This presentation is

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2014 by Robin L.
Simmons.

Tense
Tense Shift
Shift
Do I use the
present tense
to maintain
consistency?

Or do I need
the past
tense instead?

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 was
was aa puppy,
puppy, he
he chewed
chewed toys
toys
A
and furniture. Now that he is
is 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
be
Is
present
,, is
be
Is was
was
present
is,, or
or
wanted
tense
a
wanted
tense,, in
in
a the
the
correction
wrong
option
correction
wrong tense?
tense?
option
C
C makes.
makes.

A.is
B.was
C.wants
wants
D.No change is necessary.

Use
Use present/present
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
Use past
past perfect
perfect to
to indicate
indicate a
a 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
Use progressive
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
tenses with
with future
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
energy
energy
for his
for his
workout,
workout, but
butskipping
skippingbreakfast
breakfast meant
meant that
that he
he could
cannot not
complete
completehis
histraining.
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 at
at 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 was
was aa freshman,
freshman, she
she 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.
had been
beensleeping
sleeping
A.had
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 had
had 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 had
hadhim,
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.