S EQUENCE OF

V ERB T ENSES
Tense in Purpose of Dependent
Independent Clause/ Example(s)
Clause Tense in Dependent Clause
To show same-time action, use the I am eager to go to the concert
present tense because I love the Wallflowers.

To show earlier action, use past

I know that I made the right choice.
tense
Simple
To show a period of time
Present
extending from some point in the They believe that they have
past to the present, use the present elected the right candidate.
perfect tense.

To show action to come, use the The President says that he will
future tense. veto the bill.

To show another completed past I wanted to go home because

action, use the past tense. Imissed my parents.

Simple To show an earlier action, use the She knew she had made the right
Past past perfect tense. choice.

To state a general truth, use the The Deists believed that the
present tense. universe is like a giant clock.
Present She has grown a foot since
Perfect
For any purpose, use the past sheturned nine.
or
Past tense. The crowd had turned nasty before
Perfect the sheriff returned.

To show action happening at the I will be so happy if they fix my car

same time, use the present tense. today.

To show an earlier action, use the You will surely pass this exam if
past tense. you studied hard.
Future
To show future action earlier
The college will probably close its
thanthe action of the independent
doors next summer if
clause, use the present perfect
enrollmentshave not increased.
tense.

Most students will have takensixty

credits by the time theygraduate.
Future For any purpose, use the present
Perfect
Most students will have takensixty
tense or present perfect tense.
credits by the time they have
graduated.

Sequence of Tenses
With Infinitives and Participles

Like verbs, infinitives and participles are capable of conveying the idea of
action in time; therefore, it is important that we observe the appropriate tense
sequence when using these modals.

INFINITIVES

Tense of
Role of Infinitive Example(s)
Infinitive
Present To show same-time action Coach Espinoza is eager to
Infinitive or action later than the try out her new drills. [The
 eagerness is now; the trying
out will happen later.]

She would have liked to

(to see) verb see more veterans returning.
[The present infinitive to
see is in the same time as the
past would have liked.]

The fans would like to have

seensome improvement this
year. ["Would like" describes
a present condition; "to have
Perfect
seen" describes something
Infinitive
To show action earlier prior to that time.]
(to have seen) than the verb
They consider the team to have
been coached very well. [The
perfect infinitive to have
been coached indicates a time
prior to the verb consider.]
PARTICIPLES

Tense of
Role of Participle Example(s)
Participle
Working on the fundamentals,
the team slowly began to
Present To show action occurring
Participle
improve. [The action expressed
at the same time as that
(seeing) by beganhappened in the past,
of the verb
at the same time
the working happened.]

Past To show action occurring Prepared by last year's

Participle earlier than that of the experience, the
or
verb coach knows not to expect too
Present
Perfect
much. [The action expressed
Participle byknows is in the
present; preparedexpresses a
time prior to that time.]

Having experimented with

several game plans, the
coaching staffdevised a master
strategy. [The present perfect
participle having
experimented indicates a time
prior to the past tense
verb,devised.]