Verb Tenses and Forms on ACT English Grammar Rule Strategy

Verb Tenses and Forms on ACT English Grammar Rule Strategy SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Knowing when to use different verb tenses and forms will be extremely beneficial to you on the ACT English section because these concepts are tested repeatedly on the ACT. Get excited for a fun-filled journey into the vivid, action-filled world of verbs. In this post, I’ll do the following: Define the verb tenses and forms that are tested on the ACT. Provide information about when to use different verb tenses. Detail how to construct verbs in different tenses. Explain and demonstrate how verbs are tested on the ACT. Provide practice questions to test you on what you’ve learned. Verb Tenses You Need To Know While you don’t need to know the names of verb tenses for ACT English, you do need to know when and how to properly use different verb tenses. Present Function The present tense is the verb tense you use when you're talking about things that are currently happening or things that are considered facts. Examples of verbs in the present tense are â€Å"jumps," â€Å"sings," and â€Å"explain.† Also, the present progressive is considered a form of the present tense. The present progressive is formed with the present tense of â€Å"to be† + the gerund (â€Å"ing†) form of the word. Examples include "am explaining," "is running," and "are laughing." Typically, words like â€Å"currently† or â€Å"now† indicate that you should use the present tense of a verb. Check out this example sentence: Currently, I am taking over the world. Construction Here is the conjugation of the verb "jump" in the present tense. Singular Plural I jump We jump You jump You jump He/She/It jumps They jump The present tense is not specifically tested on ACT English, but you do need to know how to properly conjugate verbs in the present tense for subject-verb agreement questions. Simple Past Function Generally, any sentence that describes a completed action should contain a verb in the past tense. Construction Typically the simple past tense of a verb is formed by adding â€Å"ed† to the verb. The past tense of â€Å"play† is â€Å"played.† The past tense of â€Å"listen† is â€Å"listened† and the past tense of â€Å"discuss† is â€Å"discussed.† Here's an example sentence with a verb in the simple past tense: Yesterday, George listened to Miley Cyrus songs for seven hours. Many verbs don't follow this construction and thepast tense is formed irregularly. For example, "buy" becomes "bought," "come" becomes "came," and "grow" becomes "grew." Present Perfect Function Use the present perfect tense for actions that began in the past but are still continuing in the present. Construction The present perfect is formed with has/have + the past participle. For regular verbs, the past participle is formed by adding "ed" to the verb. Examples of present perfect verbs include "has talked," "have done," and "has brought." Check out this example sentence: For the past seven hours, George has listened to Miley Cyrus songs. As shown in this example, the words â€Å"for† and â€Å"since† often indicate that the present perfect tense is needed. Be aware, however, thatthere are other instances when context determines that you should use the present perfect tense. Past Perfect Function When a sentence describes two completed actions, the past perfect is used for the action that came first. Construction The past perfect tense is formed with had + the past participle. Examples of past perfect verbs include "had talked," "had danced," and "had grown." Take a look at this sentence that shows the past perfect tense used correctly: By the time his mom came home from work, George had listened to Miley Cyrus songs for seven hours. The seven hours of listening werecompleted before George'smom came home, so we use the past perfect tense of the verb "to listen." The action that comes firstshould be in the past perfect tense. Now that we're familiar with these basic verb tenses, we have the necessary foundation to discuss exactly how verb tenses and forms are tested on the ACT. How Are Verb Tenses and Forms Tested on the ACT? Most of the verb questions on ACT English correspond with only a couple of rules. Proper verb tense or form is determined by the context clues given in the sentence and the surrounding sentences. Here are some of the specific ways in which verb forms are tested on the ACT. Consistency Most of the verb tense questions on the ACT English section have to do with consistency. The basic consistency rule regarding verbs is that verbs should remain consistent in tense or form throughout a sentence. Sentences that start in the past should stay in the past and sentences that start in the present should stay in the present. Here's an incorrect sentence that doesn't follow the consistency rule: Maria studies science and played lacrosse. The verb â€Å"studies† is in the present tense and â€Å"played† is in the past. The verb tenses should be consistent. This is the corrected version of the same sentence: Maria studies science and plays lacrosse. We could have corrected the sentence by changing "studies" to "studied". The important thing to remember is that the verb tenses