n (grammar): The
'perfective aspect' is a feature of the
verb which denotes viewing the event the verb describes as a completed whole, rather than from within the event as it unfolds. For example, "she sat down" as opposed to "she was sitting down". Since the focus is on the completion of what is expressed by the verb, this aspect is generally associated with the
past tense|past and
future tenses. This term is often used interchangeably with
aorist aspect.
This is not to be confused with the perfect tense.