Fixing Tense Mistakes Quiz

1. Which sentence keeps the verb tense consistent in the dialogue?

"I walked to school and ate breakfast," he said.

"I walk to school and ate breakfast," he said.

"I walked to school and eat breakfast," he said.

"I was walking to school and eats breakfast," he said.

Walked and ate are both past tense, so the sentence is tense-consistent.

Explanation

Walked and ate are both past tense, so the sentence is tense-consistent.

2. Which is the best correction for this sentence: "I was walking and see a bird," she said.

"I was walking and see a bird," she said.

"I was walking and saw a bird," she said.

"I am walking and saw a bird," she said.

"I walked and see a bird," she said.

Was walking and saw are both past tense forms that match each other.

Explanation

Was walking and saw are both past tense forms that match each other.

3. In most dialogue, actions that happen at the same time should use the same verb tense.

True

False

Keeping the tense the same helps the reader follow when the actions happen.

Explanation

Keeping the tense the same helps the reader follow when the actions happen.

4. This sentence has a tense mistake: "I was eating lunch and talk to my friend," he said.

True

False

Was eating is past progressive and talk is present, so the verbs do not match in tense.

Explanation

Was eating is past progressive and talk is present, so the verbs do not match in tense.

5. Which corrected sentences fix the tense mistakes in the dialogue?

"I was running and dropped my hat," he said.

"I was running and drop my hat," he said.

"I ran and dropped my hat," he said.

"I run and dropped my hat," he said.

"I was running and was dropped my hat," he said.

A and C keep both verbs in a matching past tense.

Explanation

A and C keep both verbs in a matching past tense.

Submit

6. Which dialogue sentences contain incorrect tense shifts?

"I am reading and listening to music," she said.

"I was reading and listened to music," she said.

"I was reading and listen to music," she said.

"I read and listened to music," she said.

"I read and listen to music," she said.

C mixes was reading with present listen, and E mixes past read with present listen.

Explanation

C mixes was reading with present listen, and E mixes past read with present listen.

Submit

7. Fix the sentence so the tenses match: "I finished my homework and __________ a book," he said.

Finished and read are both past tense in this context, so they match.

Explanation

Finished and read are both past tense in this context, so they match.

Submit

8. Fix the sentence so the tenses match: "I play soccer and __________ video games," she said.

Play and play are both present tense and stay consistent.

Explanation

Play and play are both present tense and stay consistent.

Submit

9. Which is the best correction for: "Tomorrow I will go to the park and played soccer," he said.

"Tomorrow I will go to the park and played soccer," he said.

"Tomorrow I go to the park and will play soccer," he said.

"Tomorrow I will go to the park and will play soccer," he said.

"Tomorrow I went to the park and will play soccer," he said.

Will go and will play are both future tense and match the time word tomorrow.

Explanation

Will go and will play are both future tense and match the time word tomorrow.

10. Which sentence correctly fixes the tense: "I am watching TV and ate popcorn," she said.

"I am watching TV and ate popcorn," she said.

"I am watching TV and am eating popcorn," she said.

"I was watching TV and ate popcorn," she said.

"I watch TV and ate popcorn," she said.

Am watching and am eating are both present progressive, so the tenses match.

Explanation

Am watching and am eating are both present progressive, so the tenses match.

11. This sentence is correct: "I was upset yesterday but feel better now," she said.

True

False

Was upset matches yesterday in the past, and feel better now correctly uses present for now.

Explanation

Was upset matches yesterday in the past, and feel better now correctly uses present for now.

12. This sentence is correct: "I was upset yesterday and feel upset yesterday," she said.

True

False

Was upset is past but feel upset yesterday should also be past to match the time word yesterday.

Explanation

Was upset is past but feel upset yesterday should also be past to match the time word yesterday.

13. Which dialogue sentences use verb tenses correctly?

"I woke up early and made breakfast," he said.

"I wake up early and made breakfast," he said.

"I wake up early and make breakfast," he said.

"I woke up early and make breakfast," he said.

"I will wake up early and will make breakfast," he said.

A uses past-past, C uses present-present, and E uses future-future, so each is consistent.

Explanation

A uses past-past, C uses present-present, and E uses future-future, so each is consistent.

Submit

14. Sentence: "I was cleaning my room and find a old toy," she said. Which corrections fix the tense mistake?

"I was cleaning my room and found an old toy," she said.

"I am cleaning my room and find an old toy," she said.

"I was cleaning my room and finds an old toy," she said.

"I cleaned my room and found an old toy," she said.

"I clean my room and found an old toy," she said.

A keeps both verbs in the past, and D also keeps both verbs in the past in a simple past form.

Explanation

A keeps both verbs in the past, and D also keeps both verbs in the past in a simple past form.

Submit

15. Fix the sentence so the tenses match: "I was riding my bike and __________ my friend," he said.

Was riding and was following are both past progressive forms that match each other.

Explanation

Was riding and was following are both past progressive forms that match each other.

Submit

16. Which dialogue line has a tense mistake that should be fixed?

"I am doing my homework and listening to music," she said.

"I did my homework and listened to music," she said.

"I was doing my homework and listened to music," she said.

"I will do my homework and will listen to music," she said.

Was doing is past progressive but listened is simple past; usually both verbs should use the same pattern for actions at the same time.

Explanation

Was doing is past progressive but listened is simple past; usually both verbs should use the same pattern for actions at the same time.

17. What is the best correction for: "I was doing my homework and listened to music," she said.

"I was doing my homework and listened to music," she said.

"I was doing my homework and was listening to music," she said.

"I did my homework and am listening to music," she said.

"I do my homework and listened to music," she said.

Was doing and was listening are both past progressive and show two actions happening at the same time.

Explanation

Was doing and was listening are both past progressive and show two actions happening at the same time.

18. Fixing tense mistakes in dialogue helps the conversation sound natural and clear to the reader.

True

False

Natural dialogue uses verb tenses that match the time of the actions.

Explanation

Natural dialogue uses verb tenses that match the time of the actions.

19. Which is the best correction for: "I go to the store and bought milk," he said.

"I go to the store and bought milk," he said.

"I went to the store and bought milk," he said.

"I go to the store and buy milk," he said.

"I went to the store and buy milk," he said.

Went and bought are both past tense verbs that match each other.

Explanation

Went and bought are both past tense verbs that match each other.

20. When you edit dialogue to fix tense mistakes, what is the first thing you should check?

Whether the verbs match the time words and each other in tense.

Whether every sentence uses only present tense.

Whether every verb is as long as possible.

Whether the dialogue has no quotation marks.

You should check that the verbs agree in tense with each other and with time words like yesterday or tomorrow.

Explanation

You should check that the verbs agree in tense with each other and with time words like yesterday or tomorrow.

Error Correction: Fixing Tense Mistakes in Dialogue or Speech Quiz