should be consistent. Sometimes, however, you can have a shift in tense and the sentence can still be correct. This kind of construction is only possible if the verbs are in different clauses. Take a look at these examples: Justin bought a Honda and saves money on gas. Justin bought a Honda so that he can save money on gas. The first sentence is incorrect since "bought" and "saves" are in different tenses but the same clause. The second sentence, on the other hand, is correct. The tense shift takes place in a different clause and the two verbs are occurring at different times: Justin bought the car in the past, but he can save money on gas in the present. Justin rolls in style. On the ACT, the verb tenses of surrounding sentences can provide context clues for the proper tense to use in a given sentence to maintain consistency. Take a look at this example: Unsurprisingly, Suzanne likes frozen yogurt. It was delicious. The shift from the present tense, "likes," in the first sentence to the past tense, "was," in the second sentence doesn't make sense in context. The tenses should remain consistent. Here's the correct version of the sentences. Unsurprisingly, Suzanne likes frozen yogurt. It is delicious. Now, let's go over some tips for answering ACT questions that test verb tense consistency. Strategy Here's some strategic advice for you: if a verb is underlined and the answer choices are different tenses of the same verb, look at the surrounding sentences (a sentence or two before and after) for context clues about the proper tense to use. If there are multiple verbs in a sentence, identify the tenses to make sure they're consistent. If there's a shift from past to present or vice versa, determine if the variation is acceptable given the context of the sentence. Use these tips to answer the following example from a real ACT. Actual ACT Example Rely on your verb knowledge to figure out this actual ACT English question. Explanation: From the answer choices, we can tell that we're most likely dealing with a verb tense question because three of the four answer choices are in different verb tenses: "they were," "they would," and "they're." Whenever you have an underlined verb, check for possible verb tense errors. The verbs "continue" in the first sentence and "score" in the second are in the present tense. The shift to the past tense, "were," doesn't make sense given the context. Therefore, to maintain consistency, the verbs should be in the present tense. Immediately, we can get rid of answer choices A and B. Answer choice D is wrong because it unnecessarily adds the infinitive "to be."The correct answer is C. Here's another example of an actual ACT question that tests verb tense consistency. Actual ACT Example Go through the same process that we went through in the previous question to answer this ACT English question. Explanation: This is an obvious verb tense question. Only the verb is underlined and each answer choice is in a different tense. In the first sentence, the simple past tense verb â€Å"encountered† indicates that we’re referring to completed actions. However, the present perfect verb â€Å"have borrowed† can only be used for an action that is still happening. The context of the sentence implies that the sentence is referring to a completed action and the verb tenses in the two sentences should be consistent. Once you identify that this is a consistency question, you can immediately eliminate any answer choice that isn't in the simple past tense. After eliminating answer choices, we're left with J. Here's one final verb consistency example for you. Because tense consistency questions are the most common verb form questions, I want to make sure you fully understand them. Actual ACT Example Employ your verb expertise to figure out the correct answer to this real ACT question. Explanation: Once again, we're dealing with an obvious verb tense question. Only the verb "have" is underlined and the answer choices are all different verb tenses. The verbs â€Å"took† in â€Å"took part† and "conducted" are in the simple past tense. The first sentence is referring to completed actions that took place from 1942-1945. Based on context, we can imply that the verb â€Å"have† is referring to what happened before 1942. Therefore, we should use the past perfect tense because we are referring to the completed action that came first. Instead of â€Å"have been using,† the correct verb form is â€Å"had been using.