What is imperfective aspect?

Definition
	Imperfective aspect is an aspect that expresses an event or state, with respect to its internal structure, instead of expressing it as a simple whole.

Examples (English)

Progressive aspect

Example:
be + -ing
Habitual aspect with

Example:
used to

Kinds
	What is continuous aspect? What is habitual aspect? What is iterative aspect?

Generic
	Imperfective aspect is a kind of
	What is aspect?

Sources
	Ducrot and Todorov 1979 307
	Pei and Gaynor 1954 97
	Comrie 1976a 24–25, 41–42
	Crystal 1985 153
	Mish 1991 604

Context for this page:

Concept module: imperfective aspect
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): I
In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004

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