CHAPTER 15 / ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR SKILLS 547
Answer Key 9: Tricky Tenses
6.Shakespeare’s tragedies areconcerned with the
deepest aspects of the human condition. (His
works are still available to us, so they get the pre-
sent tense.)
7.His legs ached because he was runningfarther than
he ever had before.
8.His legs ached because he had runfarther than he
ever had before.
9.Right after school, we wentto Mario’s for a pizza
and a few Cokes.(No need for past perfect.)
10.Having foundno evidence against the accused, the
detective had to release him.(The search for evi-
dence was completed before the release.)
11.Having beencaptured by the rebels, David soon
began to fear he would never escape.(The capture
occurred before his fear set in.)
12.When I got home, I wrote an essay on the baseball
game that I had seenthat afternoon.(Thewriting
happened after the seeing.)Concept Review 9
- when showing that an event was completed be-
fore another event, or, in the case of the present
perfect tense, when showing that an event occurs
over an extended time in the past or extends from
the past to the present - theories, general nonhistorical facts, and works
of art
3.Glen cameto work exhausted this morning be-
cause he hadstayedup all last night.(Thestaying
upwas completed before he came to work.)
4.Already, and without having spentso much as an
hour on research, Dale has writtenthe first draft of
her essay.(The word alreadyestablishes the cur-
rent time as a reference point. Since the verbs in-
dicate actions completed prior to now, they take
the present perfect tense.)
5.Having developedthe first compressed-air auto-
mobile, he hopedto reveal it to the world at the ex-
position.(He must have developedit before he
couldhope to reveal it.)
Worksheet 9
1.By the time the committee adjourned, it had voted
on all four key proposals.(The voting was com-
pleted before the adjournment, so it should take
the perfect tense.)
2.In the evening, we had a nice meal with the same
group of people we had skiedwith that afternoon.
(The skiing was completed before the meal, so it
should take the perfect tense.)
3.By the time I am done with finals, I will have writ-
tenfour major papers.(The writing will be com-
pleted before the finals.)
4.Having been nominatedfor office, Ellen felt that she
had to run an honest campaign.(Thenomination
must be completed before the runningcan start.)
5.It surprised us to learn that Venus isalmost the
same size as Earth.(Facts take the present tense.)
6.Having readThe Sun Also Rises, I feel as if I’ve
learned a great deal about bullfighting.(Since the
learning occurred over an extended time in the
past, the present perfect tense is appropriate;
since the readingwas prior to or simultaneous
with the learning,it must also be in the perfect
form.)
7.Most Oscar nominees claimed that they were
happy simply to have been nominated.(Thenom-
inatingmust have been completed if they are
happy about the outcome.)8.When the epidemic struck Rwanda, the entire pop-
ulation suffered.(Since the sufferingoccurred
when the epidemic struck,the two verbs should
have the same tense.)
9.I never feelso free as when I am running.(This ex-
presses a general fact, so it is “timeless.”)
10.Centuries ago, physicians believedthat illnesses
were caused by imbalances in bodily fluids.(Since
this expresses a theory that has been disproven,
it is not “timeless,” but relegated to the past.)
11.David has been the president of the club ever since
it was founded.(Correct)
12.Over the last several years, real estate values have
increasedby over 20%.(The increase occurred
over an extended time in the past.)
13.Students often worry excessively about grades and
forgetabout actually understanding the concepts.
(Tense consistency requires the present tense.)
14.We need not bother to patch the hull now that the en-
tire boat has beeninundated.(The present perfect
is needed to show the connection to the present,
which is implied by the present-tense verb bother.)
15.By the time we arrived at the tent where the reception
would be held, the caterers had set upall the chairs.
(Thesetting upwas completed before we arrived.)
16.We will have been in this house for three years in
February.(Correct)