francisco for six years.
• Next week, the design managers (launch) ____ a quick wins plan in Denver.
• At this exact moment tomorrow, Brian (present) ____ the new operating model in Chicago.

Sources: photo by Pixabay on Pexels