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 Tense
Tense Shift
Shift

Do I use the
Or do I need
present tense
the past
to maintain
tense instead?
consistency?
 This presentation
covers recognizing
appropriate verb
tenses for a given
time frame or
context.
A tense shift item on an
objective test might look
like this . . .
 Sample
Sample Item
Item
When King waswas aa puppy,
puppy, he
he chewed
chewed toys
toys
A
and furniture. Now that he isis an
an adult,
adult, he
he
B
wantedtoto
wanted
wants tochew
chew
chewthe
the
themail
mail
mailcarrier
carrier
carriermost
most
mostofof
ofall.
all.
all.
CC
Wanted
Wanted should
should
Is was
be
Is
be present
was ,, is
presentis,, or
or
A.is wanted
tense
wanted
tense,, ina
a the
in the
B.was correction
wrong
wrong tense?
correction option
tense?
option
C
C makes.
makes.
C.wants
wants
D.No change is necessary.
Use present/present
Use present/present perfect
perfect tense
tense to
to
indicate
indicate current/regular
current/regular action.
action.

Present tense: verb + s = singular; verb + =

plural.
Present perfect tense: has or have + past
participle

Jeffrey goes to the gym six days a week where he

has gained not only muscle but also discipline.

I have gained
attention from
women too!
 Use past
Use past perfect
perfect to
to indicate
indicate aa past
past
action
action that
that occurred
occurred before
before another
another
past
past action.
action.

Past tense: regular = verb + ed; irregular forms

vary.
Past perfect tense: had + past participle

Jeffrey had lifted free weights for over an hour

before someone mentioned the rip in his
shorts.
Its a good
thing I have
cute
glutes.
 Use progressive
Use progressive tenses
tenses to
to indicate
indicate
an
an ongoing
ongoing action
action that
that occurs
occurs as
as
another
another action
action happens.
happens.

Progressive tenses: form of be + verb + ing

Jeffrey was showing off when he tore a muscle

in his shoulder.

Ouch!
When
When logic
logic permits,
permits, you
you can
can mix
mix
past/present
past/present tenses with future
tenses with future..

Because he went to the gym today, Jeffrey will

reward himself with a triple bacon cheeseburger for
lunch. After he weighs himself tomorrow, he will
regret the poor food choice.

Because I ate
badly, I will have
to do more crunches
at the gym.
Could/would
Could/would =
= past
past tense
tense of
of
can/will
can/will..

Jeffrey
Jeffreythought
thoughthe he would
will havehave
enough
enough
energyenergy
for his
for his
workout,
workout, but
butskipping
skippingbreakfast
breakfast meant
meant that he could
that he cannot not
complete
completehishistraining.
training.

You would
have had the
same
problem!
 Quick
Quick Test
Test

Directions: In the items that follow, choose

the option that corrects an error in the
underlined portion(s). If no error exists, choose
No change is necessary.

You think youre

tough? Show
me your tense
strength.
 Item
Item 1
1
Aunt Lillian had
had frozen
frozenfour
fourquarts
quartsofofher
her
A
homegrown strawberries, but she lost
lost them
them after
after
B
the hurricane was
was knocking
knocked
knocking
out power
out
outpower
power
for eight
for
foreight
eight
C C
days.

A.froze
B.had lost
C.knocked
knocked
D.No change is necessary.
 Item
Item 2
2
Because Sammy had had been
been eating
eatingall
allofofthe
the
chocolate mint ice cream before she got home,
Roxanne whacked him over the head.

A.ate
B.was eating
C.had
had eaten
eaten
D.No change is necessary.
 Item
Item 3
3

Carlos pawed
pawed atat his
his hair
hair and
and shook
shookhis hishead,
head,but
but
A B
he cannot
cannotnot
could dislodge
dislodge
dislodge
the
thethe
giant
giant
giant
spider
spider
spider
tangled
tangled
tangled
in
in in
CC
his curls.

A.was pawing
B.was shaking
C.could
could not
not
D.No change is necessary.
 Item
Item 4
4

Grandpa planted a backyard garden, hoping that it

was helping
was helpingwith
withthe
thehigh
highcost
costofoffood.
food.

A.will help
B.would
wouldhelp
help
C.helped
D.No change is necessary.
 Item
Item 5
5

When Gretchen waswas aa freshman,

freshman, sheshe wanted
wantedtoto
A B
major in biology, but after her first rat dissection,

she couldnt
couldntchange
changeher
hermajor
majorfast
fastenough.
enough.
C

A.had been
B.was wanting
C.cannot
D.No change
changeisisnecessary.
necessary.
 Item
Item 6
6

Everyone is is sleeping
sleepingsoundly
soundlywhen
whenBrendan
Brendan
dropped the glass pitcher of lemonade on the stone
tiles of the kitchen floor.

A.
A.had
had been
beensleeping
sleeping
B.slept
C.would sleep
D.No change is necessary.
 Item
Item 7
7
Ancient Egyptians spent
spent their
their entire
entire lives
lives preparing
preparing
A
for their death and burial. Today, however, people

think
are thinking
thinking
that such
that
that
arrangements
such
sucharrangements
arrangements
are morbid
are
aremorbid
morbid
B B C C
and impolite to discuss.

A.were spending
B.think
think
C.would be
D.No change is necessary.
 Item
Item 8
8
When Felicia saw the turtle trying to cross the busy
road, she leaped out of her car and hadhad carried
carried
the reptile to safety at the other side.

A.was carrying
B.carried
carried
C.will carry
D.No change is necessary.
 Item
Item 9
9
George Washington believed
believedthat
thathe
hewas
wasinvincible
invincible
A
in battle. He rode
rode aa conspicuous
conspicuous white
white horse
horse that
that
B
made him an easy target, yet no bullet hadhadhim,
hit hit
hithim,
him,
CC
validating his conviction of invulnerability.

A.had believed
B.was riding
C.hit
hit
D.No change is necessary.
 Item
Item 10
10
We would
wouldhave
havebite
bitemarks
markson
onour
ourankles
anklesand
and
scratches on our thighs ever since adopting
Nelson, our feisty kitten.

A.had
B.have
have
C.will have
D.No change is necessary.
The End.