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SAT English

SAT verb tense: let the time clues choose the verb

Dates, phrases like “by the time,” and the other verbs in a sentence point to the right tense. Follow a visual timeline from past perfect to future, then practice the patterns the SAT tests.

SPSAT Practice Editorial7 min read

The short version

What you'll take away

  • Choose the tense from the text’s time clues and the tense of nearby verbs.
  • Use the past perfect (had + verb) for an action that happened before another past action.
  • Use the present perfect (has/have + verb) for an action that started in the past and continues, often with “since.”
In this article

Tense is about time

When the answer choices show the same verb in different tenses, such as studied, has studied, had studied, and will study, the question is about when the action happened. The text always contains clues: dates, time phrases, and the tense of other verbs.

See the skill

Five tenses on one timeline

  1. Earlier past

    Past perfect: had finished

    By the time the museum opened, the architect had moved away.

  2. Past

    Simple past: finished

    In 1969, the Apollo 11 crew landed on the Moon.

  3. Past → now

    Present perfect: has studied

    Since 2015, the city has added dozens of parks.

  4. Now

    Present: studies

    The report describes three possible routes.

  5. Future

    Future: will study

    Next year, the team will compete in the finals.

Find the clue word or date first. It places the action on the timeline, and the timeline picks the tense.

Read the time clues

Some phrases point strongly to one tense. “In 1969” or “last year” sets the simple past. “Since 2015” or “for the past decade” points to the present perfect. “By the time [past event]” usually calls for the past perfect.
If there is no explicit clue, match the tense of the other verbs in the text. A paragraph written in the past tense should not switch to the present without a reason.

Your turn

Quick practice

In 1969, the Apollo 11 crew ___ on the Moon, and millions of people watched the broadcast. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Hint: Look at the date and at the tense of “watched.”

Choose one answer
  • Specific past time (in 1969, last week): simple past.
  • Since / for + a period continuing to now: present perfect.
  • Before another past event (by the time, already, before): past perfect.
  • Describing what a book, study, or chart says: often the present (“the author argues”).

Form: a sentence needs a main verb

Some questions test verb form rather than tense. A sentence needs a main verb that can stand alone. “The researcher, who studied bees for decades, publishing a new book” has no main verb: “publishing” cannot be the main verb of a sentence on its own. Change it to “published.”
Watch for long subjects with a “who” or “which” clause in the middle. The verb inside the clause does not count as the sentence’s main verb.

A three-step tense check

Use this routine whenever the choices differ in tense or verb form.

See the skill

Clue, context, complete

  1. Find a time clue

    Look for dates, “since,” “by the time,” “currently,” or “next year.”

  2. Check the other verbs

    Keep the tense consistent with the surrounding text unless the timing changes.

  3. Make sure the sentence is complete

    The main clause needs a verb that can stand alone, not just an -ing form or “to” + verb.

Most tense errors come from ignoring a clue that is already in the sentence.

Practice: try these before checking the answers

Underline the time clue in each sentence before choosing.
  • 1. Since 2010, the population (grew / has grown) steadily.
  • 2. By the time the rescuers arrived, the storm (passed / had passed).
  • 3. Next year, the team (will compete / competed) in the finals.
  • 4. In the story, the narrator (describes / had described) her childhood home.

Sources & further reading

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