simple past-, present-, or future-tense verbs to fit the meaning of a sentence
Choosing progressive verb forms to indicate ongoing action
Placing past perfect, present perfect, or future perfect forms where they’re needed
Finding the right tense to summarize speech and discuss literary or artistic works
Expressing unchangeable facts in present tense
Determining whether you need a singular or plural form
What to Watch Out For
Verb tense can be tricky, as can agreement — the matching of singular verbs to singular subjects and plural verbs to plural subjects. When you work through these questions, watch out for these issues:
Zero in on the time period(s) covered in the sentence.
Establish a timeline if more than one action or state of being is expressed in the sentence.
Stay in the same tense unless the meaning of the sentence justifies a shift.
Check whether the subject is singular or plural and match the verb to the subject.
Ignore words that resemble verbs but function as descriptions or nouns.
Locating the Verb
1–15 Identify the verb(s) in the sentence.
1. Eric and his band played five songs by the Beatles, to the delight of the audience.
2. Maria slipped out of the room quietly at the end of the lecture on the causes of World War I.
3. The twins will be happy on their birthday when they receive your present!
4. Perhaps because of my brother’s illness, my dog Tweet seems sad today.
5. The child searched for a tissue but found only a dirty candy wrapper.
6. The screaming figure at the left of the painting represents a mother’s grief.
7. Glenn has always carried the sizzling pizza in a special, heat-proof box.
8. The puppies, along with the kittens, were displayed in the shop window for all to see.
9. The last meeting of the council was bittersweet, as the members were now scattering for distant destinations.
10. To go faster, try not to look at the keyboard as you type.
11. Smiling, Barbara wrestled with the math problem until she calculated the correct answer.
12. Daniel’s pen, having run out of ink, sat on the shelf, unused and forgotten.
13. While copying the letter, Mike stuck his finger in the moving paper tray.
14. Norman has been judged “normal” by his doctor, but his friends view him differently.
15. Sliding down the mountain, the ski instructor guided his students.
Choosing Simple and Perfect Tense Verb Forms
16–55 Select the tense and form of the verb in parentheses that fits the meaning of the sentence.
16. I _____ (to start) my podcast a year ago, and I do not intend to stop now.
17. Sheryl and her friend always _____ (to shop) on a Tuesday, when the store offers double discounts.
18. Next year, four wrestlers _____ (to compete) for a single spot on the team.
19. Emma _____ (to snap) a picture of her brother Eric every year on his birthday, including today.
20. Last week I tossed a bit of my dinner under the table because the dog _____ (to beg) for scraps while I ate.
21. Start working on your lab report as soon as you _____ (to arrive) home.
22. Mr. Martin _____ (to trim) the tree after he had watered it.
23. While Harry _____ (to wash) the clothes, Oliver was brushing the dog’s matted fur.
24. Jackie _____ (to learn) Arabic when she lived in Tunisia.
25. Carla _____ (to fill) the gas tank before she realized that her credit card was not in her wallet.
26. By the time George gets home, Maria _____ (to gobble) all the cookies, and George hates all the other snacks.
27. When I _____ (to bake) the cookies, I placed them on the dining room table.
28. Although the king commands instant obedience, his followers sometimes _____ (to disobey).
29. Marlene _____ (to lecture) for two hours before she noticed that several audience members were asleep.
30. I _____ (to live) in this neighborhood for about a year, and despite its problems, I still love my home.
31. The yellow and brown leaves began to fall; the autumn soon _____ (to end).
32. No one _____ (to work) harder than Ellen, who spent eight or nine hours a day on this project for the first two weeks and is now allotting ten or twelve hours a day to it!
33. Jared _____ (to jog) four miles every day as soon as he wakes up.
34. From now on, David _____ (to complete) his homework on time, to avoid detention and poor grades.
35. Elliot always _____ (to return) his library books late, so he pays many fines.
36. While Meredith _____ (to paint) the ceiling, a dog jumped on the ladder.
37. Place the dough in a warm spot, and in a few hours it _____ (to double) in size.
38. It _____ (to rain) every day for a month, including today, but tomorrow’s forecast calls for sunshine.
39. The soda had soaked into the carpet by the time the janitor _____ (to arrive) with a mop.
40. Right now, Catherine’s friends _____ (to gather) for her surprise party.
41. Once George _____ (to chop) down the cherry tree, the fruit was lost.
42. I paid the electric bill on the 17th, so I _____ (to receive) the next bill in about a week.
43. Although Eddie _____ (to dance) happily, Shirley turned off the music.
44. Clancy never _____ (to brush) his teeth by himself, even though he is five years old now.
45. As we speak, our enemies _____ (to attack)
