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Tenses
by Dagny Taggart - Thursday, 7 August 2008, 06:40 AM

I just checked the date of the last article that I wrote; it was posted on 15
th
May, 2008. Frankly
speaking, it was written some 20 days prior to that date and, after much procrastinating and
rationalizing, we decided to post it on 15
th
Day of May. Now I have no choice but to write another
article. Although TG and I don't suffer from writer's block, our eagerness to do something better
with our every article causes us much delay. Another reason for delays that I can think of is that
we are our own bosses so there is actually no one who can question us about the work being
done on time or not. We do things because we like doing them. Some two years back, TG and I
used to sit in IIT Delhi campus and talk about our dreams while sipping our coffee. I don't know
what stuff dreams are made of but I know that if you dream and work towards them, they do
come true. We also dreamt of going to IIMs but that didn't happen. The only thing we knew was
that we were standing on a hill in our mountain of dreams, telling ourselves it's not as hard, hard,
hard as it seems. Taking that as a bitter medicine we kept moving. Today if you ask us whether we have an iota of regret about not
going there, we'd say Nah!! Today, having two companies under our belt and meeting more than forty thousand students in one and a
half years doesn't feel so bad at all. Does it? So dream and work towards your dreams. No matter what happens on the D Day, go face
it and don't let the much-hyped exam deter you from making your dreams come true. So, here's presenting you my humble addition
that may help you in a little way to face the monster on 16
th
November 2008.
This tensed topic is about the tensions in Grammar Land. Oh yes! There is a Grammar Land where people like adjectives, adverbs,
prepositions, nouns, verbs etc., dwell, and where there are people there is tension. The only whacky thing with these people is that they
worry about their present as well. Don’t ask me how because I am the Queen of Gadha Land, and not Grammar Land. So, I donâ
€™t know. Well! When I have shared the best of my moments with the Gadha Gang, how could I not share this tension?
But I digress.
On my research I got to know that these tensions are close associates of verbs. They are commonly addressed as Verb Tenses in
other lands. From here on, I'll present my research on the topic. All you have to do is fill your coffee mugs, make yourself comfortable
in your chairs, and pick up a pen and a paper. And do what? Read on, what else?
I won't go much on the definition about what Past, Present and Future tenses are but this table would help you understand the
differences in the usage. We'll be talking more about the application part.

In normal speech, we generally take care of the usage but when it comes to sentence correction, we tend to deviate. The following
points would help you overcome this problem:
Use Simple Tenses
Try to use Simple Tenses Simple Present, Simple Past, and Simple Future instead of progressive tenses until and unless the
continuous aspect of an action is not defined.
When a passage has more than one verb, the relation between the tenses of the verbs is called the sequence of tenses. Sentences with
more than one action do not necessarily require multiple tenses. Unless, the action is not taking place at different times, use the same
verb tenses in a given sentence.
I swim, dance, and jog every day. (all present tense)
I swam, danced, and jogged yesterday. (all paste tense)
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In the following sentence, the actions are happening at different times. Hence, different verb tenses are used.
James had been working in the same company for almost three years before he found another job. (past perfect and past)
Now let's have a look at a sentence correction question:
Native American burial sites dating back 5 000 years indicate that the residents of Maine at that time were part of a widespread culture
of Algonquian-speaking people.
(A) were part of a widespread culture of Algonquian-speaking people
(B) had been part of a widespread culture of people who were Algonquian-speaking
(C) were people who were part of a widespread culture that was Algonquian-speaking
(D) had been people who were part of a widespread culture that was Algonquian-speaking
(E) were a people which had been part of a widespread, Algonquian-speaking culture
The correct option is A. A very simple reason being that it correctly uses simple past throughout. No big deal.
Option B and D are unnecessarily using present perfect tense and in the process deviating from the original meaning of the sentence.
Use of perfect tense suggests that the Native Americans had previously ceased to be part of the widespread culture. Wrong!
Option E is has a problem of inconsistent tenses- were….had been. Option C is wordy. Another error is in the meaning that it implies.
People should describe as large groups to which residents belong and not the residents.
Don't use Perfect Tenses Imperfectly
The present perfect tense is used to describe action that began in the past and continues into the present or has just been completed
at the moment of utterance. The present perfect is often used to suggest that a past action still has an effect upon something happening
in the present.
The Thumb Rule for forming a sentence in Present Perfect is:
They have not submitted the assignments they ought to.
The above sentence maintains that the assignments have not been submitted in the past, and they are still not submitted.
The past perfect tense is used to refer to actions that took place, and were completed in the past. The past perfect is often used to
emphasis that one action, event or condition ended before another past action, event, or condition began. The past participle of a verb
ends with "ed", e.g. talked, walked, played. Verbs such as go, to be, etc. have different participles. Gone, been are the participle forms
of go, and to be. If more than one action takes place at different times in past, past perfect for an earlier action and simple past for
later action should be used.
The Thumb Rule for forming a sentence in Past Perfect is:

