What is tense?

Definition
	Tense is a grammatical category, typically marked on the verb, that deictically refers to the time of the event or state denoted by the verb in relation to some other temporal reference point.

Kinds
	Here are some kinds of tenses:
	What is absolute tense? What is absolute-relative tense? What is relative tense?

Generic
	Tense is a kind of
	What is a grammatical category?

Sources
	Crystal 1980 352–353
	Givón 1984 272
	Hartmann and Stork 1972 235
	Nida 1949 167
	Comrie 1985b 9
	Mish 1991 1216

Context for this page:

Concept module: tense
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): T
In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004

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