Correct and Incorrect Combinations of Tenses

in Double Sentences
Single sentence: Subject + Verb + Object +.
Double sentences: Subject + Verb + Object + Subject +Verb + Object+.

Types of Double sentences:

1. Conditional sentences
2. Unconditional sentences

Correct and incorrect combination of tenses in unconditional sentences

(the tense of the first part of sentence will drive the TENSE of the second part)

“PRESENT TENSE” in the first part of an unconditional sentence:

S.N. 1st part of the 2nd part of the Correct/
sentence sentence incorrect
1. Present + Present Correct
2. Present + Future Correct
3. Present + Past Correct

Summary: Present + all tenses…correct

Combined Example:
Ali says that he goes / is going / has gone / has been going / went / was going / had
gone / had been going / will go / will be going / will have gone / will have been going to
college…correct

“FUTURE TENSE” in the first part of an unconditional sentence:

S.N. 1st part of the 2nd part of the Correct/
sentence sentence incorrect
1. Future + Future Correct
2. Future + Present Correct
3. Future + Past Correct

Summary: Future + All tenses……correct

Combined Example:
Ali will say that he goes / is going / has gone / has been going / went / was going / had
gone / had been going / will go / will be going / will have gone / will have been going to
college…correct

“PAST TENSE” is in the first part of an unconditional sentence:

S.N. 1st part of the 2nd part of the Correct/
sentence sentence incorrect
1. Past + Past Correct
2. Past + Present Incorrect
3. Past + Future Incorrect

Combined Example:
Ali said that he goes / is going / has gone / has been going / went / was going / had gone
/ had been going / will go / will be going / will have gone / will have been going to
college…correct
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Example:
a) Ali told me that he lives in Islamabad…incorrect
b) Ali told me that he lived in Islamabad…correct
c) Mr. Imran Khan said that he is the PM of Pakistan…incorrect
d) Mr. Imran Khan said that he was the PM of Pakistan…correct
e) Mr. Imran Khan says that he is the PM of Pakistan…correct

How to correct when “Past” is followed by “Present”?

1st part of the 2nd part of 2nd part of the sentence
sentence the sentence
Incorrect Correct
Present is changed into corresponding Past
i. Present indefinite into past indefinite
Past + Present ii. Present simple continuous into past simple
continuous
iii. Present perfect into past perfect
iv. Present perfect cont. into past perfect cont.

Exception-1: Past + Present…correct

S.N. Exception Example

1. Universal Truth The teacher said that the sun rises in the east.
2. Scientific Fact The teacher said that the human heart has four chambers.
3. Proverbs The teacher said that honesty is the best policy.
4. Religious Beliefs The teacher said that God is one.

Exception-2: When there is comparison between both parts of the sentence, any of the
tenses after past is correct.
S.N. 1st part of the Comparison 2nd part of the Correct /
sentence sentence incorrect

1. Past But Past/present/future Correct

2. While Past/present/future Correct
3. Than Past/present/future Correct
4. However Past/present/future Correct
5. On the contrary Past/present/future Correct
6. Instead Past/present/future Correct
7. In the contrast Past/present/future Correct
8. Still Past/present/future Correct
9. Despite Past/present/future Correct
10. In spite of Past/present/future Correct
11. Rather Past/present/future Correct
12. On the other hand Past/present/future Correct

Examples:
1. The previous government was not able to fight against corruption, but / while present
government is successfully fighting against corruption…correct
2. IK said that his government is successfully fighting against corruption…incorrect

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3. IK said that his government was successfully fighting against corruption…correct

How to correct when “Past” is followed by “Future”?

1st part of the 2nd part of the 2nd part of the sentence
sentence sentence
Incorrect Correct
Future will / shall…changed into “would” and rest of the
helping verbs (if any) of the future tense must
remain the same
Will would
Past Shall Would
Shall Should (moral responsibility)
May Might
+ Can Could
Cannot Could not
Must Had to

Examples:
1. Ali told me that he will go to Karachi…incorrect
2. Ali told me that he would go to Karachi…correct
3. Ali said that he will have gone to Karachi…incorrect
4. Ali said that he would have gone to Karachi…correct
5. I said that we shall go to Karachi…incorrect
6. I said that we would go to Karachi…correct
7. I said that we shall help the poor…incorrect
8. I said that we should help the poor…correct

Summary of Tenses…Combination in unconditional sentences:

S.N. 1st part of the 2nd part of the sentence Correct/incorrect

sentence
1. Present + All Tenses Correct
(Present / future / past)
2. Future + All Tenses Correct
(Present / future / past)
3. Past Correct
Present Incorrect
Past + Present in Exceptions Correct

(universal truth / scientific

facts / proverbs / religious
beliefs / comparisons)
Future Incorrect

Combination of Tenses in Conditional sentences:

Parts of a conditional Sentence

Conditional sentence = If-clause + main clause
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Example:
If Ali goes to Lahore, (if-clause)
He will see Amjad. (main-clause)

Tense in IF-Clause:
S.N. IF-Clause Correct/incorrect Examples
1. Present Correct If Ali goes to Lahore…
2. Past Correct If Ali went to Lahore…
3. Future Incorrect If Ali will go to Lahore…
Correct in If Ali will help me…
Exceptions only
(requests)

Tense in Main-Clause:
S.N. Main-Clause Correct/incorrect Examples
1. Future Correct He will see Amjad.
(will / shall / can / may /
must / should)

2. Past of Future Correct He would see Amjad.

(would / should / could /
might / must)
3. Present Correct in
Exceptions only
(habitual actions /
universal actions)

4. Correct in
Past Exceptions only
(habitual actions of
the past)

Combination of tenses in IF-CLAUSE and MAIN-CLAUSE

S.N. IF-CLAUSE MAIN-CLAUSE Correct /
incorrect

1. Present + Future
(will / shall / can / may / must) Correct

2. Past Simple + Past of Future Simple

(would / should / could / might / Correct
must + first form of principal verb)

3. Past Perfect + Past of Future Perfect

(would have / should have / could Correct
have / might have / must have +
3rd form of the principal verb)
If you will work hard, you will pass the exam…incorrect
If you work hard, you will pass the exam…correct
You pass the exam if you will work hard…incorrect
You will pass the exam if you work hard…correct.

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