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.]