†The answer is G. Even if you didn't recognize that you needed to use the past perfect tense, you could have recognized that you needed tochange "have" to the past tense due to verb consistency rules. Remember to keep verb tenses consistent. Would and Will Verb forms with "would" and "will" are less frequentlytested on the ACT English section, but they do occasionally appear. For the ACT, just keep in mind to use "would" in sentences with past tense verbs and "will" in sentences with present or future tense verbs. The construction of verbs with "would" and "will" are "would" + the verb, known as the conditional tense, or "will" + the verb, known as the future tense. Some examples include "would run," "would go," and "will talk." Use the conditional tense to describe things that could occur or things that haven't yet occurred from the perspective of the past. Use the future tense to describe things that have not yet occurred or could occur in the future. On the ACT, answer choices containing â€Å"will have† and â€Å"would have† are almost always incorrect because they tend to cause improper tense switches and make sentences unnecessarily wordy. The â€Å"would have† construction can only be used for something that could have happened, but didn’t. The â€Å"will have† construction describes an action in the future that will be finished before a second action. Check out this basic strategy for these questions. Strategy If â€Å"would have† or â€Å"will have† is underlined, assume it’s incorrect. These tenses can only be used in very specific situations. That's pretty much all you need to know. I'm not going into more depth because "would" and "will" questions very rarely appear and this is the only strategy you need to use on the ones I've seen. Most of them simply require you to pay attention to consistency rules. Here's one final type of verb form question that can appear on the ACT. It's the least common, but questions of this type have appeared on previous tests. Verbs That Don't Act Like Verbs Gerunds, infinitives, and participles are all verb forms that don't act like verbs. Gerunds and infinitives function like nouns. A gerund is formed by adding "ing" to the end of the verb and an infinitive is formed by adding "to" + the verb. A participle is a verb that acts like an adjective. Typically, participles end in "ing" or "ed," but there are irregularly formed participles. On the ACT, on rare occasions one of these types of words will be used in the place of a verb or vice versa. Strategy If a verb or one of these "verbs that don’t act like verbs† is underlined, make sure that it is being used properly. Each sentence must express a complete thought. Realistic ACT Example The extreme length of this article suggests that writing for an extended period of time. A. NO CHANGE B. the manner in which writing C. that I wrote D. which had written Explanation: The use of the gerund, â€Å"writing," makes the sentence an incomplete thought. The sentence needs to express a complete thought. Changing the gerund to a verb and putting in a subject (the person who did the action) corrects the sentence fragment without adding an additional clause. The answer is C. All of the other answer choices are sentence fragments. Here are some more general rules to keep in mind that will help you correctly answer all verb questions on the ACT. Remember these tips!! General Strategies for Verb Questions #1: If a Verb is Underlined and the Answer Choices are Different Tenses, Make Sure To Use the AppropriateForm of the Verb If the answer choices are different tenses of the same verb, thenyou're probably answering a question about verb forms. Make sure that the verb follows consistency rules and the tense is correct. If the answer choices are different conjugations of a verb in the present tense, you're most likely dealing with a subject-verb agreement question instead. #2: Look for Words/Phrases That Indicate Which Verb Tense Should Be Used Often, words or phrases elsewhere in the sentence or in surrounding sentences will let you know what tense to use. If a date in the past is referenced, you should probably use a form of the past tense. If the word â€Å"since† is written, there should probably be a present perfect verb. Context clues are placed around the verb to indicate the proper verb tense. Additional Practice 1. In the next five years, Jessica says that she will become a doctor and she would buy a house. A. NO CHANGE B. buy C. would have bought D. might buy 2. As the breakdancer effortlessly contorts his body, he was also smiling at the crowd of people watching. A. NO CHANGE B. has also smiled C. will also smile D. is also smiling 3. Last week, Olga participated in a charity event to raise money for autistic children. She was praised by the organizers of the event for her dedication to the cause. A. NO CHANGE B. has been praised C. will be praised D. praises 4. My brother claims that he will have become the president of the United States if he is able to raise enough money to run an effective campaign. A. NO CHANGE B. has become C. became D. will become Answers: 1. B, 2. D, 3. A, 4. D What's Next? Congratulations on taking the time to learn all about verb tense questions on the ACT English section. Check out this post for information on all the parts of speech you need to know for the ACT. For those of you who are debating between taking the new SAT and the ACT, read this article comparing the two tests. Before you take the ACT, make sure you know if you should send the four free ACT score reports. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this English lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Lieutenant General John Burgoyne in the American Revolution

