Inappropriate Shifts in Verb Tense, Mood & Voice | English for ACT PDF Download

Verb Tense

Verb tense consistency is crucial in writing. Whether you are recounting a past experience or discussing a present situation, it is important to maintain a consistent tense throughout your writing. Shifting from one tense to another can confuse your readers and make your writing appear disjointed. However, there are times when it is appropriate to shift tenses, depending on the context. Nonetheless, on the ACT, where the topics may not be familiar, it's easy to lose track of the proper tenses.

19th century musicians had grueling practice sessions to help them master the rigors of their respective instrument. Today, instrumentalists must also practice many hours a day. Some argued that, with the “make-it-or-break-it” competition musicians must face, practice sessions are more grueling than at any other point in history.
(a) NO CHANGE
(b) had argued
(c) would have argued
(d) argue

Correct Answer is Option (d)
The context here compares musicians of the 19th century to musicians today. The passage describes the 19th century musicians using the past tense, and switches to the present tense to describe today’s musicians. Notice how the part being tested, “argued,” is in the past tense. Notice, too, how the “some” doing the arguing are discussing practice sessions today. Therefore, we want the present tense: Answer D).

The ACT may present more complex questions by asking you to distinguish between the present perfect and present simple tenses.

• Since the 6th grade, I have kept a daily diary.

ACT Level Example:

• Ever since the advent of moving pictures, directors have been refining film techniques.

The present perfect tense should be used when an action started in the past but continues up to the present. The ACT may use the words "since" or the phrase "from [time period] till today" to indicate this.

Mood

The term "mood" can be a confusing term to use for a grammatical concept, and it may discourage students from learning about it. Essentially, mood in grammar refers to whether a verb is used as a command ("imperative mood"), a question ("interrogative mood"), or a hypothetical situation ("subjunctive mood"). 

Imperative Mood

The ACT may test the imperative mood in the form of a verb following command words or phrases like "request that," "order that," or "require that," which are followed by "be + verb participle."

• The teacher demanded that the hyperactive student be seated the entire class.
• He requested that she be present at the meeting.

Subjunctive Mood

The subjunctive mood is a relatively uncommon grammatical concept that appears in only about one question in the practice tests found in the College Board book. If you have to skip a section of the grammar review, this may be the one to omit. The subjunctive mood is typically used to convey hypothetical or conditional situations, things that are not realistic or cannot occur in reality. It is similar to saying “imagine if.” The key indicator of this mood is the use of “were” instead of “was” in certain contexts. If the verb already uses “were,” then it remains unchanged. For example, “Were we space aliens, we could travel the cosmos” employs the subjunctive mood.

• Were she responsible for the break-in, she would not have an airtight alibi.
• If I were president of the United States, I would make “taco Tuesdays” a national holiday.

The examples mentioned earlier are in the subjunctive mood because they describe something that is impossible. The verb is changed to "were" to imply conditionality. On the other hand, when something is possible, there is no need to change the verb. The interrogative mood is not mentioned because there is no change in the verb, making it difficult for the ACT to test.

Voice

In this eBook, I have employed two different tones to provide example sentences: one is informal and friendly (referred to as the "taco Tuesdays" voice) and the other is formal (referred to as the "ACT voice"). The ACT expects you to understand when to use the appropriate tone, which means you should avoid using a casual tone when writing an essay or editing an essay provided by the ACT. In the following pairs of sentences, one maintains a consistent tone while the other becomes too casual.

1a) The ACT places harsh demands on a student’s attention, forcing them to be focused for almost four hours straight.
1b) The ACT is really hard because you have to keep your mind on the task for four straight hours.
2a) Working in groups can lead to high employee productivity while making people feel good about working with others in the office.
2b) Working in groups can lead to high employee productivity while fostering goodwill between colleagues.
Answer: 1b and 2a are too casual for the likes of the ACT.

Language can also be too stilted, or formal. The ACT—and any manual of style (and good sense!)—will tell you to avoid overly formal language. Can you spot the offender below?

3a) The ACT is highly onerous on minds exhibiting a propensity for divagation.
3b) Students who are serious about ACT prep are more likely to seek outside help, and are thus more likely to see a score improvement.
Answer: If you are not quite sure what 3a) is saying, you are not alone. It uses over-inflated, pompous language

Many students mistakenly believe that using complex and sophisticated ACT vocabulary in their essays is a sign of good writing. However, this is a misconception. There's a significant distinction between carefully selecting the most fitting word and trying to sound intelligent by using obscure words like "divagation" (which, by the way, won't be tested on the ACT). The latter will only serve to perplex your reader, obscure your intended meaning, and ultimately alienate your reader from your message.

Solved Example

There is, of course, a dark side to video games. Like any activity that is based on a system of rewards, video games can cause people to overindulge and neglect other aspects of their lives, all so they can reach the next level in their favorite games.
(a) NO CHANGE
(b) stop doing other stuff
(c) cease in the engagement with other significant life activities
(d) fail to attend to urgent facets of life

B) is too casual. Both C) and D) are too formal and wordy. A) is consistent with the tone and level of formality found in the rest of the sentence.