Lesson 3.3: Verb Tenses and Subject-Verb Agreement

Introduction

In this lesson, we will delve into the essential components of verb tenses and subject-verb agreement, which are fundamental to constructing accurate and clear sentences in academic writing. The ability to use verb tenses correctly can determine whether your writing conveys the right meaning and context, while subject-verb agreement ensures that your sentences are grammatically sound.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

• Understand the most common verb tenses used in academic writing and when to use each.
• Be able to apply the present simple tense for stating general truths and established knowledge, and the past tense for discussing specific events and studies.
• Maintain consistent verb tense throughout a passage.
• Understand subject-verb agreement, including tricky cases involving collective nouns and the use of 'there is/are'.
• Correct common errors related to verb tense and subject-verb agreement.

Understanding Verb Tenses

What Are Verb Tenses?

Verb tenses indicate the time at which the action of a verb occurs. They are crucial for providing clarity in communication. In English, the main verb tenses are:

• Present Simple
• Past Simple
• Future Simple

For academic writing, the focus will primarily be on the present and past tenses, as they are the most frequently used.

Present Simple Tense

The present simple tense is used to describe general truths, habitual actions, and current states. It is formed by using the base form of the verb for all subjects except third-person singular, which adds an -s at the end.

Form:

• I/You/We/They + base form of the verb
• He/She/It + base form + s/es

Examples:

• The Earth revolves around the Sun. (general truth)
• She studies biology. (habitual action)

Worked Example

Let’s analyze a statement for its tense:

• Statement: "The research shows that exercise improves mental health."

Here, the verb "shows" is in the present simple, indicating that this is a general truth supported by research. The structure adheres to the requirement for subject-verb agreement (singular subject "research" with singular verb "shows").

Past Simple Tense

The past simple tense is used to describe actions that occurred at a specific time in the past. It is often formed by adding -ed to regular verbs, while irregular verbs vary in form.

Form:

• I/You/He/She/It/We/They + past form of the verb

Examples:

• The experiment yielded surprising results.
• The students submitted their assignments yesterday.

Worked Example

Consider the following statement:

• Statement: "The authors conducted a survey in 2019."

In this case, the verb "conducted" is in the past simple tense, indicating a specific action that took place in the past.

Maintaining Consistent Tense

Consistency in verb tense is key to clear writing. When you switch tenses within a passage, it can confuse the reader about when actions occurred. A good strategy is to choose a primary tense for your writing and stick to it, unless presenting a new time frame or context requires a switch.

Common Mistakes in Tense Consistency

1. Mixing past and present tenses within the same paragraph without a clear reason.
2. Using past tense to describe ongoing research or established facts.

Worked Example

Incorrect: "The study shows that the protein levels were increased following treatment."

Correct: "The study shows that the protein levels are increased following treatment."

The first statement mixes present and past tenses, while the second remains consistent by using the present tense for ongoing relevance.

Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject-verb agreement means that the subject of a sentence must match the verb in number (singular or plural). This rule plays a vital role in ensuring that sentences are grammatically correct.

Basic Rules of Subject-Verb Agreement

1. Singular subjects require singular verbs:

• The cat chases the mouse. (singular subject, singular verb)

1. Plural subjects require plural verbs:

• The cats chase the mice. (plural subject, plural verb)

Tricky Cases

1. Collective Nouns: These nouns represent a group as a single entity (e.g., team, group, flock). The verb can be singular or plural based on whether you are referring to the group as a whole or to its individual members.

• The team wins the championship. (singular)
• The team are arguing among themselves. (plural)

1. There is/There are: This construction can lead to confusion regarding subject-verb agreement. Always match the verb to the noun following "there."

• There is a problem. (singular)
• There are problems. (plural)

Worked Example

Consider the following sentences for subject-verb agreement:

• Incorrect: "The committee are making their decision."
• Correct: "The committee is making its decision."

In the first sentence, “committee” is acting as a singular entity, hence the singular verb “is” should be used.

Common Errors and Corrections

Common Tense Errors

1. Overusing the past tense in research papers: Use the present tense when discussing established knowledge or findings.
2. Shifting unnecessarily between tenses: Ensure passages reflect consistent tense usage according to the narrative.

Common Subject-Verb Agreement Errors

1. Ignoring collective nouns: Always determine whether to treat a collective noun as singular or plural based on the sentence's meaning.
2. Confusion with there is/there are: Check the noun after "there" to determine the appropriate verb form.

Worked Examples

1. Tense Error: "The results indicated that the participants shows improvement."

• Correction: "The results indicate that the participants show improvement."

The verb should reflect the tense of indicating (present) and be subject-verb correct.

1. Agreement Error: "There is many ways to solve the problem."

• Correction: "There are many ways to solve the problem."

The noun "ways" is plural, thus requiring the plural verb "are."

Conclusion

Mastering verb tenses and subject-verb agreement significantly strengthens your writing skills. Accurate and clear sentences enhance the reader’s comprehension and convey your ideas effectively. students, remember to consistently use the appropriate tense and ensure your subjects agree with their verbs in number. This foundational skill will serve you well not just in academic writing, but in all your written communication.

Study Notes

• Verb tenses indicate the timing of actions.
• Present simple for general truths; past simple for specific events.
• Maintain consistent tense for clarity.
• Subject-verb agreement is essential: singular subjects use singular verbs, plural subjects use plural verbs.
• Watch out for tricky cases: collective nouns and constructions like "there is/are".
• Correct common errors related to tense and agreement to improve the quality of writing.