Lieutenant General John Burgoyne in the American Revolution General John Burgoyne was a noted 18th century British Army officer who is best remembered for his defeat at the Battle of Saratoga in 1777. First seeing service during the War of the Austrian Succession, he later earned fame as a cavalry officer and leader during the Seven Years War. In this period, he formed his own cavalry unit and commanded troops in Portugal. With the beginning of the American Revolution in 1775, Burgoyne was one of several officers dispatched to Boston. Seeing little opportunity in the post, Burgoyne departed and returned to North America the following year with reinforcements for Canada. While there, he conceived of the idea for what would become the Saratoga Campaign. Given permission to move forward in 1777, his army was ultimately blocked, defeated, and captured by American forces. Paroled, Burgoyne returned to Britain in disgrace. General John Burgoyne Rank: GeneralService: British ArmyNickname(s): Gentleman JohnnyBorn: February 24, 1722 in Sutton, EnglandDied: August 4, 1792 in London, EnglandParents: Captain John Burgoyne and Anna Maria BurgoyneSpouse: Charlotte StanleyChildren: Charlotte Elizabeth BurgoyneConflicts: Seven Years War, American RevolutionKnown For: Battle of Saratoga (1777) Early Life Born February 24, 1722 at Sutton, England, John Burgoyne was the son of Captain John Burgoyne and his wife Anna. There is some thought that the young Burgoyne may have been the illegitimate son of Lord Bingley. Burgoynes godfather, Bingley specified in his will that the young man should receive his estate if his daughters failed to produce any male heirs. Beginning in 1733, Burgoyne began attending the Westminster School in London. While there, he befriended Thomas Gage and James Smith-Stanley, Lord Strange. In August 1737, Burgoyne entered the British Army by purchasing a commission in the Horse Guards. Early Career Based in London, Burgoyne became known for his fashionable uniforms and earned the nickname Gentleman Johnny. A known gambler, Burgoyne sold his commission in 1741. Four years later, with Britain involved in the War of the Austrian Succession, Burgoyne returned to the army by obtaining cornets commission in the 1st Royal Dragoons. As the commission was newly created, he was not required to pay for it. Promoted to lieutenant later that year, he took part in the Battle of Fontenoy that May and made repeated charges with his regiment. In 1747, Burgoyne pulled together sufficient funds to purchase a captaincy. Elopement With the wars end in 1748, Burgoyne began courting Stranges sister, Charlotte Stanley. After his proposal of marriage was blocked by Charlottes father, Lord Derby, the couple elected to elope in April 1751. This action infuriated Derby who was a prominent politician and he cut off his daughters financial support. Lacking active service, Burgoyne sold his commission for  £2,600 and the couple began traveling around Europe. Spending extensive time in France and Italy, he became friends with the Duc de Choiseul who would later oversee French policy during the Seven Years War. Additionally, while in Rome, Burgoyne has his portrait painted by famed Scottish artist Allan Ramsay.   Following the birth of their only child, Charlotte Elizabeth, the couple elected to return to Britain. Arriving in 1755, Strange interceded on their behalf and the couple reconciled with Lord Derby. Using his influence, Derby aided Burgoyne in obtaining a captaincy in the 11th Dragoons in June 1756. Two years later he moved to the Coldstream Guards and ultimately achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel. With the Seven Years War raging, Burgoyne took part in the June 1758 raid on St. Malo. Landing in France, his men remained for several days while British forces burned French shipping. 16th Dragoons Later that year, Burgoyne went ashore during Captain Richard Howes raid on Cherbourg. This saw British forces land and successfully storm the town. A proponent of light cavalry, Burgoyne was appointed to command the 16th Dragoons, one of two new light regiments, in 1759. Rather than delegate recruiting duties, he directly oversaw the construction of his unit and personally courted the landed gentry in Northamptonshire to become officers or encourage others to enlist. To entice potential recruits, Burgoyne advertised that his men would have the finest horses, uniforms, and equipment. A popular commander, Burgoyne encouraged his officers to mix with their troops and desired his enlisted men to be free thinking in battle. This approach was enshrined in a revolutionary code of conduct he wrote for the regiment. Additionally, Burgoyne encouraged his officers to take time each day to read and encouraged them to learn French as the best military texts were in that language. Portugal In 1761, Burgoyne was elected to Parliament representing Midhurst. A year later, he was dispatched to Portugal with the rank of brigadier general. Following the loss of Almeida to the Spanish, Burgoyne boosted Allied moral and earned fame for his capture of Valencia de Alcntara. That October, he again triumphed when he defeated the Spanish at the Battle of Vila Velha. In the course of the fighting, Burgoyne directed Lieutenant Colonel Charles Lee to attack a Spanish artillery position which was successfully captured. In recognition of his service, Burgoyne received a diamond ring from the King of Portugal and later had his portrait painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds. With