2.3 Verb Tense
Maintaining Consistent Verb Tense
Consistent verb tense means the same verb tense is used throughout a sentence or a paragraph. As you write and revise, it is important to use the same verb tense consistently and to avoid shifting from one tense to another unless there is a good reason for the tense shift. In the following box, see whether you notice the difference between a sentence with consistent tense and one with inconsistent tense.
Inconsistent tense: The crowd starts cheering as Melina approached the finish line.
Consistent tense: The crowd started cheering as Melina approached the finish line.
Consistent tense: The crowd starts cheering as Melina approaches the finish line.
TipIn some cases, clear communication will call for different tenses. Look at the following example: When I was a teenager, I wanted to be a firefighter, but now I am studying computer science. If the time frame for each action or state is different, a tense shift is appropriate. |
