Grammar and reading terms · SAT Reading and Writing, ACT English, ACT Reading
Verb tense consistency
Verb tense consistency: Using verb tenses that fit the time frame of the passage and stay consistent unless the timing changes.
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What it means
If a passage describes past events in the simple past, a sudden shift to present tense without reason is an error. The perfect tenses show order: the past perfect (had finished) describes an action completed before another past action.
Look at surrounding sentences to determine the passage's tense.
Example
Incorrect: 'In 1920, the artist moves to Paris and opened a studio.' Correct: 'In 1920, the artist moved to Paris and opened a studio.'
On the exam
Tense questions appear in SAT Form, Structure, and Sense and ACT verb tense questions.