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4. Verb Tenses and Moods

Terms in this set (4)

Critical Ideas for Tenses and Moods
The tense of a verb tells you when it happened

verb tense must be consistent and logical

If a subject is doing multiple actions, thenthe verbs must be in the same tense.

If you see the verb tenses shifts in the sentence, then the time shift must be logical and there must be time marker adding time context (by 2009, since 1999, last year, ....)

Like with all verbs on GMAT, the number and tense must be correct. For number, look at the subject. For time, look at time markers and MEANING
Present Simple Tense
This tense depicts actions that are repeated or habitual. A general statement

"I get up at 9:00 A.M" "We walk to the store everyday" "The plane arrives tonight"
Present Perfect Tense
Expresses action which began in the past but continues in the present or is completed at the present.

"Since 1996, I have eaten breakfast daily"

For these, look for a time marker, like "since" or any logical meaning that suggests the action began in the past and continues today
Past Perfect Tense
Expresses action which began in the past and was completed in the past.

"I had been a real jerk until I ate a second breakfast"

THIS SHOULD POP OUT ON GMAT

Nearly every time you see a past perfect, you need another past tense verb as a time marker
Sets found in the same folder