Consistent Verb Tenses in Writing

Using Consistent Verb Tenses in Writing

Consistent verb tenses are essential when telling a story or providing information in written form. It is important to maintain a consistent timeline throughout your writing to avoid confusing the reader. When verbs are not in the same tense, it can disrupt the flow of the story and make it difficult for the reader to follow along.

Which sentence uses consistent verb tenses in telling a story?

A. I met Rob for the first time in the school infirmary, and he smiles at me even though he is clearly in pain.

B. I met Rob for the first time in the school infirmary, and he smiled at me even though he was clearly in pain.

C. I met Rob for the first time in the school infirmary, and he smiled at me even though he is clearly in pain.

D. I had met Rob for the first time in the school infirmary, and he smiled at me even though he is clearly in pain.

Explanation

If you want to use consistent verb tenses in telling a story, that means you have to use the same tense, or at least they all should be in the past/present/future, depending on the first verb in the sentence. Here, the correct answer is:

B) I met Rob for the first time in the school infirmary, and he smiled at me even though he was clearly in pain.