week three Flashcards
What are the simple aspect main features ?
- statement of fact ( situation regarded as a fact , doesn’t rely on the speaker’s subjective viewpoint )
- whole situation ( situation being referred to in its entirety with no sense of progression, can B completed or repeated )
Simple Aspect
” he lives with his parents”
simply a fact
Progressive
” he is living with his parents”
fact taken as a temporary state of affairs
ongoingness
the action is in progress, unfinished
duration (limited )
the action will only last a limited amount of time
Progressive + state
- Progressive usually used with verbs that express some degree of dynamicity and so isn’t combine with state verb
“I am knowing you” doesn’t work
- BUT , aspect is subjective to the speaker’s perspective, so it is possible to play with it
” wow this trip to Disneyland is costing way too much ! “ ( we are in the middle of the trip coming to this realization )
Progressive + state ( pt.2 )
- verbs related to senses are used in the simple aspect :
“the soups smells good”
- when sensory verbs are combined with the progressive aspect :
” the soup is smelling wonderful” (more dynamic)
Progressive and Accomplishment
- limited view point : prog’ expresses a limited vantage point and a limited duration on a verb (focuses on the middle of the event)
- ing = Jenny is drawing a tree (she hasn’t finished yet)
- with numerical Noun Phrase = “ he is breaking 3 glasses” ( create a fixed endpoint )
Progressive + Achievement
- punctual verbs = prog’ and achievement express a sense of added duration or repetition on a verb
ex : Alice was falling ( + duration )
someone in knocking on the door (+ repetition)
Progressive of affect
progressive + frequency verbs
- critical ( “ mom you are always embarrassing me !” )
- laudatory (“she’s always putting her kids first”)
Progressive of Politeness
prog’ + “hedging” verb :
- I am hoping you can help
- I was wondering if you could
- I was thinking we might …
