noncompletive

Noncompletive is a term used in linguistics to describe a grammatical category associated with events that are not presented as completed. It is commonly contrasted with completive (or perfective) aspect, which encodes that an event has reached its endpoint. The noncompletive label is often used to describe meanings such as ongoing duration, habituality, or repetition, rather than a finalized outcome.

In many languages, noncompletive forms align with imperfective, durative, or iterative readings. They can indicate that an event is in progress (The plane is landing), recurs over time (She visits often), or describes a general characteristic without marking a terminal boundary. The exact realization of noncompletive meaning varies by language and may involve verb prefixes or suffixes, auxiliary constructions, or distinct tense–aspect systems.

Cross-linguistic usage varies: in some traditions, noncompletive readings are associated with imperfective morphologies; in others, they are expressed by progressive or habitual constructions. English, for example, uses the progressive to signal noncompletive aspect in many contexts (I am reading) as a contrast to completed actions (I read). In some grammars, noncompletive is treated as a subtype of imperfective rather than as a standalone category.

Relationship to other concepts: noncompletive overlaps with iterativity, durativity, and atelicity, and in some theories is viewed as broader than imperfective. The term is less common in contemporary grammars, with many analysts preferring imperfective or aspectual labels for similar readings.