Verb tense, aspect, and mood are grammatical features that describe different qualities of a verb. Here's a breakdown:
1. Tense
Tense places the action in time (when it happens). The main tenses in English are:
- Present – I eat.
- Past – I ate.
- Future – I will eat.
2. Aspect
Aspect describes the flow or completion of an action. The main aspects are:
- Simple – action as a point (e.g., She works.)
- Progressive (Continuous) – ongoing action (e.g., She is working.)
- Perfect – completed before another point (e.g., She has worked.)
- Perfect Progressive – ongoing action that was happening before another point (e.g., She has been working.)
Each tense can combine with aspects:
- Past Perfect Progressive – She had been working.
- Future Simple – She will work.
3. Mood
Mood expresses the attitude of the speaker or the purpose of the sentence. Key moods include:
- Indicative – stating facts (e.g., He goes to school.)
- Imperative – giving commands (e.g., Go to school!)
- Subjunctive – expressing wishes, hypotheticals, or demands (e.g., If I were rich..., I suggest that he study.)
- Conditional – expressing something that depends on a condition (e.g., She would travel if she had time.)
Would you like examples that combine all three: tense, aspect, and mood?