USE OF SIMPLE AND PERFECT TENSES

(PAST/PRESENT/FUTURE)
 Tense Shift

Do I use the
Or do I need
present tense
the past
to maintain
tense instead?
consistency?
 This presentation
covers the
appropriate use
of verb tenses for
a given time frame
or context.
Sample 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 perfect tense to
indicate current/regular action.

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

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 perfect to indicate a past
action that occurred before another
past 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.
It’s a good
thing I have
cute
glutes.
Use progressive tenses to indicate an
ongoing action that occurs as another
action happens.

Progressive tenses: form of be + verb + ing

Jeffrey was showing off when he tore a muscle

in his shoulder.

Ouch!
When logic permits, you can mix
past/present 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 = past tense of can/will.

Jeffrey
Jeffreythought
thoughthe he would
will havehave
enough
enough
energy
energy
for his
for his
workout,
workout,but
butskipping
skippingbreakfast
breakfastmeant
meantthat he could
thathe cannot not
complete
completehis
his training.
training.

You would
have had the
same
problem!
Quick 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 you’re

tough? Show me
your tense
strength.
 Item 1

Aunt Lillian had

had frozen
frozenfour
fourquarts
quartsof
ofher
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 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 3

Carlos padded
paddedher
pawed her
herhair
hair
hairand
and
andshook
shook
shookherherhead,
her 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
her curls.

A.was pawing
B.was shaking
C.could
could not
not
D.No change is necessary.
Item 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 5

When Gretchen waswas aa freshman,

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

she couldn
couldn’t’tchange
changeher
hermajor
majorfast
fastenough.
enough.
C

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

Bibliography:
Grammar bites - http://www.chompchomp.com