Relative and absolute tense

Relative tense and absolute tense are distinct possible uses of the <a href="/facts/Grammatical_category/FwhkW1su">grammatical category</a> of <a href="/facts/Grammatical_tense/reLNLa97">tense</a>. Absolute tense means the grammatical expression of time reference (usually <a href="/facts/Past_tense/WkdWorjX">past</a>, <a href="/facts/Present_tense/Dlum8nSr">present</a> or <a href="/facts/Future_tense/YTLNSh1Y">future</a>) relative to "now" – the moment of speaking. In the case of relative tense, the time reference is construed relative to a different point in time, the moment being considered in the context. In other words, the reference point (or center of <a href="/facts/Deixis/rhhxGcJP">deixis</a>) is the moment of discourse or narration in the case of absolute tense, or a different moment in the case of relative tense.
A further distinction has also been made between "strict relative" tense, which merely expresses time relative to the reference point, and "absolute-relative tense" (such as <a href="/facts/Pluperfect/wSFb0Fcd">pluperfect</a>), which expresses time relative to the reference point while also placing the reference point in time relative to the present moment.
A relative past tense is sometimes called an anterior tense, while a relative future tense may be called a posterior tense.

Relative and absolute tense open-in-new

Relative and absolute tense