Welcome
This slide presentation is designed to help students learn to
recognize tense shifting so that they may use it correctly in their
own writing.
This slide presentation is divided into two parts. The first part is
an introduction which discusses the fundamentals of past tense,
present tense, and tense shifting. The second part consists of
some practice exercises that students may use to apply the
concepts they learn.
Enjoy!
Part one:
The introduction
Introduction:
Readers usually expect a piece of writing to use tense
consistently from beginning to end. Tense shifting occurs
whenever the verb tense in a piece of writing changes between
the past and the present tenses, as in the following examples:
Juan played his guitar, which is twenty years old.
past tense
present tense
Juan loves his guitar, which was stolen yesterday.
present tense
past tense
Introduction:
Sometimes, tense shifting is appropriate; other times it is not.
Frequent or unnecessary shifts in tense can distract readers and
even confuse the meaning of a piece of writing, as in the
following examples:
EachAstime
soonheasplayed
he wakes,
his guitar,
Juan played
Juan breaks
his guitar.
a string.
past tense
present tense
past tense
present tense
Juan loved his guitar, which is stolen yesterday.
present
past tense
past tense
present
tense
Introduction:
As the previous examples illustrate, it is important for writers to
use tense consistently and to make shifts only for clear reasons.
To do this, writers must first understand the fundamentals of the
past tense, the present tense, and tense shifting.
These fundamentals are introduced in the next few slides.
Introduction:
The Past Tense
Writers use the past tense to describe events that were completed
in the past or to make statements or generalizations that are tied
to the past.
Examples:
Juan played the guitar for his girlfriend last night.
Because Juan did not practice, he played poorly.
Juan failed to impress his girlfriend.
Juan decided to practice.
Introduction:
The present Tense
Writers use the present tense to make statements of fact or to
make generalizations that are true now and will continue to be
true unless something happens to change the situation.
Examples:
Juan plays the guitar for his girlfriend every night.
Because Juan does not practice, he plays poorly.
Juan always fails to impress his girlfriend.
Whenever he fails, Juan always decides to practice.
Introduction:
Tense shifting
Once writers commit to a tense, they stick with it unless there is a
reason to shift. Writers shift tenses when they need to describe
both a completed action and a habitual action or state of being.
Examples:
Juan plays
the time
guitar
his
girlfriend
Each
Juan
played
hefor
the
played
guitar
hisfor
guitar,
hisevery
girlfriend,
Juannight.
breaks
who
a string.
likes it.
Because Juanpastdoes
practice,
his playing
is
always
poor.
tensenot
(completed
past
tense
action)
present
present
tense
tense
(habitual
action)
Juan always fails to impress his girlfriend.
Juan
Juan
loves
loved
hishis
guitar,
guitar,
which
which
wasisstolen
stolenyesterday.
yesterday.
presentpresent
tense (habitual
tense action)
past tense (completed action)
Introduction:
review
Use the past tense to describe events that were
completed in the past or to make statements or
generalizations that are tied to the past.
Use the present tense to make statements of fact or
to make generalizations that are true now and will
Each
time hetoplayed
hisunless
guitar,something
Juan breaks
a string.
continue
be true
happens
to
tense
present tense
change thepast
situation.
Use tense shifting to describe both a completed
Juan loved his guitar, which is stolen yesterday.
action and a habitual action or state of being.
present tense
tense
Otherwise,
choose one tensepast
and
stick to it.
Part two:
Practice exercises
Tense practice #1
Now that you have reviewed some of the basics, it is time to
practice identifying the past and present tenses in the sentences
below. Click the buttons on the left to see the correct answers.
Juan’s guitar has a picture of flowers on it.
Juan’s girlfriend prefers real flowers.
Playing the guitar is Juan’s passion.
Juan’s playing embarrasses his girlfriend.
Last night, Juan broke two strings at the same time.
Today, Juan bought some new strings.
Continue
Tense practice #1
Now that you have reviewed some of the basics, it is time to
practice identifying the past and present tenses in the sentences
below. Click the buttons on the left to see the correct answers.
Juan’s guitar has a picture of flowers on it. (present)
Juan’s girlfriend prefers real flowers.
Playing the guitar is Juan’s passion.
Juan’s playing embarrasses his girlfriend.
Last night, Juan broke two strings at the same time.
Today, Juan bought some new strings.
Continue
Tense practice #1
Now that you have reviewed some of the basics, it is time to
practice identifying the past and present tenses in the sentences
below. Click the buttons on the left to see the correct answers.
Juan’s guitar has a picture of flowers on it.
Juan’s girlfriend prefers real flowers. (present)
Playing the guitar is Juan’s passion.
Juan’s playing embarrasses his girlfriend.
Last night, Juan broke two strings at the same time.
Today, Juan bought some new strings.
Continue
Tense practice #1
Now that you have reviewed some of the basics, it is time to
practice identifying the past and present tenses in the sentences
below. Click the buttons on the left to see the correct answers.
Juan’s guitar has a picture of flowers on it.
Juan’s girlfriend prefers real flowers.
Playing the guitar is Juan’s passion. (present)
Juan’s playing embarrasses his girlfriend.
Last night, Juan broke two strings at the same time.
Today, Juan bought some new strings.
Continue
Tense practice #1
Now that you have reviewed some of the basics, it is time to
practice identifying the past and present tenses in the sentences
below. Click the buttons on the left to see the correct answers.
Juan’s guitar has a picture of flowers on it.
Juan’s girlfriend prefers real flowers.
Playing the guitar is Juan’s passion.
Juan’s playing embarrasses his girlfriend. (present)
Last night, Juan broke two strings at the same time.
