TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page       -           -           -           -           -           -           -           -           -           i

Declaration-                          -           -           -           -           -           -           -           -           ii

Certification  -           -           -           -           -           -           -                       -           iii

Dedication     -           -           -           -           -           -           -           -           -           iv

Acknowledgements-            -           -           -           -           -           -           -           -           v

Table of contents-    -           -           -           -           -           -           -           -           vi

List of Tables -         -           -           -           -           -           -           -           -           ix

List of Figures-         -           -           -           -           -           -           -           -           x

List of Diagrams-     -           -           -           -           -           -           -           -           xi

Abstract-        -           -           -           -           -           -           -           -           -           xii

CHAPTER ONE: GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.0             Introduction- -           -           -           -           -           -           -           -           1

1.1             Itu Mbon Uso people and their language-            -           -           -           -           1

1.2       Background Information-   -           -           -           -           -           -           4

1.3       Statement of the Research Problem-         -           -           -           -           4

1.4       Research Objectives-          -           -           -           -           -           -           5

1.5       Research Questions-            -           -           -           -           -           -           -           5

1.6       Significance of the Study-  -           -           -           -           -           -           5

1.7       Delimitation of the Study-  -           -           -           -           -           -           6

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1       Concept of Tense-    -           -           -           -           -           -           -           7

2.1.1   Types of Tense-        -           -           -           -           -           -           -           9

2.1.2   English Tense System-        -           -           -           -           -           -           10

2.1.3   The Ibibio Tense System-   -           -           -           -           -           -           15

2.1.4   The Obolo Tense System-   -           -           -           -           -           -           16

2.2       Concept of Aspect-  -           -           -           -           -           -           -           17

2.2.1   Types of Aspect-      -           -           -           -           -           -           -           18

2.2.2   English Aspect System-      -           -           -           -           -           -           20

2.2.3   The Ibibio Aspect System- -           -           -           -           -           -           21

2.2.4   The Obolo Aspect System- -           -           -           -           -           -           23

2.3       Interaction between Tense and Aspect-   -           -           -           -           23

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.0       Introduction- -           -           -           -           -           -           -           -           26

3.1       Research Design-     -           -           -           -           -           -           -           26

3.2       Sample and Sampling Procedure-  -           -           -           -           -           26

3.3       Tools for Data Collection-  -           -           -           -           -           -           27

3.4       Method of Data Collection-           -           -           -           -           -           27

3.5       Validity of Reliability-        -           -           -           -           -           -           27

3.6       Procedure for Data Analysis-         -           -           -           -           -           27       

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

4.0       Introduction- -           -           -           -           -           -           -           -           28

4.1       Data Presentation in Itu Mbon Uso-          -           -           -           -           29

4.2       Data Presentation on Aspect-         -           -           -           -  &nb