Turkish: A Comprehensive Grammar

21
TENSE, ASPECT AND MODALITY
Tense, aspect and modality are grammatical categories mainly affecting the verbal
constituent of a clause, although adverbials may also contribute to their expression.
Tense (21.2) expresses the temporal location of the situation being talked about,
indicating whether this is before, at, or after a particular reference point (usually, but not
always, the moment of speech).
(1)
(a) Okul-lar pazartesi açıl-dı.
school-PL Monday open-PF
‘The schools started on Monday.’
(b) Okul-lar pazartesi açıl-acak.
-FUT
‘The schools will start on Monday.’
Aspect (21.3) indicates whether the situation is presented as completed, ongoing, or part
of a recurring pattern.
(2)
(a) Ahmet bir elma ye-di.
an apple eat-PF
‘Ahmet ate an apple.’
(b) Ahmet bir elma yi-yor-du.
-IMPF-P.COP
‘Ahmet was eating an apple.’
(c) Ahmet sabahları bir elma ye-r-di.
-AOR-P.COP
‘In the mornings Ahmet used to eat an apple.’
Modality (21.4) is a complex category, being concerned with possibility and necessity,
with the speaker’s degree of commitment to the factuality of a statement, and with the
speaker’s desire for something to happen or not happen.
(3)
(a) Sevil bu konu-yu araştır-abil-ir.
this matter-ACC investigate-PSB-AOR
‘Sevil can/could/may look into this matter.’
(b) Sevil bu konuyu araştır-mış-tır.
-PF-GM