Tense in

Purpose of Dependent Clause/

Independent Example(s)
Tense in Dependent Clause
Clause
To show same-time action, use the present I am eager to go to the concert because
tense I love the Wallflowers.
To show earlier action, use past tense I know that I made the right choice.
Simple To show a period of time extending from
Present They believe that they have elected the right
some point in the past to the present, use
candidate.
the present perfect tense.
INFINITIVES
To show action to come, use the future
Tense of The President says that he will veto the bill.
Roletense.
of Infinitive Example(s)
Infinitive
To show another completed past action, I wanted to go home because I missed my
use the past tense. Coach parents.
Espinoza is eager to try out her new drills. [The
Present eagerness is now; the trying out will happen later.]
Simple To show
To same-time
show an action
earlier or action
action, use the past
Infinitive She knew she had
She would made theveterans
have liked to see more right choice.
returning.
Past laterperfect
than the verb
tense.
(to see) [The present infinitive to see is in the same time as the
To state a general truth, use the presentpast would
The Deists believed that
have liked.] the universe is like a
tense. giant clock.
The fans would like to have seen some improvement
Present
Perfect this year. ["Would like" describes a present condition;
Perfect
Infinitive She has
"to have grown a foot
seen" describes since she turned nine.
something prior to that time.]
or To show
For action
any earlieruse
purpose, than
thethe verb
past tense. The crowd had turned nasty before the
(to have They consider the team to have been coached very
Past
seen) sheriff returned.
Perfect well. [The perfect infinitive to have been
coached indicates a time prior to the verb consider.]
To show action happening at the same
PARTICIPLES time, use the present tense. I will be so happy if they fix my car today.

Tense of
RoleToofshow an earlier action, use the pastExample(s)
Participle You will surely pass this exam if
Participle
Future tense. you studied hard.
Present To show future action earlier than theWorking on the fundamentals, the team slowly began to
To show action occurring at the same The[The
college will probably close its
Participle action of the independent clause, improve.
use the action expressed by began doors nextin
happened
time as that of the verb summer if enrollments have not increased.
(seeing) present perfect tense. the past, at the same time the working happened.]
Prepared by last years’ experience,
Most students will the
have taken sixty credits by
Future
Past coach knows not
For any purpose, use the present tense or to expect
the time they graduate. too much. [The action
Perfect
Participle present perfect tense. expressed
Mostby knows is in the
students will havepresent; prepared
taken sixty credits by
or To show action occurring earlier than expresses a time prior to that time.]
the time they have graduated.
Present that of the verb Having experimented with several game plans, the
Perfect coaching staff devised a master strategy. [The present
Participle perfect participle having experimented indicates a time
prior to the past tense verb, devised.]