Sequence of tenses

Tense in
Purpose of Dependent Clause/
Independent Example(s)
Tense in Dependent Clause
Clause
To show same-time action, use the I am eager to go to the concert
present tense because I love the Wallflowers.
To show earlier action, use past
I know that I made the right choice.
tense
Simple To show a period of time extending
Present from some point in the past to the They believe that they have elected
present, use the present perfect the right candidate.
tense.
To show action to come, use the The President says that he will veto
future tense. the bill.

To show another completed past I wanted to go home because I

action, use the past tense.
Simple To show an earlier action, use the
Past past perfect tense.
To state a general truth, use the
present tense.
missed my parents.
She knew she had made the right
choice.
The Deists believed that the universe
is like a giant clock.

Present
Perfect She has grown a foot since she
turned nine.
or For any purpose, use the past tense.
The crowd had turned nasty before
Past the sheriff returned.
Perfect

To show action happening at the I will be so happy if they fix my car

same time, use the present tense. today.
To show an earlier action, use the You will surely pass this exam if you
Future past tense. studied hard.
To show future action earlier than The college will probably close its
the action of the independent doors next summer if enrollments
clause, use the present perfect tense. have not increased.
 Most students will have taken sixty
Future credits by the time they graduate.
For any purpose, use the present
Most students will have taken sixty
Perfect tense or present perfect tense.
credits by the time they have
graduated.

Authority for this section: Quick Access: Reference for Writers by Lynn Quitman
Troyka. Simon & Schuster: New York. 1995. Used with permission. Examples and
format our own.

Note:
Unless logic dictates otherwise, when discussing a work of literature, use the present
tense: "Robert Frost describes the action of snow on the birch trees." "This line
suggests the burden of the ice." "The use of the present tense in Carver's stories
creates a sense of immediacy."

Sequence of Tenses
With Infinitives and Participles

Like verbs, infinitives and participles are capable of conveying the idea of action in
time; therefore, it is important that we observe the appropriate tense sequence when
using these modals.

INFINITIVES
Tense of
Role of Infinitive Example(s)
Infinitive
Coach Espinoza is eager to try out
her new drills. [The eagerness is
now; the trying out will happen
Present
To show same-time action or action later.]
Infinitive later than the verb She would have liked to see more
(to see) veterans returning. [The present
infinitive to see is in the same time
as the past would have liked.]

Perfect To show action earlier than the verb The fans would like to have seen
some improvement this year.
Infinitive ["Would like" describes a present
(to have condition; "to have seen" describes
something prior to that time.]
seen)
They consider the team to have been
coached very well. [The perfect
 infinitive to have been coached
indicates a time prior to the verb
consider.]

PARTICIPLES
Tense of
Role of Participle Example(s)
Participle
Working on the fundamentals, the
Present team slowly began to improve. [The
To show action occurring at the
Participle same time as that of the verb
action expressed by began happened
in the past, at the same time the
(seeing) working happened.]

Prepared by last year's experience,

the coach knows not to expect too
Past much. [The action expressed by
knows is in the present; prepared
Participle expresses a time prior to that time.]
or To show action occurring earlier
Present than that of the verb Having experimented with several
game plans, the coaching staff
Perfect devised a master strategy. [The
Participle present perfect participle having
experimented indicates a time prior
to the past tense verb, devised.]