What Is the Complete Aspect? (with Examples)
The complete aspect (or perfect aspect as it's more commonly known) is the aspect of a verb that expresses a completed action.Complete aspect is the collective term for verbs (past, present, or future) in a complete tense (or perfect tense).
Examples of Verbs in the Complete Aspect
Here are some examples of verbs in the complete aspect:In the Past Tense
- I had gone.
- They had eaten.
- She had felt.
- I have gone.
- We have cleaned.
- It has recovered.
- I will have gone.
- You will have acted.
- He will have flown.
Forming the Complete Aspect
The complete aspect is formed using a form of the auxiliary verb have and the past participle. For example:Forming the Past Complete Tense
"had" + past participle
- They had eaten.
"has" or "have" + past participle
- He has eaten.
- We have eaten.
"will have" + past participle
- He will have eaten.
Verb Tenses Showing the Complete Aspect
Here is a list of the verb tenses. The ones in the complete aspect are shaded.| The 4 Past Tenses | Example |
|---|---|
| simple past tense | I went |
| past progressive tense | I was going |
| past perfect tense | I had gone |
| past perfect progressive tense | I had been going |
| The 4 Present Tenses | Example |
| simple present tense | I go |
| present progressive tense | I am going |
| present perfect tense | I have gone |
| present perfect progressive tense | I have been going |
| The 4 Future Tenses | Example |
| simple future tense | I will go |
| future progressive tense | I will be going |
| future perfect tense | I will have gone |
| future perfect progressive tense | I will have been going |
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