SAT verb tense consistency practice

What is verb tense consistency?

Maintaining the same tense throughout a sentence or passage.

Past tense example

She walked to the store yesterday.

True or false: Consistency isn't important in writing.

False, because inconsistent tenses confuse readers.

Identify the error: He walks to the park and saw his friends.

Mixes present ('walks') and past ('saw') tenses.

Present perfect example

They have finished their homework.

Difference between past and present tense

Past tense indicates completed actions; present tense shows ongoing actions.

Fill in the blank: By the time he arrives, we _____ (eat).

will have eaten.

Future tense example

I will go to the concert next week.

What is an example of a tense shift?

Changing from past ('ran') to present ('runs') in a paragraph.

True or false: All verbs should be changed to the same tense.

False, because context may require different tenses.

Identify the error: She eats breakfast, then went to school.

Mixes present ('eats') with past ('went') tenses.

Perfect tense example

He has lived here for five years.

What is a common error in verb tense?

Switching tenses without a clear reason, confusing the timeline.

Fill in the blank: They _____ (play) soccer last weekend.

played.

Correct this sentence: I will finish my report and submitted it yesterday.

I will finish my report and submit it yesterday.

Difference between simple and perfect tense

Simple tense shows completed actions; perfect tense indicates actions completed before another action.

What tense is used for ongoing actions?

Present tense.

Fill in the blank: She _____ (study) for her exam all week.

has been studying.