Grammar for college writing
Verb Tense: Staying Consistent
Use this page when your writing moves between past, present, and future, and you want the time to stay clear.
Why verb tense matters
The tense of a verb tells your reader when something happens: in the past, now, or in the future. When the tense changes without a reason, the reader loses track of time.
- Unclear: Last week I go to the library, and I found two sources. Did this happen last week, or does it happen every week?
- Clear: Last week I went to the library, and I found two sources.
Choose a main time, and change the tense only when the time changes.
- Tense:
- the form of a verb that shows time, such as work, worked, will work.
- Base form:
- the verb with no ending: work, go, write.
- Irregular verb:
- a verb whose past form does not end in -ed, such as go, went.
- Shift:
- a change from one tense to another.
Three tenses you will use most in college
| Tense | Use it for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Simple present | Facts and habits. What a text or an author says. | The author argues that sleep affects memory. |
| Simple past | Finished events. Your experiences. What a study did. | Last year I worked at a clinic. The researchers surveyed 200 students. |
| Present perfect (has or have + past participle) | Something that started in the past and continues now, or a past action at no specific time. | I have worked there for two years. Researchers have found similar results. |
Many college classes expect the present tense for what an author says. This is especially true in English classes that use MLA style: The author explains, not “The author explained.” The text still says it today. Classes that use APA style often use the past tense for what a study found: The study found. If you are not sure, ask your instructor.
Example: tense in a paragraph
This paragraph comes from a student’s response to a reading. The tense changes four times, and each change has a reason. Each number matches a note below it.
In her article, the author argues1 that small study breaks improve focus. She describes a study in which students took a five-minute break every half hour.2 I have studied without breaks for most of my life,3 so I was not sure. Last week, I tried her method.4 I set a timer and took short walks. Now I think5 she is right. Next week, I will use the timer6 for my biology reading too.
- Present: what the author says. The article still says this today.
- Past, inside the present. She describes is present, because the article describes it now. Students took is past, because the study is finished.
- Present perfect. This started long ago and is true until now.
- Past, with a time word. Last week signals the change. The next sentence stays in the past.
- Back to present. Now signals the change.
- Future. Next week signals the change. After will, use the base form.
Three common problems
1. A shift with no reason
Inside one story or one event, keep one tense. A story about last semester stays in the past.
| Not this | Write this |
|---|---|
| When a customer was angry, I listen and I try to help. | When a customer was angry, I listened and tried to help. |
| The author explains the problem and gave three solutions. | The author explains the problem and gives three solutions. |
2. Irregular past forms
Many common verbs do not use -ed in the past. These appear often in college writing:
| Base | Past | Past participle (after have) |
|---|---|---|
| write | wrote | written |
| read | read (sounds like “red”) | read |
| find | found | found |
| think | thought | thought |
| teach | taught | taught |
| take | took | taken |
| give | gave | given |
| choose | chose | chosen |
3. Two past forms together
After did, didn’t, or will, use the base form. The helping verb already shows the time.
- Write I didn’t finish the reading. Do not write “I didn’t finished.”
- Write Did you submit the essay? Do not write “Did you submitted?”
Phrases you will use often
Each phrase sets a time. Keep the same tense in the sentences that follow, until the time changes.
- Present: a readingThe author explains that .In this article, .
- Past: an experienceLast semester, I .When I started , I .
- Present perfect: up to nowI have for years.Researchers have found that .
- Future: a planNext time, I will .
Practice
Choose the correct verb.
- Last summer, I (work / worked) at a warehouse.
- In the article, the author (says / said) that cost is the main problem.
- I (have lived / lived) in Owensboro since 2020.
- I didn’t (understand / understood) the second question.
- Yesterday I (write / wrote) my outline.
Then correct the tense shift in this paragraph: “On my first day, I was nervous. I walk into the room and sit in the back. The instructor smiled and asks my name.”
Show suggested answers
- worked Last summer is finished.
- says Use the present for what a text says. In some classes, said is accepted. Ask your instructor.
- have lived Since 2020 means from then until now.
- understand After didn’t, use the base form.
- wrote Write is irregular. Its past form is wrote.
Corrected paragraph: On my first day, I was nervous. I walked into the room and sat in the back. The instructor smiled and asked my name. The whole story is about one finished day, so every verb is past. Sit is irregular: sat.
Next step
Try this with your own writing
- Choose one paragraph from a draft.
- Underline every verb.
- Above each one, write past, present, or future.
- Where the tense changes, look for a reason, such as a time word. If there is no reason, change the verb.
More practice
The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) is a writing site from Purdue University. Many college classes use it.