Today, Juan bought some new strings.
Continue
Tense practice #1
Now that you have reviewed some of the basics, it is time to
practice identifying the past and present tenses in the sentences
below. Click the buttons on the left to see the correct answers.
Juan’s guitar has a picture of flowers on it.
Juan’s girlfriend prefers real flowers.
Playing the guitar is Juan’s passion.
Juan’s playing embarrasses his girlfriend.
Last night, Juan broke two strings at the same time. (past)
Today, Juan bought some new strings.
Continue
Tense
practice
#1
The
Bottom
Line
Now that you have reviewed some of the basics, it is time to
practice identifying the past and present tenses in the sentences
Click
the buttons
on the
left to
see the correct
Ifbelow.
you are
making
a statement
about
something
that is answers.
limited to
the past, use the past tense.
Juan’s guitar has a picture of flowers on it.
Juan’s girlfriend prefers real flowers.
If you are making a statement about something that is not limited
Playing
thepresent
guitar istense
Juan’s passion.
to the past,
use the
Juan’s playing embarrasses his girlfriend.
Last night, Juan broke two strings at the same time.
Today, Juan bought some new strings. (past)
Continue
Tense practice
practice #2
#2
Tense
Now that you have practiced the past and present tenses, it is time
to practice identifying tense shifting in the sentences below. Click
the buttons on the left to see the correct answers.
Juan’s played his guitar, which has flowers on it.
Juan played for his girlfriend, who prefers real flowers.
Guitars are Juan’s passion, so he bought another one.
Juan sings to his girlfriend, who was embarrassed today.
Juan often breaks strings, so he bought some extras.
Juan bought new strings today, even though he is poor.
Continue
Tense practice
practice #2
#2
Tense
Now that you have practiced the past and present tenses, it is time
to practice identifying tense shifting in the sentences below. Click
the buttons on the left to see the correct answers.
Juan’s played his guitar, which has flowers on it.
Juan played his guitar, which has flowers on it.
Juan played for his girlfriend, who prefers real flowers.
past tense (completed action)
present tense (habitual action)
Guitars are Juan’s passion, so he bought another one.
Juan sings to his girlfriend, who was embarrassed today.
Juan often breaks strings, so he bought some extras.
Juan bought new strings today, even though he is poor.
Continue
Tense practice
practice #2
#2
Tense
Now that you have practiced the past and present tenses, it is time
to practice identifying tense shifting in the sentences below. Click
the buttons on the left to see the correct answers.
Juan’s played his guitar, which has flowers on it.
Juan played for his girlfriend, who prefers real flowers.
Juan played for his girlfriend, who prefers real flowers.
Guitars are Juan’s passion, so he bought another one.
past tense (completed action)
present tense (habitual action)
Juan sings to his girlfriend, who was embarrassed today.
Juan often breaks strings, so he bought some extras.
Juan bought new strings today, even though he is poor.
Continue
Tense practice
practice #2
#2
Tense
Now that you have practiced the past and present tenses, it is time
to practice identifying tense shifting in the sentences below. Click
the buttons on the left to see the correct answers.
Juan’s played his guitar, which has flowers on it.
Juan played for his girlfriend, who prefers real flowers.
Guitars are Juan’s passion, so he bought another one.
Guitars are Juan’s passion, so he bought another one.
Juan sings to his girlfriend, who was embarrassed today.
present tense (state of being)
past tense (completed action)
Juan often breaks strings, so he bought some extras.
Juan bought new strings today, even though he is poor.
Continue
Tense practice
practice #2
#2
Tense
Now that you have practiced the past and present tenses, it is time
to practice identifying tense shifting in the sentences below. Click
the buttons on the left to see the correct answers.
Juan’s played his guitar, which has flowers on it.
Juan played for his girlfriend, who prefers real flowers.
Guitars are Juan’s passion, so he bought another one.
Juan sings to his girlfriend, who was embarrassed today.
Juan sings to his girlfriend, who was embarrassed today.
Juan often breaks strings, so he bought some extras.
present tense (habitual action) past tense (completed state of being)
Juan bought new strings today, even though he is poor.
Continue
Tense practice
practice #2
#2
Tense
Now that you have practiced the past and present tenses, it is time
to practice identifying tense shifting in the sentences below. Click
the buttons on the left to see the correct answers.
Juan’s played his guitar, which has flowers on it.
Juan played for his girlfriend, who prefers real flowers.
Guitars are Juan’s passion, so he bought another one.
Juan often breaks strings, so he bought some extras.
Juan sings to his girlfriend, who was embarrassed today.
present tense (habitual action) past tense (completed action)
Juan
often breaks strings, so he bought some extras.
Juan bought new strings today, even though he is poor.
Continue
Tense practice
practice #2
#2
Tense
Now that you have practiced the past and present tenses, it is time
to practice identifying tense shifting in the sentences below. Click
the buttons on the left to see the correct answers.
Juan’s played his guitar, which has flowers on it.
Juan played for his girlfriend, who prefers real flowers.
Guitars are Juan’s passion, so he bought another one.
Juan sings to his girlfriend, who was embarrassed today.
Juan bought new strings today, even though he is poor.
Juan often breaks strings, so he bought some extras.
past tense (completed action)
present tense (state of being)
Juan bought new strings today, even though he is poor.
Continue
closing
Checklist
In order to use tense shifting correctly in your own writing,
observe the items on the following checklist:
Ask yourself if the statement or generalization you want
to make is limited to the past.
Identify the verb in your sentence
Identify the tense of your verb.
Ask yourself if the tense of your verb agrees with the
statement or generalization you want to make.
The End
88
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Bye Bye