Sentence Improvement
🔒 Log in to trackTense and sequence fixes
🔒 Log in to trackMany improvement questions bold a verb whose tense clashes with a word in plain sight, like yesterday, since or already. Find that word first. It tells you the tense. Then check the other verbs in the sentence, because tense is always about a pair of times.
The anchor word decides the tense
Circle the time word before you look at the options. It fixes the form of the bold verb.
| Anchor in the sentence | Form needed |
|---|---|
| yesterday, last week, ago, in 2019 | simple past |
| since + a point, for + a length, so far, already, yet | perfect or perfect continuous |
| every day, at nine (habit) | simple present |
| when / if / until with a future meaning | simple present inside that clause |
| by the time + past, or the earlier of two past events | past perfect |
| said, asked, told (past reporting verb) | backshifted past forms |
Example: When I reached the station, the train had already left. The train left first, so it takes the past perfect.
Since and for
Since 2015, for twenty years and since childhood link a past start to now. If the action still goes on, use has / have been + -ing.
He has been working in the same mill for twenty-two years. The plain is working does not fit for + length.
Reported speech needs two changes
After a past reporting verb, make two changes.
- Backshift. Move the tense one step back: has locked becomes had locked, will becomes would, is becomes was.
- Statement order. An indirect question is no longer a question. Say asked why he was late, not why was he late.
Use one connective only: asked whether or asked why. Never asked that whether.
Conditional sentences come in pairs
Each type has a fixed pair of halves.
- Real future: if + present, will + verb. If he apologises, I will withdraw the case.
- Unreal present: if + past (were for every person), would + verb. If I were the collector, I would act.
- Unreal past: if + had + participle, would have + participle. If he had studied, he would have cleared it.
Watch: The bold verb may sit in either half. Check that both halves match one row.
Continuous or simple?
Continuous forms need an action in progress. She was cooking when the guests arrived is not the same as She cooked when the guests arrived. The first says she was busy. The second says two events followed each other.
Pick the form that keeps the original meaning.
Check the other verbs
Some sentences have two verbs. He has left for Delhi and will return next month is correct. The anchor next month is future, so will return is right.
After you pick an option, look at the verbs that are not in bold. A fix that clashes with them is a trap.
Tip: The wrong form is already marked in bold. Your job is to write the right form. Re-read the whole sentence once after every fix.
Question types you will see
Each type: how to recognise it, the method step by step, and one question to try.
Anchor-based tense fix
The bold verb's tense clashes with a time word in plain sight (already, yesterday, by the time, every morning).
Circle the anchor.
Read the needed form from the table.
Pick the matching option. Reject options that shift tense again without a second event.
Tense questions are anchor questions. With the anchor circled, the options sort themselves.
When I reached the station, the train already left. (had already left / has already left / No substitution required / already leaves)
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The train left before I reached. That is the earlier past event.
The earlier event takes the past perfect: 'had already left'.
'Has already left' reaches into the present and breaks the story.
had already left
Reported speech: backshift and order
The sentence reports what someone asked or said (asked, told, enquired). The bold part keeps question order, misses the backshift, or joins 'that' to a wh-word.
Spot the past reporting verb.
Backshift the tense one step and restore statement order.
Keep one connective only: why, whether or if.
Indirect speech has two rules, and each wrong option breaks one.
The teacher asked the boy why was he late again. (why he was / No substitution required / why is he / that why he was)
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An indirect question takes statement order: subject before helper.
The tense stays in the past after 'asked'.
'That why' has two connectives, so it is wrong.
why he was
Conditional half repair
An if-sentence has mismatched halves: 'will' inside the if-clause, or a real-future frame where an unreal one is meant.
Read both halves of the sentence.
Match them to one of the three fixed pairs.
Real future: if + present. Unreal present: were. Unreal past: had + participle.
The if-clause never holds 'will' in a real-future sentence.
If he will apologise sincerely, I will withdraw the complaint. (apologises / No substitution required / would apologise / apologised)
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The main clause has 'will withdraw', so this is a real future.
The if-clause takes the simple present: 'apologises'.
'Would apologise' belongs to the unreal present and breaks the pair.
apologises
Since / for with a continuing action
The sentence gives a starting point or a length of time (since 1998, for twenty years). The bold verb is in a plain present or present continuous.
Ask: does the action still continue?
If yes, use has / have been + -ing.
Reject the plain present that ignores the length of time.
The perfect ties a past start to now. The plain present cuts that tie.
My father is working in the same mill for twenty-two years. (has been working / No substitution required / works / had been working)
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'For twenty-two years' gives a length of time up to now.
He still works there, so the action continues.
Use the present perfect continuous: 'has been working'.
has been working
Future meaning inside a when or until clause
The bold verb sits in a clause with when, as soon as, until or before, and the sentence talks about the future.
Find the main clause and check that it uses will.
Put the time clause in the simple present.
Reject 'will' and 'would' inside the time clause.
A time clause with future meaning uses the simple present. 'Will' goes only in the main clause.
The match will begin as soon as the rain will stop. (stops / No substitution required / would stop / stopped)
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The main clause is 'the match will begin', which is future.
The 'as soon as' clause must be in the simple present.
So 'will stop' becomes 'stops'.
stops
Shortcuts that save time
See a finished-time word? Cross out every perfect and continuous option at once. Usually one option is left.
The train has left before we reached the station. (had left / has been leaving / leave / No substitution required)
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Both events are in the past. The train left first.
The earlier event takes the past perfect: 'had left'.
'Has left' is present perfect and cannot go with 'reached'.
had left
In a reported question, two things change: the tense moves back and the order becomes a statement. Each wrong option usually breaks one of these. Check both.
'Since 2015' or 'for ten years' with a continuing action needs 'has / have been'. Options without it die at once.
Mistakes to avoid
Where most students lose marks on this subtopic.
Using the present perfect with 'yesterday' or 'last year' because it sounds formal.
A finished past time takes the simple past.
Backshifting the tense but keeping question order in reported speech.
Do both: 'asked why he was late'.
Changing a correct perfect to the simple past when 'since' or 'for' is present.
Keep has / have been for a continuing action.
Changing continuous to simple (or back) and altering the meaning.
Keep the meaning: was cooking is not the same as cooked.
Putting 'will' inside an if-clause or a when-clause.
Use the simple present there. 'Will' belongs to the main clause.
Quick revision
Read this the night before the exam.
Circle the anchor word first. The verb obeys it.
ago, yesterday, last week gives simple past.
since + point gives perfect; for + length + still going gives has been -ing.
Reported questions: backshift, statement order, one connective.
Conditionals come in three fixed pairs. Do not mix the halves.
Re-read the whole sentence after your fix. The trap may sit outside the bold part.
Practice: 12 questions
Sets of 10, mixed across the question types above. Every answer has a step-by-step explanation.
Topic test · 12 questions
Suggested time 7 min · wrong answers go to your mistake notebook automatically.