GRAMMAR BOOTCAMP GORILLA LEARNING TARGET: I can chomp! use consistent chomp! verb tense in my writing. This presentation is brought to you by Grammar Bytes!, 2014 by Robin L. Simmons.
Tense 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 Item When King was a puppy, he chewed toys A and furniture. Now that he is an adult, he B wanted wants to to chew the the mail carrier most of of all. all. C Wanted should be Is was, present is, or wanted tense, in a the correction wrong tense? option C makes. A. is B. was C. wants D. No change is necessary.
Use present/present perfect tense to indicate cur rent/regular action. Present tense: verb + s = singular; verb + Ø = 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 too!
Use past perfect to indicate a past action that occur red before another past 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. It s a good thing I have cute glutes.
Use progressive tenses to indicate an ongoing action that occur s as another action happens. Progressive tenses: form of be + verb + ing Jeffrey was showing off when he tore a muscle in his shoulder. Ouch!
W hen logic per mits, you can mix past/present tenses with 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 = past tense of can/will. Jeffrey thought he will would have have enough enough energy energy for his for his workout, but skipping breakfast meant that he cannot could not complete his training. You would have had the same problem!
Quick 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 you re tough? Show me your tense strength.
Item 1 Aunt Lillian had frozen four quarts of her A homegrown strawberries, but she lost them after B the hurricane was knocked knocking out power out out power for eight for for eight C C days. A. froze B. had lost C. knocked D. No change is necessary.
Item 2 Because Sammy had been eating all all of of the chocolate mint ice cream before she got home, Roxanne whacked him over the head. A. ate B. was eating C. had eaten D. No change is necessary.
Item 3 Carlos pawed at his hair and shook his head, but A B he cannot could not dislodge the the giant giant spider spider tangled in in C his curls. A. was pawing B. was shaking C. could not D. No change is necessary.
Item 4 Grandpa planted a backyard garden, hoping that it was helping with the high cost of of food. A. will help B. would help C. helped D. No change is necessary.
Item 5 When Gretchen was a freshman, she wanted to to A B major in biology, but after her first rat dissection, she couldn t change her major fast enough. C A. had been B. was wanting C. cannot D. No change is necessary.
Item 6 Everyone is sleeping soundly when Brendan dropped the glass pitcher of lemonade on the stone tiles of the kitchen floor. A. had been sleeping B. slept C. would sleep D. No change is necessary.
Item 7 Ancient Egyptians spent their entire lives preparing A for their death and burial. Today, however, people are think thinking that such that arrangements such arrangements are morbid are morbid B B C C and impolite to discuss. A. were spending B. think C. would be D. No change is necessary.
Item 8 When Felicia saw the turtle trying to cross the busy road, she leaped out of her car and had carried the reptile to safety at the other side. A. was carrying B. carried C. will carry D. No change is necessary.
Item 9 George Washington believed that he was invincible A in battle. He rode a conspicuous white horse that B made him an easy target, yet no bullet had hit him, hit him, C C validating his conviction of invulnerability. A. had believed B. was riding C. hit D. No change is necessary.
Item 10 We would have bite marks on our ankles and scratches on our thighs ever since adopting Nelson, our feisty kitten. A. had B. have C. will have D. No change is necessary.
The End.