SAT Prep - Writing

Verb tense errors occur when there is a shift in verb tense in the sentence, without a word suggesting a transition in time.  Unless a sentence suggests that things are happening at different times, every verb in the sentence must be in the same tense.  If a tense shifts without reason, that is called a verb tense error.  This requirement of consistency extends throughout the whole paragraph or essay for longer pieces of writing, so this type of error can show up in Improving Paragraphs questions as well as Improving Sentences and/or identifying sentence error questions. 

• Ex: I wished I had pizza but I don't.  
  • There is a tense shift here- wished is in the simple past tense, but don't is in the present tense
  • This sentence should be rewritten I wished I had pizza but I didn't or I wish I had pizza but I don't.  
• Ex: Yesterday I wished I had pizza, but today I don't
  • This sentence is not an error.  There are words suggesting a time shift Yesterday... but today so it is OK to shift from past tense to present tense

Words that suggest a shift in time include:

• Once... but now
• Then... but now
• Yesterday... but today
• Last week... but now
• Before
• Over time
• After

There are many other words that suggest a shift in time- be on the lookout for anything that lets you know something happened before but something different is happening now, or something is happening now but something different will happen after.