• SHINY K.P.

  Author

This paper reviews the research carried out in the area of Time and Aspect of English by well known grammarians. According to Huddelston and Pullum, English has two-dimensional systems of temporal reference which comprises the categories of primary tense and secondary tense. Primary tenses express the distinction between past and present time. For example, "He went to school" contains a verb in the preterite tense (went). In "He goes to school" the tense of the verb is present (cf. Huddleston and Pullum 2002: 116).

Quirk et al (1973) classifies verbs as lexical verbs and auxiliary verbs. All auxiliary verbs are divided into primary and modal. Tense is taken to express time and aspect is taken to express manner. They also talk about a distinction between dynamic and stative verbs.

Zandvoort (1962) talks of neutral present, iterative present and actual present. Past also has iterative meaning. Perfect is divided as continuative, resultative and experiential perfect, on the basis of meaning.

Leech and Svartvik (1975) talk of present state, present event, present habit, temporary present, temporary habit.Present perfect is divided into resultative, indefinite, habitual and stative.

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