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Lesson: English Grammar - 14

Keeping Verb Tenses Straight

[Page 14 of 28]

Often, the verbs in a sentence will be and should be in the same tense. Take the sentence below:

Example 1: When Johanna left work, she was exhausted.

The sentence describes two things happening at the same past time ("when" indicates that they're happening in the same general moment), so they both need to be in the same tense. Nevertheless, compare the following:

Example 1: After Johanna leaves work, she goes to the store.
Example 2: After Johanna leaves work, she will go to the store.

Both sentences are correct, but they communicate different meanings. The first sentence suggests that Johanna habitually goes to store after work. The second sentence focuses on one particular time when Johanna goes to the store after leaving work. Again, just make sure that different tenses make sense together, especially in more complicated sentences.

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