Main Clause

Subordinate Clause

Present Tense

PRESENT ACTION (simultaneous)

PRESENT TENSE
When you have a
PRESENT TENSE in
PAST ACTION (prior, former)
the MAIN CLAUSE
PAST TENSE
you can put in the
secondary clause any
tense is required by the
situation
PAST ACTION EXTENDING TO
THE PRESENT
PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
FUTURE ACTION
ANY FUTURE TENSE

Example(s)
I am eager to go to the concert because I
love the Wallflowers.
She thinks he is going to that concert
tonight.
I know that I made the right choice.
She is in the house because she was
playing the piano half a hour ago

They believe that they have elected the

right candidate.
The President says that he will veto the
bill.

Complete the clauses according to the sequence of tenses. Use a present tense in the main sentence:
1. She .................................................(see) the dentist in at the moment as she .................................................
(wait) for him for half an hour.
2. My family ...................................................(think) I ................................................... (pass) all my exams.
3. Adrian ...................................................(have) excellent ideas as he ...................................................(work)
as an engineer for more than 5 years.
4. I ...................................................(think) that somebody ...................................................(just; break) the
door of my house.
5 The director ...................................................(now) what his employees ...................................................
(do) yesterday at 5.
6. We ...................................................(assume) the meeting ...................................................(begin) in few
minutes.
7. I ...................................................(know )it the first time you ...................................................(ever, hear)
of this item.
8. I ................................................... (be surprised) you ...................................................(dig) all day in the
garden.
9 My mother ...................................................(not mind) you ...................................................(hide) her
camera since you ...................................................(be) a child
10. I ...................................................(know) my parents ................................................... (reach) to USA by
tomorrow evening .
11. The accused ................................................... (claim) he ...................................................(never, see) the
victim.
12. The head of office ...................................................(claim) the stock exchange
................................................... (fall).
13. The weather forecast ...................................................(predict) that it ...................................................(
rain ) tomorrow in almost all of the country.
14. Many news programs ...................................................(announce) the president
................................................... (speak) tomorrow at 5.

Main Clause

Subordinate Clause

Present Perfect

PRESENT ACTION (simultaneous)

PRESENT TENSE

When you have a

PRESENT PERFECT
TENSE in the MAIN
CLAUSE you can put
in the secondary clause
any tense is required
by the situation

Example(s)
I have already bought the tickets to the
concert because I love the Wallflowers.
She thinks he is going to that concert
tonight.

PAST ACTION (prior, former)

PAST TENSE

I have always known that I made the right

choice.
I havent seen Mary because she was
playing the piano half a hour ago

PAST ACTION EXTENDING TO

THE PRESENT
PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

Ive just realized that I have never eaten

such a delicious tart before.

FUTURE ACTION
ANY FUTURE TENSE

The President has just said that he will

veto the bill.

Main Clause

Subordinate Clause

Example(s)

Future

PRESENT ACTION (simultaneous) I will buy tickets to the concert because I

love the Wallflowers.
PRESENT TENSE

When you have a

PAST ACTION (prior, former)
FUTURE TENSE in
PAST TENSE
the MAIN CLAUSE
you can put in the
secondary clause any
tense is required by the
situation
PAST ACTION EXTENDING TO
THE PRESENT
PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
FUTURE ACTION
ANY FUTURE TENSE

I is going to rain because I saw many

clouds yesterday
I wont see Mary this weekend because
she was leaving to her parents yesterday
morning.
I wont admit that you have never heard
of subtracting.
The President will decide that he will veto
the bill.