sometime during junior high, i was writing this extensive research paper – one of my first ones – and was plagued with this very predicament. the only solution is to become an active writer. by active, i mean to engage your mind as an editor. proofreading should be your best friend. the more you write, the more this act becomes second nature.
the most important rule i can relay to you when writing formally (essays, research papers, opinions, etc.) is to use present tense. use past when talking about events that already occurred and future for soon-to-be occurring events. unless the tense is predetermined, present is your best bet. second most important rule to remain consistent is to change tense only when time is indicated.
consistency requires you to be able to differentiate between the different types of tenses: simple, perfect (have/has/had), progressive (is/as/were/was/-ing). when writing, be aware of the verbs and make sure they are in agreement.
special rules apply to this as well. go figure. if you are writing in a certain tense, unless time is indicated, you can deviate when quoting material in which case you are to keep their original tense.
tense can also change when needed for clarity. say you are writing a review on a book in present tense. in reference to a certain detail, you delve into specifics using past tense upon recollection of different time periods.
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