6.3 Verb Tense, Sequence, and Aspect

Navigating Verb Tense and Aspect

Verbs are the engines of sentences; they drive the action. On the ACCUPLACER, you will be tested on your ability to use verbs correctly to express the precise timing and state of actions. This involves understanding tense (past, present, future) and aspect (simple, progressive, perfect).

The Golden Rule: Consistency

The fundamental rule for verb tenses on standardized tests is to maintain consistency. Unless the logic of the narrative explicitly requires a change in time, the verb tenses within a sentence or a paragraph should remain the same.

• Inconsistent: The researcher conducts the experiment carefully, but she forgot to record the temperature.
• Consistent: The researcher conducted the experiment carefully, but she forgot to record the temperature.

In the first example, the tense unnecessarily shifts from present ("conducts") to past ("forgot").

The Perfect Tenses: Ordering Events in Time

The simple tenses (I walk, I walked, I will walk) denote actions happening at a specific point. The perfect tenses are used to show the relationship between two different points in time. They always use a form of the helping verb "to have."

Past Perfect (had + past participle)

The past perfect is used when there are two completed actions in the past, and you need to make it clear which action happened first. The past perfect describes the older action, while the simple past describes the more recent action.

• Example: By the time the fire department arrived (simple past), the building had already collapsed (past perfect).

The collapsing happened before the arriving, so it takes the past perfect tense.

Present Perfect (has/have + past participle)

The present perfect describes an action that began in the past and continues into the present, or an action that happened at an unspecified time in the past but has relevance to the present.

• Example: She has worked at the university since 2015.

This indicates that she started working there in the past and is still working there now. (Compare to the simple past: "She worked at the university," which implies she no longer works there).

Future Perfect (will have + past participle)

The future perfect is used to describe an action that will be completed before another action or time in the future.

• Example: By next Friday, we will have finished the project.

Progressive Aspect

The progressive (or continuous) aspect emphasizes that an action is, was, or will be ongoing. It is formed using a form of "to be" plus the present participle (-ing).

• Present Progressive: The economy is recovering slowly.
• Past Progressive: They were studying when the power went out.

On the ACCUPLACER, progressive tenses are generally used to set the background scene against which another action (usually in a simple tense) occurs.

The Subjunctive Mood

While tense tells you when an action happens, mood tells you the speaker's attitude toward the action. The indicative mood states facts, and the imperative mood gives commands. The subjunctive mood is used for hypothetical situations, wishes, or commands/suggestions.

Hypothetical and Contrary-to-Fact Situations

When describing a situation that is hypothetical, imaginary, or contrary to fact (often following "if" or "wish"), use the past subjunctive. The most commonly tested aspect of this is using "were" instead of "was" for all subjects.

• Incorrect: If I was the manager, I would change the policy.
• Correct: If I were the manager, I would change the policy.

Because the speaker is not the manager (it is contrary to fact), "were" is the correct form.

Commands, Demands, and Suggestions

Verbs that express a demand, request, suggestion, or necessity (e.g., demand, insist, suggest, require, recommend, ask, mandate) followed by "that" require the present subjunctive in the dependent clause. The present subjunctive looks exactly like the base form of the verb (the infinitive without "to").

• Incorrect: The board requires that the CEO attends the meeting.
• Correct: The board requires that the CEO attend the meeting.

Even though "CEO" is a singular subject, it does not take the singular verb "attends." Because it follows "requires that," it takes the base form "attend."

• Incorrect: It is crucial that she is on time.
• Correct: It is crucial that she be on time.

Verb Tense Strategy for the ACCUPLACER

1. Check for Clue Words: Look for time markers in the sentence or surrounding sentences (e.g., yesterday, in 1999, currently, by next year, since). These dictate the necessary tense.
2. Analyze the Timeline: If the sentence describes multiple events, map out the timeline. Did one happen before the other? (Use perfect tenses). Did one interrupt another? (Use progressive + simple).
3. Scan for Subjunctive Triggers: Look for "if," "wish," or demand words ("require that," "suggest that"). If present, ensure the subjunctive form ("were" or the base verb) is used.
4. Prioritize Consistency: If there are no clear time shifts, ensure the underlined verb matches the tense of the other verbs in the sentence or paragraph.