Verb tenses tell us when an action happens: in the past, present, or future. To make your writing clear and easy to understand, it’s important to use the same verb tense throughout your sentences and paragraphs. Inappropriate shifts in verb tense occur when you change from one tense to another without a good reason, which can confuse your reader.

Key Rules for Verb Tenses

Rule 1: Keep the Same Tense Throughout a Sentence

If you start a sentence in the past tense, stick with the past tense. The same goes for present and future tenses. For example:

  • Correct: She walked to school and talked to her friend.
  • Incorrect: She walks to school and talked to her friend.

Rule 2: Use Shifts in Tense Only When There’s a Reason

Sometimes, changing tenses within a sentence is necessary to show that different actions happen at different times. For example:

  • Correct: When I was young, I wanted to be a doctor, but now I want to be a teacher.
    In this case, the shift from past to present makes sense because it reflects a change over time.

Rule 3: Check Your Paragraph for Consistency

Within a paragraph, make sure the tense is consistent unless you need to show a change in time. Mixing past, present, and future tenses in the same paragraph without a clear reason can confuse your reader. For example:

  • Correct: Yesterday, we went to the museum. We saw many interesting exhibits.
  • Incorrect: Yesterday, we went to the museum. We see many interesting exhibits.

Rule 4: Use the Present Tense for Facts or Habits

When talking about facts, habits, or things that are always true, use the present tense:

  • Correct: The sun rises in the east.
  • Incorrect: The sun rose in the east.

Tips and Tricks for Verb Tenses

  1. Check Your Subject: If your subject is still performing the action in the present, use the present tense. If the action happened in the past, use the past tense.
  2. Watch for Time Markers: Words like yesterday, tomorrow, now, and last week can help you choose the right tense.
  3. Read Aloud: When you read your sentences out loud, it can be easier to spot tense shifts that don’t make sense.
  4. Revise for Consistency: After writing, review each sentence to make sure the tenses match throughout.

Easy Difficulty Questions

  1. Choose the correct version:
  • a) She eats dinner and watched TV.
  • b) She eats dinner and watches TV.
  • Answer: b
  1. What tense should this sentence be in? Yesterday, we walk to the park.
  • Answer: Past tense (walked).
  1. Choose the correct version:
  • a) I am playing football and I scored a goal.
  • b) I am playing football and I am scoring a goal.
  • Answer: b
  1. Fix the tense shift: He goes to the shop and bought some milk.
  • Answer: He goes to the shop and buys some milk.
  1. Which sentence is correct?
  • a) She sang beautifully and dances well.
  • b) She sang beautifully and danced well.
  • Answer: b
  1. What tense should this sentence be in? Tomorrow, I went to the beach.
  • Answer: Future tense (will go).
  1. Choose the correct version:
  • a) I am studying now, and I finished my homework earlier.
  • b) I am studying now, and I finish my homework earlier.
  • Answer: a
  1. Fix the tense shift: We are running to the bus stop and caught the bus just in time.
  • Answer: We are running to the bus stop and catch the bus just in time.
  1. Which sentence is correct?
  • a) She reads a book and then wrote a summary.
  • b) She reads a book and then writes a summary.
  • Answer: b
  1. What tense should this sentence be in? Next week, we are going to London and visited the museum.
    • Answer: Future tense (will visit).
  2. Fix the tense shift: The sun was setting, and the sky turns orange.
    • Answer: The sun was setting, and the sky turned orange.
  3. Which sentence is correct?
    • a) I love ice cream and ate some yesterday.
    • b) I loved ice cream and ate some yesterday.
    • Answer: a
  4. Choose the correct version:
    • a) She will go to the park and takes a walk.
    • b) She will go to the park and take a walk.
    • Answer: b
  5. Fix the tense shift: I watched TV while my sister is doing her homework.
    • Answer: I watched TV while my sister was doing her homework.
  6. Which sentence is correct?
    • a) I will study tomorrow and took a test next week.
    • b) I will study tomorrow and will take a test next week.
    • Answer: b
  7. Fix the tense shift: She plays the piano and sang in the choir.
    • Answer: She plays the piano and sings in the choir.
  8. Choose the correct version:
    • a) They walk to school and talked about their day.
    • b) They walked to school and talked about their day.
    • Answer: b
  9. Fix the tense shift: Last night, I go to the cinema and watched a film.
    • Answer: Last night, I went to the cinema and watched a film.
  10. Which sentence is correct?
    • a) She buys a new book and will read it later.
    • b) She buys a new book and read it later.
    • Answer: a
  11. Fix the tense shift: He was playing video games, and then he wins the match.
    • Answer: He was playing video games, and then he won the match.

