L.5.1d Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb tense.
Grade Level: Middle and High School
Definition: Verb tenses are verbs made into past, present, or future tense to describe different
times when things happen. They are usually divided into simple, progressive, perfect, and perfect
progressive time progressions. Inappropriate shifts in verb tense occur when tense and time
expressions are not matched correctly.
Here is a chart so that you can better understand word tense:
Past
Present
Future
Simple = made
Simple = make/makes
Simple = will make
Progressive =
Was/were making
Progressive = am/is/are
making
Progressive = will be
making
Perfect = had made
Perfect = has/have made
Perfect = will have made
Perfect Progressive =
Had been making
Perfect Progressive=
Has/have been making
Perfect Progressive= will
Have been making
When tense and time expressions don’t match, which is a silly mistake some of us do, it creates
verb tense errors. But what are time expressions? Here is a list of sometime expressions:
Past
Present
Future
Simple = yesterday,
Last week/month/
year/ etc.
Simple = rarely,
Sometimes, regularly,
Always, every week/
Day/time/year etc.
Perfect/ Perfect
Progressive = before
After. Already
Perfect/Perfect
Progressive=since, for,
already, yet,
just, several/four/many
times
Simple = tonight, Progressive = in Perfect/Perfect
tomorrow, later, next 2005, for the next 2 Progressive = by, by
week/month/
years/days/months
this time next year
year, for the next
2 years/days/months
Here are some examples of incorrect verb tenses:



Carlos seen his old friend at the movie theater.
It rains yesterday afternoon.
Tomorrow, we will drove to New York.
Progressive = while,
When, as, at that
Moment
Now, right now,
Today, currently,
Presently
L.5.1d Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb tense.
Grade Level: Middle and High School
Now try it yourself! Choose the correct word choice that correctly fits the sentence.
1. The students were study for the final tomorrow
a. studying
b. studied
c. correct as it is
2. I was washing my car yesterday morning.
a. Wash
b. Washed
c. Correct as it is
3. Lilly procrastinating on her project.
a. procrastinated
b. procrastinate
c. Correct as it is