Sequence of Tenses:
Ꙭ English language, contrary to Romanian language, is one of those who observe strictly the Sequence of
Tenses – which means that besides the logical link between the verbs in a sentence, there must be also a
grammatical correlation!
√ there are – of course – some exceptions to the rule
֍ The rule:
There must be a strict, and logical, coordination between the verbs inside a sentence => a future cannot occur
prior to a past or present. A present cannot take place prior to a past or after a future. What happens in the
past stays in the past and all verbs must be put as such (even if an action in the past occurs after the initial
verb in the past, i.e. the future of that past)
Ꙭ Pay particular attention to the verb sequence when you have a dependent clause before an independent
clause, or a result clause before the if-clause.
♣ There are also some other words that might need adjustment when taking into account the Sequence of
Tenses.
Ex:
I.
a. Since/Because Jane is a baby, she will cry from almost anything. (direct speech – present)
b. When Jane was a baby, she would cry from almost anything. (reported/indirect speech - past)
c. Since Jane was a baby, she would cry from almost anything. (direct speech – past)
d. Because Jane was a baby, she would cry from almost anything. (direct & indirect speech, past)
II.
a. Since you are rich, you spend more money on rubbish!
b. When he was rich, he spent more money on rubbish! (from the moment he was no longer poor/when
he became rich – direct & indirect speech – past)
c. Since he was rich, he spent more money on rubbish! (since he became rich – direct & indirect speech –
past)
d. Since/Because he was rich, he spent more money on rubbish! (direct & indirect speech – past)
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! in the examples, I’ve used the modal will/would => same thing happens with the usage of future will – in
the past it will turn into would.
♣ But – there is more than one way about the future in the past!
Ex:
a. We are eating our sandwiches and after (that) we will go out for a walk.
b. We are eating our sandwiches and after (that) we go out for a walk. (here will is erased)
c. At 3 o’clock we were eating our sandwiches and after that we went out. (here, since we took out
will/would we must put the remaining verb in the past)
d. At 3 o’clock we were eating our sandwiches and (only) after that we would go out.
♣ The Sequence of Tenses follows, more or less, the general pattern of the verbs – if in the present, we have
the interaction between Present Simple, Present Continuous, Present Perfect – in the past, the model is the
same.
Ex:
a. George is home now after he has been all day at work.
b. George was home then after he had been all day at work.
c. Miriam opens the door whilst mother is playing the piano.
d. Miriam opened the door whilst mother was playing the piano.
√ Mind you – language in dynamics is tricky!
See some examples bellow:
a. Bogdan did not shower since he came home. (present situation)
b. Bogdan did not shower since he had come home. (past situation)
c. Bogdan has not showered since he came home. (present situation)
d. Bogdan had not showered since he had come home. (past situation)
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√ the rule regarding the Sequence of Tenses doesn’t mean that the actual verbs have to be in chronological
order, just the actions – as dictated by logic. We can put the dependent clause at the beginning of the
sentence – as in any normal case – and with the aid of conjunctions or adverbs of time it becomes clear which
action occurs first and which follows it.
Ex:
a. When/after I arrive home, I will start cooking immediately. (the moment I arrive)
b. I will start cooking immediately, when/as/after I arrive home. (the moment I arrive)
c. When/as/after I arrived home, I started cooking immediately. (the moment I arrived)
d. I started cooking immediately when/as/after I arrived home.
e. When//after/every time I arrived home, I would start to cook immediately. (habitual action in the past)
Ꙭ there is yet another situation when the basic rule of Sequence of Tenses doesn’t apply – with general
truths!
Ex:
a. Earth spins around its own axis. (general rule, hence the usage of Present Simple)
b. Nowadays everybody knows that Earth spins around its own. Axis.
c. In the Middle Ages they had no idea/were not aware that Earth spins around its own axis.
since this is a general/universal truth, valid now as it was then – we put the verb regarding this
general/universal truth in Present Simple, maintaining the universal usage of this tense. The other verb
is in the past, since we are referring to a point in the past)
d. Everybody knows that fresh air works wonders for the general health.
e. Even in the Middle Ages people knew that fresh air works wonders for the general health.
֍ the case of the infinitive!
! Basically, the infinitive remains as such regardless of the time-frame – whether in Present Infinitive (the
simple one) or the Perfect Infinitive, it is just a matter of which tense in the main verb goes with which form of
infinitive.
Present Infinitive – goes with same time in both verbs or at a later stage than the main verb.
Perfect Infinitive – goes with an action prior to that of the main verb
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Ex:
a. Laura is happy to try on her new dress.
b. Yesterday, Laura was happy to try on her new dress.
c. Tomorrow, Laura will be happy to try on her new dress.
d. Laura would have been happy to try on her new dress, if it had arrived in time.
e. I would like to have seen more action on the field.
f. I consider the game to have been rather dull.
g. I considered the game to have been rather dull.
h. Tomorrow, I will be happy to have heard of some improvements.
֍ the case of the participle!
! Basically, the participle remains as such regardless of the time-frame – whether in Present Participle (the
simple one), Past Participle (simple past) or the Present Perfect Participle, it is just a matter of which tense in
the main verb goes with which form of the participle.
Present Participle – goes with same time in both verbs.
Past Participle or Present Perfect Participle – go with an action prior to that of the main verb
Ex:
→ concomitant actions
a. Knowing off his quirks, Sandra never contradicts him on this subject.
b. Knowing off his quirks, Sandra never contradicted him on this subject.
c. Knowing off his quirks, Sandra will never contradict him on this subject.
→ action of (past) participle prior to action of main verb
d. Advised by her mother-in-law, Sandra never contradicts him on the subject.
e. Advised by her mother-in-law, Sandra never contradicted him on the subject.
f. Advised by her mother-in-law, Sandra will never contradict him on the subject.
→ action of (present perfect) participle prior to action of main verb
g. Having heard/having been advised of his quirks, Sandra never contradicted him on the subject.
h. Having heard/having been advised on his quirks, Sandra would never contradict him on the subject.
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Tense in
Purpose of Dependent Clause/
Independent Example(s)
Tense in Dependent Clause
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 extending
Present from some point in the past to the They believe that they have elected
present, use the present perfect the right candidate.
tense.
To show action to come, use the The President says that he will veto
future tense. the bill.
To show another completed past I wanted to go home because I
action, use the past tense. missed 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 universe
present tense. is like a giant clock.
Present
Perfect She has grown a foot since she
turned nine.
or For any purpose, use the past tense.
The crowd had turned nasty before
Past the sheriff returned.
Perfect
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 you
Future past tense. studied hard.
To show future action earlier than The college will probably close its
the action of the independent clause, doors next summer if enrollments
use the present perfect tense. have not increased.
Most students will have taken sixty
Future credits by the time they graduate.
For any purpose, use the present
Most students will have taken sixty
Perfect tense or present perfect tense.
credits by the time they have
graduated.
