Research Information System
JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, pp.109-124, 2005 (Peer-Reviewed Journal)
The interpretation of the sentences involving some aspectual properties
and the time adverbials such as in+time phrase, for+time phrase, right now, and
at this point is different in English in terms of duration and process and hence
these time phrases distinguish activity verbs from accomplishment and
achievement verbs. That is, activity verbs take for+time phrases as adverbial
phrases but not in+time phrases. However, accomplishment and achievement
verbs are used with in-phrases but not with for-phrases. Activity verbs with right
now, at this point are acceptable, as well.
This study addresses the issue of whether Turkish learners of English know the
restrictions concerning the use of time adverbials with aspectual classes, and if so,
to what extent they understand and use them. The relationship between the
comprehension and production of time adverbials in English sentences including
aspectual classes and the learners’ proficiency level in general is also examined in
the study.