A grammatical category that marks time by changing the finite verb form (e.g., walked vs walks) is called what?

A grammatical category that marks time by changing the finite verb form (e.g., walked vs walks) is called what?

• A. Aspect
• B. Tenses
• C. Mood
• D. Voice

Answer: (B)

Tense is the grammatical category that locates an event in time by changing the finite verb form. When you say walked, you’re signaling that the action happened in the past; when you say walks, you’re signaling that it happens in the present. This time-referencing function is what tense does directly. Aspect, by contrast, describes how the action unfolds over time (ongoing, completed) and is often shown with different forms or auxiliaries like is walking or has walked. Mood concerns the speaker’s attitude toward the proposition (statement, command, wish), and voice switches who is affected by the action (active vs passive). Since the change from walked to walks marks when the action occurs relative to now, tense is the correct concept.