Connections: Writing: Polishing: 30-Point Inspection: Verb Tenses

Use the present tense to describe textual action, the past tense to describe historical circumstances.

Textual action: “In my novel, The Thirty Miles of George Washington, Washington walks thirty miles in a single day.”

Historical circumstances: “George Washington once walked thirty miles in a single day.”

If you need to separate time periods within textual action, use perfect tenses (verbs with forms of “to have”).

Example: “In my novel, Washington has already completed 50 sit-ups before he walks thirty miles in a single day.”

Textbook Poetry Fiction Film Theory Contexts Research and Writing Research Writing Study Skills Thesis Quotation Argument Polishing Inspection Other Resources Courses Tutorial 120 121 224 226 Seminars Site Information Site Updates Navigation Site Map	Point 5: Verb Tenses Use the present tense to describe textual action, the past tense to describe historical circumstances. Textual action: “In my novel, The Thirty Miles of George Washington, Washington walks thirty miles in a single day.” Historical circumstances: “George Washington once walked thirty miles in a single day.” If you need to separate time periods within textual action, use perfect tenses (verbs with forms of “to have”). Example: “In my novel, Washington has already completed 50 sit-ups before he walks thirty miles in a single day.”
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Erik Simpson \| simpsone@grinnell.edu