7. Verb Tense Shift

A verb tense shift error occurs when you suddenly change the tense (past, present, future, for example) into another tense. This type of shift isn't always incorrect. Shifting verb tense is like shifting gears in a car -- you need to know how to shift correctly or the car/your sentence is going to lurch all over the place.

• Purdue's Online Writing Lab has the easiest explanation, which you can find here Links to an external site..
• Indiana University of Pennsylvania explains verb tenses -- not only shifting tenses, but also types of tense to use in various writing contexts. Their page is aptly names "Shifty Tenses Links to an external site.."
• Here's a quick little video from Texas A&M's Writing Center.