What you’ll gain

Learn how changes to the verb can communicate how an action happens over time.

Show a single action

Recognize how a one-time action differs from an action that continues or repeats.

Show repeated actions

Learn how signing can communicate that an action happens more than once.

Show intensity over time

See how changes in movement can communicate increasing or sustained intensity.

Who’s it for

Learners who know basic verbs but want to express more precise information about how actions happen over time.

The grammar learner

You want to understand how ASL expresses concepts that English often handles with additional words.

The developing signer

You can describe an action but struggle to communicate whether it was repeated, ongoing, or intensified.

The learner

You want your signing to communicate more information without making every sentence longer.

What is in the lesson

Five passes through temporal aspect.

In a format that works

High-quality video

Instant access

Watch on any device

Part: 1

Single action

Start with a straightforward action and identify what makes it different from actions that continue or repeat.

Part: 2

Repetition

Explore how repeated movement can communicate frequency.

Part: 3

Continuous action

See how movement can represent duration and an action that continues over time.

Part: 4

Intensity over time

Learn how changes in movement can communicate increasing or sustained intensity.

Part: 5

Three things to watch

Bring the concepts together by looking at duration, frequency, and intensity.

Why it works

ASL can build information directly into the movement of a verb, allowing the signer to communicate more than simply what happened.

Meaning in movement

The movement itself can carry information about how an action unfolds.

Less translation

Instead of mapping every idea onto an English sentence, learn to recognize how ASL expresses the concept visually.

3 dimensions

Duration, frequency, and intensity give you a practical framework for recognizing temporal aspect in real signing.

Temporal Aspect – 6.42 minutes