Simple Past

Question

Staying there for a while, I understood she is insane. Is the above sentence grammatical  and 'Staying there for a while' showing simple aspect  here?

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

LeGion12359Is the above sentence grammatical

Yes, but strange; not a native choice.

LeGion12359 'Staying there for a while' showing simple aspect

No. Simple aspect:

He goes
She ran
I will study

LeGion12359 · Answer

Mister MicawberNo. Simple aspect:He goesShe ranI will study

Which aspect then?
Staying there for 15 min, I clearly understood the place was a disaster.
What about the aspect of this?

Mister Micawber · Answer

It is a non-finite present participle. It is continuous.

CalifJim · Answer

Mister MicawberIt is a non-finite present participle. It is continuous.

The OP's confusion is due to information given on another thread where I contrasted the two participial forms thus:

staying - simple aspect
having stayed - perfect aspect

completely ignoring "continuous aspect", which, though present in both participial forms, was not a contrastive element that was relevant for the discussion there. (Link below.)

CJ

Simple Grammar

LeGion12359 · Answer

CalifJimThe OP's confusion is due to information given on another thread where I contrasted the two participial forms thus:staying - simple aspecthaving stayed - perfect aspectcompletely ignoring "continuous aspect", which, though present in both participial forms, was not a contrastive element that was relevant for the discussion there.

Absolutely correct Teacher, At that time, I didn't know the difference of tense and aspect, I used to mixed them together that's why I didn't ask you of the continuous aspect.
By looking at the sentence, I see a continuous aspect in it instead of a simple one as you told me.
Staying there for 15 minutes, I clearly understood the place was a disaster.
In terms of meaning, Staying there for 15 minutes = I was staying their for 15 minutes,showing a continuous aspect,how can it shows a simple aspect like this: I stayed there for 15 minutes.......... ?
On the other hand, If I look at the sentence below, I see a Perfect aspect as you told me also.
After staying there for 15 minutes, I clearly understood the place was a disaster =Having stayed......= I had stayed...., though the form used is present participle (staying) which is generally used in continuous sentences.
Could you please clarify all this?

CalifJim · Answer

LeGion12359Could you please clarify all this?

I used the term 'simple' to indicate 'without perfect aspect'.

taking - non-perfect (simple)
having taken - perfect

All present participles (active participles) contain -ing, so "continuous aspect" when applied to such forms is a somewhat vacuous description. Palmer (The English Verb) does not use that terminology for present participles, and I'm following his classification system for the most part. Here's the full chart of forms for the verb 'take', according to Palmer:

Finite forms ...................................... Non-Finite forms.........................
................................................Infinitives .................. Participles .......

Active

Simple: .....................................to take ..................... taking ............
Present: takes
Past: took
Continuous: ..............................to be taking ......... [no *being taking]
Present: is taking
Past: was taking
Perfect: .................................. to have taken .......... having taken
Present: has taken
Past: had taken
Perfect continuous: ............ to have been taking .... having been taking
Present: has been taking
Past: had been taking

Passive

Simple: .................................. to be taken ................. being taken
Present: is taken
Past: was taken
Continuous: ....................... to be being taken ........ [no *being being taken]
Present: is being taken
Past: was being taken
Perfect: ............................. to have been taken ......... having been taken
Present: has been taken
Past: had been taken
Perfect continuous: .......... to have been being taken ... having been being taken
Present: has been being taken
Past: had been being taken

In other systems of classification the forms called "active participles" above are called "present participles", and the forms called "passive participles" are called "past participles". The term "progressive" means the same as the term "continuous". You may see either term used.

CJ

Simple Past

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