Verb Tense Consistency :


Remember that if you're writing in the present tense, don't shift to the past tense (or vice versa) unless you have a good reason to do so. For instance, in the sentences below there is no reason to switch from the present tense. This is especially true when writing papers about literature: wherever possible, stay in the present tense.


Confusion :

In Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, the narrator is one of the few truly successful characters in terms of moral development. However, she was also seriously flawed in some ways.

Repair Work :

In Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, the narrator is one of the few truly successful characters in terms of moral development. However, she is also seriously flawed in some ways.




Confusion :

She intended to play for the team during the upcoming season, but then she blows out her knee. [Shifting to the present tense this way would be common in casual speech; it will not do, however, in writing.]

Repair Work :

She intended to play for the team during the upcoming season, but then she blew out her knee.