Each of the italicized verbs in the following sentences is in the past perfect.
Nirmesh thought that Rohit had copied the assignment.
The presentation had ended but we stayed for the lunch.

The future perfect is used to refer to an action that will be completed sometime in the future before another action takes place.
The Thumb Rule for forming a sentence in Future Perfect is:
The italicized part in the following sentences is in the future perfect tense.
I will have finished reading 5 books before the book fair starts.
Some buildings that were destroyed and heavily damaged in the earthquake last year were constructed in violation of the city's building
code.
(A) Some buildings that were destroyed and heavily damaged in the earthquake last year were
(B) Some buildings that were destroyed or heavily damaged in the earthquake last year had been
(C) Some buildings that the earthquake destroyed and heavily damaged last year have been
(D) Last year the earthquake destroyed or heavily damaged some buildings that have been
(E) Last year some of the buildings that were destroyed or heavily damaged in the earthquake had been
If you read the main sentence carefully, the logic says that construction of the buildings was completed prior to the earthquake. Option
A and C illogically state that some buildings were both destroyed and damaged. How is that possible? Also in option A fails to indicate
that the buildings were constructed before the earthquake occurred. By using perfect tense in option C and D, the meaning incorrectly
comes out that the buildings have been constructed after they were destroyed last year. Option E states that the construction of
buildings occurred last year, and not the earthquake. Only option B maintains both the logic by using the correct tenses.
A perfect example to show that improper use of tenses can lead you in creating illogical errors.
Moody Infinitive
Present Infinitive ( to eat): To show same-time action or action later than the verb.
In an effort to reduce their inventories, Italian vintners have cut prices; their wines have been priced to sell, and they do.
In the above sentence, the price cut is done now and the reduction in inventories will happen later.
Perfect Infinitive (to have eaten): To show action earlier than the verb.
They consider the Gadha Gang to have been taught very well.
The infinitive "to have been taught" indicates the time prior to the verb "consider".
Have a look at the following example:-

A firm that specializes in the analysis of handwriting claims from a one-page writing sample that it can assess more than three hundred
personality traits, including enthusiasm, imagination, and ambition.
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(A) from a one-page writing sample that it can assess.
(B) from a one-page writing sample it has the ability of assessing
(C) the ability, from a one-page writing sample, of assessing
(D) to be able, from a one-page writing sample, to assess
(E) being able to assess, from a one-page writing sample,
In the above sentence :-
1) Logically the connection has to develop between claims and firm's assertion.
2) To assess is idiomatic.
In option A with the placement of that after "sample", it produces an unintended statement that the claims were made on the basis of
one page writing sample.
Option B- "the ability of assessing" is unidiomatic.
Option C- the ability.. of assessing is unidiomatic.
Option D- correctly follows both logical and idiomatic path.
Option E- "claims being able to assess" is ungrammatical.

Past Participles of Irregular Verbs
Remember the simple past and past participle of the irregular verbs.


