Good definitions and reservations Johanna.

The conjugations fit into a formulaic chart, but the everyday
_usage_ of English verbs does not follow the chart in any way tidy
and formulaic.

But does this necessarily lead to a conflict between traditional and
linguistic grammar?

The fact is, the chart exists and is intelligible; no harm in studying
it.  Fact is, usage diverges from the chart in countless interesting
ways.  Let's study everything about grammar.

R.E.


Date sent:              Thu, 29 Jun 2000 11:10:46 -0800
Send reply to:          Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
                <[log in to unmask]>
From:                   Johanna Rubba <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:                progressive and perfect
To:                     [log in to unmask]

> There's another way to remember the difference between the progressive and
> perfect aspects. 'Progressive' or 'continuous' forms designate an action
> _in progress_, so the term 'progressive' makes sense. 'I will have been
> running', even with all of the tense complications, still designates the
> action (run) as in progress or underway. 'Perfect' is a less perfect
> terminology choice ... but think of 'perfect' as meaning 'perfected' --
> finished, such that no more fiddling is needed. Perfect verb forms
> designate an action that is completed, finished -- it started and came to
> an end. The 'high-quality' feature of the ordinary meaning of 'perfect'
> isn't relevant, but the 'finished' feature is. At the moment at which you
> 'have run five miles', you have stopped running; the running is finished