1. Verb Tenses Verbs show time through tenses.
Incorrectly mixing tenses is a common problem in writing
The past, present, and future tenses usually are easy to keep consistent.

2. Verb Tenses
Examples:
Present: She sings in the chorus. (This is something she does NOW.)
Past: She sang in the chorus. (This is something she USED to do.)
Future: She will sing in the chorus. (This is something she is GOING TO do.)

3. Verb Tenses
Consistent: She sings in the chorus, and he plays in the band. (This is something that they both do NOW.)
Inconsistent: She sings in the chorus, and he played in the band. (This would mean she does this now, but he used to do that. You can’t mix present and past.)

4. Verb Tenses Most problems usually occur with the perfect tenses.
The perfect tenses are formed by adding such common words as can, do, may, ought, shall, will, has, have, had, and forms of be.

5. Verb Tenses Examples: Present Perfect: She has sung in the chorus.
Past Perfect: She had sung in the chorus.
Future Perfect: She will have sung in the chorus.

6. Verb Tenses
Consistent: I was talking to Sarah, and I said “Will you be at the party?”
Inconsistent: I was talking to Sarah, and I say, “Will you be at the party?”