Page 44 - Yellow Feather Book 1

verb Tense ConsisTenCY
• When writing sentences, avoid changing the verb tense needlessly from one tense to another.
• If you are describing events that occur at the same time, use verbs in the same tense.
• If you are describing events that occur at different times, use verbs in different tenses to show sequence of events.
INCORRECT:
It was seven o'clock of a very warm evening in the Seeonee hills when Father Wolf wakes up from his day's rest, scratches himself, yawns, and spread out his paws one after the other to get rid of the sleepy feeling in his tips.
The verbs was and spread are in the past tense, therefore wakes, scratches, and yawns should be in past tense too.
CORRECT:
It was seven o'clock of a very warm evening in the Seeonee hills when Father Wolf woke up from his day's rest, scratched himself, yawned, and spread out his paws one after the other to get rid of the sleepy feeling in their tips. PAST TENSE
It is seven o'clock of a very warm evening in the Seeonee hills when Father Wolf wakes up from his day's rest, scratches himself, yawns, and spreads out his paws one after the other to get rid of the sleepy feeling in their tips. PRESENT TENSE
The Yellow Feather Literature Third Course
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