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Definitions from WordNet

Definitions from the Web

Imperfective Aspect

Description:

The imperfective aspect is a grammatical concept used in some languages to indicate an ongoing or incomplete action. It describes an action that is not viewed as being finished or limited in time. The imperfective aspect is often contrasted with the perfective aspect, which portrays an action as completed or already finished.

Examples:

As a verb:

• He was running towards the finish line. (indicating an ongoing action)
• They are playing soccer in the park. (showing an incomplete action)

As a noun:

• In Russian, the imperfective aspect is used to describe habitual or continuous actions.
• The imperfective aspect exists in Slavic languages to express ongoing states.

As an adjective:

• The imperfective verb form adds the sense of duration to the action.
• Choosing between perfective and imperfective aspects depends on the intended meaning of the sentence.

Related Products:

• Books on verb aspect
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