This study aims to describe and compare how the topic of aspectual category is addressed in grammar books designed for teaching Turkish as a foreign language. The data source for this study is relies on the works of Benzer⁹ and Bölükbaş Kaya¹⁰. In this context, Benzer¹¹ approaches the issue from the perspective of functional grammar, questioning which language structures can convey a given function, while Bölükbaş Kaya¹² focuses on which functions can be taught through specific language structures.

While the concept of “tense” is traditionally divided into three subcategories -present, past, and future- from a classical perspective, linguistically, “time” in language consists of two main categories: (i) classical tense and (ii) aspect. Aspect is further divided into “grammatical” and “lexical” aspect, which are themselves subdivided into finer categories. The subject of aspect began to gain attention particularly from the last quarter of the 20th century, starting notably with Comrie¹³, and has continued to evolve through updated classifications by various researchers. Related studies have also been conducted on Turkish (e.g., by Aksu Koç¹⁴, Eser Erguvanlı¹⁵, Uzun¹⁶, Subaşı Uzun ve Erk Emeksiz¹⁷, İbe Akcan¹⁸, Demirgüneş¹⁹, Benzer²⁰, Esmer²¹, Johanson²², Ülkümen²³, Atasoy²⁴, Üzüm²⁵, Gündüz²⁶, Akcaoğlu²⁷, etc.), thereby enriching the Turkish academic literature on the subject.

In Bölükbaş Kaya’s²⁸ study, although the term “aspect” is not explicitly used in the teaching of morphemes, the focus is on grammar instruction that considers the form-meaning-use dimension. In contrast, Benzer²⁹ explicitly uses the term “aspect” when explaining the usage of morphemes and provides example sentences showing that aspect may appear as a primary or secondary function in the language.

Bölükbaş Kaya³⁰ adopts a teacher-centered approach and includes detailed grammatical features of language struc tures to facilitate teaching and learning in the classroom. Benzer³¹, on the other hand, adopts a student-centered approach, identifying which language structures might be needed by learners of Turkish as a foreign language in specific communicative situations. Thus, depending on whether a given material is teacher- or student-oriented, the structures used to convey certain communicative contexts (e.g., ordering food, narrating an event, talking about habits) or the functions of a language structure may vary depending on the target audience of the educational material.

When the dataset is examined, it is observed that some morphemes (e.g., {-mAktA}, {-DIr}, {-(I)yordu}, {-AcAktI}) may carry more than one aspectual feature even for the same function. For example, the morpheme {-AcAktI} expresses both “perfective” and “imperfective” aspects when used to convey regret. Therefore, context must also be considered in determining whether the aspect is one of perfective or imperfective. These findings suggest that grammar instruction should not be purely didactic or form-focused, but should also integrate meaning and use.

Additionally, due to the variation in how aspectual morphemes function-especially in terms of usage- it is recom mended that students first be introduced to basic uses of aspect at beginner levels (A1-A2). Sentences containing aspectual structures and markers should be introduced progressively at intermediate or advanced levels to reduce cognitive load and enhance learning retention.

The findings indicate that the morphemes marking aspect and the tenses they represent do not align between the two books in terms of indicating “perfective,” “imperfective,” and “progressive” aspects. Similarly, the proficiency levels at which these morphemes are introduced are not consistent across the two books. Fidan³² also notes that there is a need for standardization in the content and proficiency-level distribution of materials used for teaching Turkish as a foreign language. For this purpose, it is suggested that umbrella organizations such as the Turkish Language Association (TDK) or Yunus Emre Institute (YEE) should lead more detailed and advanced studies to contribute to the literature.

In the literature, studies by Gündüz³³, Demirgüneş³⁴, Esmer³⁵, İbe-Akcan³⁶, Ortaköylüoğlu³⁷ indicate a correlation between the types of texts and the use of morphemes. Therefore, the selection or creation of texts must be carefully considered in teaching the aspectual category in Turkish as a foreign language.

In future studies, it would be helpful to describe how the aspect category is handled in the grammar sections of language sets. Furthermore, based on needs analyses informed by such descriptions, it is believed that developing materials that take into account all four basic language skills would aid both learners and teachers in more effectively teaching and learning the language structures used to express time in Turkish.