the end of the war, Burgoyne returned to Britain and in 1768 was again elected to Parliament. An effective politician, he was named the governor of Fort William, Scotland in 1769. Outspoken in Parliament, he became concerned about Indian affairs and regularly attacked Robert Clive as well as corruption in the East India Company. His efforts ultimately led to the passage of the Regulating Act of 1773 which worked to reform the companys management. Promoted to major general, Burgoyne wrote plays and verse in his spare time. In 1774, his play The Maid of the Oaks was staged at the Drury Lane Theater. American Revolution With the beginning of the American Revolution in April 1775, Burgoyne was dispatched to Boston along with Major Generals William Howe and Henry Clinton. Though he did not take part in the Battle of Bunker Hill, he was present at the Siege of Boston. Feeling the assignment lacked opportunity, he elected to return home in November 1775. The following spring, Burgoyne led the British reinforcements which arrived in Quebec. Serving under Governor Sir Guy Carleton, Burgoyne aided in driving American forces from Canada. Critical of Carletons cautiousness after the Battle of Valcour Island, Burgoyne sailed for Britain. Arriving, he began lobbying Lord George Germain, Secretary of State for the Colonies, to approve his campaign plans for 1777. These called for a large British army to advance south from Lake Champlain to capture Albany. This would be supported by a smaller force approaching from the west via the Mohawk Valley. The final element would see Howe advance north up the Hudson River from New York. Planning for 1777 The cumulative effect of the campaign would be to sever New England from the rest of the American Colonies. This plan was approved by Germain in early 1777 despite word from Howe that he intended to march against Philadelphia that year. Confusion exists as to when Germain informed Burgoyne that participation by British forces in New York City would be limited at best. As Clinton had been defeated at Charleston, SC in June 1776, Burgoyne was able to secure command of the northern invasion force. Arriving in Canada on May 6, 1777, he assembled an army of over 7,000 men. The Saratoga Campaign Initially delayed by transport issues, Burgoynes army did not begin moving up Lake Champlain until late June. As his forces advanced on the lake, Colonel Barry St. Legers command moved west to execute the thrust through the Mohawk Valley. Believing the campaign would be simple, Burgoyne was soon dismayed when few Native Americans and Loyalists joined his forces. Arriving at Fort Ticonderoga in early July, he quickly compelled Major General Arthur St. Clair to abandon the post. Sending troops in pursuit of the Americans, they defeated part of St. Clairs forces at Hubbardton on July 7. Regrouping, Burgoyne pushed south towards Forts Anne and Edward. His advance was slowed by American forces which felled trees and burned bridges along the route. In mid-July, Burgoyne received word from Howe that he intended to sail for Philadelphia and would not be coming north. This bad news was compounded by a rapidly worsening supply situation as the army lacked sufficient transport that could traverse the regions rough roads. In mid-August, Burgoyne dispatched a force of Hessians on a foraging mission. Meeting American troops, they were badly defeated at Bennington on August 16. The defeat bolstered American morale and caused many of Burgoynes Native Americans to leave. The British situation further deteriorated when St. Leger was defeated at Fort Stanwix and forced to retreat. Surrender of Burgoyne by John Trumbull. Photograph Courtesy of the Architect of the Capitol Defeat at Saratoga Learning of St. Legers defeat on August 28, Burgoyne elected to cut his supply lines and quickly drive on Albany with the goal of making winter quarters there. On September 13, his army began crossing the Hudson just north of Saratoga. Pushing south, it soon encountered American forces led by Major General Horatio Gates which had entrenched on Bemis Heights. On September 19, American forces led by Major General Benedict Arnold and Colonel Daniel Morgan defeated Burgoynes men at Freemans Farm. With their supply situation critical, many of the British commanders recommended a retreat. Unwilling to fall back, Burgoyne again attacked on October 7. Defeated at Bemis Heights, the British withdrew to their camp. In the wake of the action, American forces surrounded Burgoynes position. Unable to break out, he surrendered on October 17. Later Career Paroled, Burgoyne returned to Britain in disgrace. Attacked by the government for his failures, he attempted to reverse the accusations by blaming Germain for failing to order Howe to support his campaign. Unable to obtain a court martial to clear his name, Burgoyne changed political allegiances from the Tories to the Whigs. With the Whig ascent to power in 1782, he returned to favor and served as commander in chief in Ireland and a privy councillor. Leaving government a year later, he effectively retired and focused on literary pursuits. Burgoyne died suddenly at his Mayfair home on June 3, 1792. He was buried at Westminster Abbey.