Verb Tense Consistency

Verb Tense Consistency
The Basic Rules
Rule 1:-Keep the verb tenses consistent within the sentences.-Do not change from one tense to another.
Yesterday we drive to the park but later walked home.
in present tense but should be in past tense to maintain consistency within the time frame (yesterday)
walked is past, referring to an action completed before the current time frame.
Yesterday we drove to the park but later walked home.
INCORRECT
CORRECT
Rule 2-Do not change tenses when there is no time change or clarity needed.
The children love their new tree house, which they build themselves.
The children love their new tree house, which they built themselves.
CORRECT
INCORRECT
oLove is present tense, referring to a current state (they still love it now)
build is past, referring to an action completed before the current time frame (they are not still building it.)
When showing time and tense there are 3 main verb forms.
Simple Tense
does not use auxiliary verbs
refers to specific time period during which:
SOMETHING HAPPENS
SOMETHING HAPPENED & IS OVER
SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN
EXAMPLES

Simple present: I walk
Simple past: I walked
Simple future: I will walk
During the movie, Kimmy stood up and spills the soda on the person in front of her.
During the movie, Kimmy stood up and _______ the soda on the person in front of her
During the movie, Kimmy ________ up and spills the soda on the person in front of her.
Perfect Tense
-uses have, has, or had as auxiliary verb -allows action to continue over time
EXAMPLES:

Present perfect: I have sat
Past perfect: I had sat
Future perfect: I will have sat
Progressive Tense
-uses is, are, was, or were as auxiliary verb with -ing ending on main verb
-focuses on “progress” of action
EXAMPLES

Present progressive: I am sitting
Past progressive: I was sitting
Future progressive: I will be sitting
For Example...
Now it's your turn..
Key Points

Verb tense consistency on the sentence level
Verb tense consistency on the paragraph level
Verb tense consistency on the essay level
Keep tenses consistent within sentences.

Do not change tenses when there is no time change for the action.

Establish a primary tense and keep a consistence tense from one sentence to another.
Do not shift tenses between sentences unless there is a time change that must be shown.
Present tense: when writing essays about your own ideas, factual topics, the action in a specific movie, play, or book
Past tense: when writing about past event completed studies or findings, or arguments presented in scientific literature

Future tense: when writing about an event that will occur in the future.
EXCERCISES
If the club limited its membership, it will have to raise its dues.
While Barbara puts in her contact lenses, the telephone rang.
Everyone hopes the plan would work.
Yesturday my dog howls, when a fat lady walked by.
James wants to show Kimmy a picture he drew for her last night.
If the club limited its membership, it WOULD have to raise its dues.
As Barbara put in her contact lenses, the telephone rang.
As Barbara puts in her contact lenses, the telephone rings.
Everyone hoped the plan would work.

Yesturday my dog howled, when a fat lady walked by.
CORRECT!
CITED WORKS
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/2/22/49/answer
http://www.towson.edu/ows/tenseconsistency.htm
THE END!
Arvee
Devlin
Stephen
Justin
Gabriella