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15
will be speaking
has been speaking
will speak
has spoken
The forms in the left-hand column (whether taken in context, or treated by themselves) have a definite
meaning: they describe an action as a concrete process going on continuously at a definite moment of time, or
characteristic of a definite period of time (hence its name - the continuous aspect). The forms in the right-hand
column, if treated by themselves, are devoid of any specific aspectual meaning. They denote the action as such,
in a most general way, and can acquire a definite and more specified aspective meaning due to the lexical
meaning of the verb and specific elements of the context in which they are used. Thus, for example, the verb
form sang, when regarded out of context, has no specific aspectual characteristics, conveying only the idea of
the action of singing with reference to the past. However when the same form is used in the context, it acquires
the aspectual meaning conferred on it by that context. Compare the following sentences:
When he was young he sang beautifully (пел = умел петь).
He went over to the piano and sang two folk-songs (спел).
He went over to the piano and sang (запел).
While everybody was busy lighting a camp fire, he sang folk-songs (пел).
The fact that these forms may express different aspectual meanings according to the context, accounts for
the term - the common aspect.
§ 12. Whereas all verbs can be used in the common aspect, there are certain restrictions as to the use of the
continuous aspect. Some verbs do not usually have the forms of the continuous aspect. They are referred to as
statal verbs. The most common of them are the following:
1. Relational verbs have, be and some link verbs:
become, remain, appear, seem, sound.
However, both to be and to have can be used in the continuous aspect forms where to be has the meaning to
act and to have has a meaning other than to possess.
She is so foolish!
I have three brothers.
She is being so foolish (acting foolishly) today.
I am having dinner (am dining) now.
Other verbs having the same meaning of relation are not used in the continuous aspect forms:
to apply to
to belong to
to compare (to)
to concern
to contain
to cost
to depend on
to deserve
to differ from
to exist
to hold
to interest
to matter
to measure
to own
to possess
to remember
to stand for
to weigh
2. Verbs expressing sense perception, that is involuntary reactions of the senses:
to feel (чувствовать),
to hear (слышать),
to see (видеть),
to smell (чувствовать запах),
to taste (чувствовать вкус).