Dr. Hakuta's research among Hispanic children in the United States indicates that the more the children use both Spanish and English,
their intellectual advantage is greater in skills underlying reading ability and nonverbal logic.
(A) their intellectual advantage is greater in skills underlying reading ability and nonverbal logic
(B) their intellectual advantage is the greater in skills underlaying reading ability and nonverbal logic
(C) the greater their intellectual advantage in skills underlying reading ability and nonverbal logic
(D) in skills that underlay reading ability and nonverbal logic, their intellectual advantage is the greater
(E) in skills underlying reading ability and nonverbal logic, the greater intellectual advantage is theirs
The three things noteworthy about the above sentence are:
1) The sentence is the present form.
2) A present participle of "underlay" should be used as a modifier of "skills". The present participle is underlying.
3) The phrase "the more the X...the greater the Y" should be completed.
We go by options again.
Option B and D are ruled out because of second point stated above.
Option A rules out because of point number 3.
Option E is an awkward construction.
Only Option C clearly fits into all the points stated for the sentence to be both logically and grammatically correct.
If-then can be an inTense Construction- Be Cautious!
Sentences that use the word "if" to describe hypothetical conditions require a conditional verb construction. These sentences have two
parts: if clause, and the then clause. The word "if" does not always signal a conditional sentence. Only when the sentence has a "then"
clause, then the sentence is considered a conditional sentence. Also note would/could never appears in the "if" clause.
If v/s Whether

Use If- When you have a conditional sentence.
Use whether When you have two alternatives possible.
Do not use "whether or not" construction while solving sentence correction questions.
Go through the following examples:-

I do not know if I will go for shopping today or tomorrow.
I do not know whether I will go for shopping today or tomorrow.
In both the sentences above there is one surety that I am confused about going for shopping.
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Let's see the difference in meaning of both the sentences.
With the usage of if, the additional condition is that I may not go of shopping at all. It in whether this condition is not applicable. I will go
shopping either today or tomorrow. GMAT considers "whether" as a correct usage.
The first decision for most tenants living in a building undergoing being converted to cooperative ownership is if to sign a no-buy pledge
with the other tenants.
(A) being converted to cooperative ownership is if to sign
(B) being converted to cooperative ownership is whether they should be signing
(C) being converted to cooperative ownership is whether or not they sign
(D) conversion to cooperative ownership is if to sign
(E) conversion to cooperative ownership is whether to sign
If I would have solved the questions I would have gone in the following way-
Being is generally not accepted in GMAT Land so, I eliminate option A, B and C right away. In option D if is used, not a very safe option.
E uses whether, and correctly uses conversion, which grammatically uses the phrase begun by undergoing. Hence, E is the best choice.
But let me elaborate more on this.
In options A, B an C, the phrase being converted is redundant because the process indicated by being has already being conveyed by
the usage of undergoing. D brings the possibility of not signing at all by the usage of if and the same goes for option A as well. Hence,
eliminated. Option E uses "whether", and is grammatically and logically correct.

A trip to fantasy Grammar Land is over. Come back to reality. This is Gadha Land, and we are donkeys. Remember?


I shall have to end here and leave the rest of it for my CBT Club students. I shall cover some problems based on this
in the CBT Club this week.

If you think this article was useful, help others by sharing it with your friends!
Reply
Re: Tenses
by Rishi Kapoor - Thursday, 7 August 2008, 09:36 AM

Thanks for the article, mam.
...RK...
Show parent | Reply
Re: Tenses
by priyanka tiwari - Thursday, 7 August 2008, 10:52 AM

hi dt mam
the article is very useful
however i had a doubt whether "he has gone to the market" is past participle or present participle (sentences in 2nd table 2nd column)
thanks
priyanka
Show parent | Reply
Re: Tenses
by Chinmay Korhalkar - Thursday, 7 August 2008, 11:45 AM

Thank you mam for such a wonderful article.
Since this is a grammar article I feel it's the right place to ask a query I had today morning regarding infinitives. It's from Wren and Martin.
It says : The infinitive without 'to' is used after-had better,had rather,would rather,sooner than,rather than.(Point no 256 in Wren n Martin)
a) You had better ask permission.
b) I had rather play than work.
here,ask & play have been used as infinitives.
but is the sentence - You had better asked (for) permission
is grammatically wrong? Is the 'for' required in this sentence if I want to use 'asked' instead of 'ask'?
Thanks in advance.
Chinmay.
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