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    Sequence of Tenses

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    Lai Raymundo
    The document discusses verb tenses and their proper sequencing in complex sentences. It provides tables demonstrating the correct relationship of tenses between main and subordinate clauses depending on the tense used in the main clause. For example, when the main clause is in the past or past perfect tense, the subordinate clause must be in the past or past perfect tense as well. Exceptions exist for general truths. The document also discusses tense sequencing with infinitives and participles, noting they can indicate same-time or earlier action depending on their form.

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    Sequence of Tenses

    Uploaded by

    Lai Raymundo
    901 views4 pages
    The document discusses verb tenses and their proper sequencing in complex sentences. It provides tables demonstrating the correct relationship of tenses between main and subordinate clauses depending on the tense used in the main clause. For example, when the main clause is in the past or past perfect tense, the subordinate clause must be in the past or past perfect tense as well. Exceptions exist for general truths. The document also discusses tense sequencing with infinitives and participles, noting they can indicate same-time or earlier action depending on their form.

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    The document discusses verb tenses and their proper sequencing in complex sentences. It provides tables demonstrating the correct relationship of tenses between main and subordinate clauses depending on the tense used in the main clause. For example, when the main clause is in the past or past perfect tense, the subordinate clause must be in the past or past perfect tense as well. Exceptions exist for general truths. The document also discusses tense sequencing with infinitives and participles, noting they can indicate same-time or earlier action depending on their form.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    901 views4 pages

    Sequence of Tenses

    Uploaded by

    Lai Raymundo
    The document discusses verb tenses and their proper sequencing in complex sentences. It provides tables demonstrating the correct relationship of tenses between main and subordinate clauses depending on the tense used in the main clause. For example, when the main clause is in the past or past perfect tense, the subordinate clause must be in the past or past perfect tense as well. Exceptions exist for general truths. The document also discusses tense sequencing with infinitives and participles, noting they can indicate same-time or earlier action depending on their form.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
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    The passage discusses the appropriate use and sequencing of verb tenses between main and dependent clauses to accurately convey temporal relationships. It also covers the tenses used with infinitives and participles.

    Dependent clauses can use any tense that accurately conveys meaning as long as the main clause verb is not past or past perfect tense. When the main clause verb is past or past perfect, the dependent clause verb must be past or past perfect as well, with exceptions for general truths.

    When the main clause verb is in the past or past perfect tense, the verb in the subordinate clause must be in the past or past perfect tense as well, with exceptions for general truths.

    SEQUENCE OF VERB TENSES

    Although the various shades of time and sequence are usually conveyed adequately in informal speech and writing, especially by native speakers and writers, they can create havoc in academic writing and they sometimes are troublesome among students for whom English is a second language. This difficulty is especially evident in complex sentences when there is a difference between the time expressed in an independent clause and the time expressed in a dependent clause. Another difficulty arises with the use of infinitives and participles, modals which also convey a sense of time. We hope the tables below will provide the order necessary to help writers sort out tense sequences. As long as the main clause's verb is in neither the past nor the past perfect tense, the verb of the subordinate clause can be in any tense that conveys meaning accurately. When the main clause verb is in the past or past perfect, however, the verb in the subordinate clause must be in the past or past perfect. The exception to this rule is when the subordinate clause expresses what is commonly known as a general truth:

    In the 1950s, English teachers still believed that a background in Latin is essential for an understanding of English. Columbus somehow knew that the world is round. Slaveowners widely understood that literacy among oppressed people is a dangerous thing.

    The tables below demonstrate the correct relationship of tenses between clauses where time is of the essence (i.e., within sentences used to convey ideas about actions or conditions that take place over time).

    Tense in Purpose of Dependent Clause/ Independent Example(s) Tense in Dependent Clause Clause

    Simple Present

    To show same-time action, use the present tense To show earlier action, use past

    I am eager to go to the concert because I love the Wallflowers. I know that I made the right choice.

    tense To show a period of time extending 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 future tense. To show another completed past action, use the past tense. The President says that he will veto the bill. I wanted to go home because I missed my parents. She knew she had made the right choice. The Deists believed that the universe is like a giant clock.

    Simple Past

    To show an earlier action, use the past perfect tense. To state a general truth, use the present tense.

    Present Perfect
    or For any purpose, use the past tense.

    Past Perfect
    To show action happening at the same time, use the present tense.

    She has grown a foot since she turned nine. The crowd had turned nasty before the sheriff returned.

    I will be so happy if they fix my car today. You will surely pass this exam if you studied hard.

    Future

    To show an earlier action, use the past tense.

    To show future action earlier than The college will probably close its the action of the independent doors next summer if enrollments clause, use the present perfect tense. have not increased. Most students will have taken sixty credits by the time they graduate. Most students will have taken sixty credits by the time they have graduated.

    Future Perfect

    For any purpose, use the present tense or present perfect tense.

    Sequence of Tenses With Infinitives and Participles


    Like verbs, infinitives and participles are capable of conveying the idea of action in time; therefore, it is important that we observe the appropriate tense sequence when using these modals.

    INFINITIVES
    Tense of Infinitive Role of Infinitive Example(s)

    Present Infinitive (to see)

    Coach Espinoza is eager to try out her new drills. [The eagerness is now; the trying out will happen To show same-time action or action later.] later than the verb She would have liked to see more veterans returning. [The present infinitive to see is in the same time as the past would have liked.] The fans would like to have seen some improvement this year. ["Would like" describes a present condition; "to have seen" describes something prior to that time.] They consider the team to have been coached very well. [The perfect infinitive to have been coached indicates a time prior to the verb consider.]

    Perfect Infinitive (to have seen)

    To show action earlier than the verb

    PARTICIPLES
    Tense of Participle Role of Participle
    To show action occurring at the same time as that of the verb

    Example(s)
    Working on the fundamentals, the team slowly began to improve. [The action expressed by began happened in the past, at the same time the

    Present Participle

    (seeing)

    working happened.] Prepared by last year's experience, the coach knows not to expect too much. [The action expressed by knows is in the present; prepared expresses a time prior to that time.] Having experimented with several game plans, the coaching staff devised a master strategy. [The present perfect participle having experimented indicates a time prior to the past tense verb, devised.]

    Past Participle
    or

    Present Perfect Participle

    To show action occurring earlier than that of the verb

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