Medium Difficulty Questions

  1. Choose the correct version:
  • a) She finished her homework and is going to bed.
  • b) She finishes her homework and is going to bed.
  • Answer: a
  1. Fix the tense shift: I am studying hard for my exams and passed all of them last year.
  • Answer: I am studying hard for my exams and passed all of them last year.
  1. Choose the correct version:
  • a) They were walking to school and see their friends.
  • b) They were walking to school and saw their friends.
  • Answer: b
  1. Which sentence is correct?
  • a) He played football and wins the match.
  • b) He played football and won the match.
  • Answer: b
  1. Fix the tense shift: The teacher gave us an assignment and explains it to the class.
  • Answer: The teacher gave us an assignment and explained it to the class.
  1. Choose the correct version:
  • a) We will go to the cinema and watched a film.
  • b) We will go to the cinema and watch a film.
  • Answer: b
  1. Fix the tense shift: I was reading my book when my friend calls me.
  • Answer: I was reading my book when my friend called me.
  1. Which sentence is correct?
  • a) I finished my homework and will relax now.
  • b) I finish my homework and will relax now.
  • Answer: a
  1. Choose the correct version:
  • a) She was happy and smiles brightly.
  • b) She was happy and smiled brightly.
  • Answer: b
  1. Fix the tense shift: He studies hard for his exams and passed them all.
    • Answer: He studied hard for his exams and passed them all.
  2. Choose the correct version:
    • a) They are going to the park and had fun.
    • b) They are going to the park and will have fun.
    • Answer: b
  3. Which sentence is correct?
    • a) She played the piano and sings beautifully.
    • b) She played the piano and sang beautifully.
    • Answer: b
  4. Fix the tense shift: Yesterday, we went shopping and buy some clothes.
    • Answer: Yesterday, we went shopping and bought some clothes.
  5. Choose the correct version:
    • a) I will cook dinner and ate it later.
    • b) I will cook dinner and eat it later.
    • Answer: b
  6. Fix the tense shift: He was running quickly and finishes first in the race.
    • Answer: He was running quickly and finished first in the race.
  7. Which sentence is correct?
    • a) I will meet my friend tomorrow and talked about the project.
    • b) I will meet my friend tomorrow and talk about the project.
    • **

Answer**: b

  1. Choose the correct version:
    • a) She watched the film and is talking about it now.
    • b) She watched the film and talked about it now.
    • Answer: a
  2. Fix the tense shift: They are playing basketball and won the game yesterday.
    • Answer: They are playing basketball and will win the game yesterday.
  3. Which sentence is correct?
    • a) She went to the party and dances all night.
    • b) She went to the party and danced all night.
    • Answer: b
  4. Fix the tense shift: I am doing my homework and will finished it soon.
    • Answer: I am doing my homework and will finish it soon.

High Difficulty Questions

  1. Choose the correct version:
  • a) He will study for his exams and passed all of them.
  • b) He will study for his exams and pass all of them.
  • Answer: b
  1. Fix the tense shift: I am planning my holiday and went to Spain last summer.
  • Answer: I am planning my holiday and went to Spain last summer.
  1. Choose the correct version:
  • a) She was writing her essay and completes it today.
  • b) She was writing her essay and completed it today.
  • Answer: b
  1. Which sentence is correct?
  • a) They are building a house and finished the roof yesterday.
  • b) They are building a house and will finish the roof tomorrow.
  • Answer: b
  1. Fix the tense shift: He had been preparing for the interview and gets nervous at the last moment.
  • Answer: He had been preparing for the interview and got nervous at the last moment.
  1. Choose the correct version:
  • a) I studied hard and am now going to take the test.
  • b) I studied hard and was now going to take the test.
  • Answer: a
  1. Fix the tense shift: We were watching TV when the power goes out.
  • Answer: We were watching TV when the power went out.
  1. Which sentence is correct?
  • a) She had been practising and performs well at the concert.
  • b) She had been practising and performed well at the concert.
  • Answer: b
  1. Choose the correct version:
  • a) I will finish my homework and played video games.
  • b) I will finish my homework and play video games.
  • Answer: b
  1. Fix the tense shift: They had trained hard for the match and wins the championship.
    • Answer: They had trained hard for the match and won the championship.
  2. Which sentence is correct?
    • a) We are going to the cinema and will watched a new film.
    • b) We are going to the cinema and will watch a new film.
    • Answer: b
  3. Fix the tense shift: The teacher gave us instructions and is checking our work now.
    • Answer: The teacher gave us instructions and is now checking our work.
  4. Choose the correct version:
    • a) She was baking a cake and serves it to her guests.
    • b) She was baking a cake and served it to her guests.
    • Answer: b
  5. Fix the tense shift: I was reading a book when my phone rings.
    • Answer: I was reading a book when my phone rang.
  6. Which sentence is correct?
    • a) I will finish my project and presented it to the class.
    • b) I will finish my project and present it to the class.
    • Answer: b
  7. Choose the correct version:
    • a) They are going to the concert and will enjoyed it.
    • b) They are going to the concert and will enjoy it.
    • Answer: b
  8. Fix the tense shift: He was driving when he receives a phone call.
    • Answer: He was driving when he received a phone call.
  9. Which sentence is correct?
    • a) She had finished her homework and goes to bed.
    • b) She had finished her homework and went to bed.
    • Answer: b
  10. Fix the tense shift: I was walking my dog when it starts to rain.
    • Answer: I was walking my dog when it started to rain.
  11. Choose the correct version:
    • a) I studied for my test and am now waiting for the results.
    • b) I studied for my test and now waits for the results.
    • Answer: a

By following these rules and practising, you’ll become better at spotting inappropriate shifts in verb tense and making sure your writing is clear and consistent!