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Tense and Tense Consistency

This document discusses common errors related to verb tenses in English. It covers the different types of tenses - simple, continuous, perfect, and perfect continuous. It provides examples of incorrect sentences that mix tenses and states common stative verbs that are generally not used in continuous tenses. The document also discusses using the appropriate tense like simple past or present perfect depending on whether a specific past time is mentioned. It emphasizes maintaining tense consistency in sentences.

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1K views13 pages

Tense and Tense Consistency

This document discusses common errors related to verb tenses in English. It covers the different types of tenses - simple, continuous, perfect, and perfect continuous. It provides examples of incorrect sentences that mix tenses and states common stative verbs that are generally not used in continuous tenses. The document also discusses using the appropriate tense like simple past or present perfect depending on whether a specific past time is mentioned. It emphasizes maintaining tense consistency in sentences.

Uploaded by

api-3706009
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Don’t get Tense about Tenses !

Types of tenses.
• Past ,Present, and Future.
• Simple
• Continuous
• Perfect
• Perfect Continuous.
COMMON ERRORS
• Look at these sentences:-
– I am having a car.
– I am seeing the bus.
– He is knowing it.
• What is wrong with these sentences?
COMMON ERRORS
• They should be written as :-
– I have a car.
– I see a bus.
– He knows it.
• Some verbs are generally not used in the
continuous tense.
• They denote a state, perception or cognition.
COMMON ERRORS
• They are also known as Stative Verbs.
• Some common stative verbs are :-
– appear, seem, hear, sound, taste, love, like,
hate, dislike, prefer, agree, believe,
imagine, know, cost, involve, satisfy,
weigh.
COMMON ERRORS
• Some verbs , however , can have two forms:
a state and an action.
– I have a brother. (state)
– I am having my dinner.(action)
– I think you are right. (state)
– I am thinking about it. ( meaning—
pondering)
INDICATING FUTURE
• The train leaves at 5 pm.(present tense)
– talks of a habitual action.
• The train will leave at 5 pm.( simple future)
– indicates a future event.
• The train is leaving at 5 pm(present
continuous)
– conveys a sense of urgency.
SIMPLE PAST & PRESENT
PERFECT
• A specific time expression that denotes the
past is used with sentences in the simple
past.
• With the present perfect no specific past
time expression can be used.
– I saw her last evening.(correct)
– I have seen her last evening ( wrong)
– I have seen her. (correct)
COMMON ERRORS
• Look at these sentences.
– It is true that I had met her last year.
– I had written a book in 1970.
• They should be written as
It is true that I met her last year.
I wrote a book in 1970.
The Past perfect can be used to denote the
earlier event only when two events occur in
the past. For a mere occurrence in the past ,
the simple past tense is used.
PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE
- It was raining when I reached home.
- The bird was flying when he shot it.

• The past continuous tense is used to denote


an action in progress in the past, very often
with reference to another action.
COMMON ERRORS
- He thought he will do some voluntary work.
- The principal was pleased that the students
do not violate college rules.
• The tense is not consistent in these sentences.
They should be written as :
- He thought he would do some voluntary
work.
- The principal was pleased that the students
did not violate college rules.
TENSE CONSISTENCY
• Check the following sentences for the
confusing shift in the tense:
- While she puts on her contact lenses the
phone rang.
- By the time the negotiations began, many
people have expressed doubts about them.
- I was terribly disappointed with my marks
because I studied very hard.
- Everyone hopes that the plan would work.
TENSE CONSISTENCY
• While she put on /was putting on her contact
lenses , the telephone rang.
• By the time the negotiations began , many
people had expressed doubts about them.
• I was terribly disappointed with my marks
because I had studied very hard.
• Everyone hoped that the plan would work.

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