Common English Writing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them Mistake #1: Switching Tenses Unnecessarily
One of the most common problems seen in English writing is unnecessary
switching between past, present and future tenses. Changing between verb tenses
within a sentence can make it difficult for the reader to follow a piece of
writing and should be avoided. An exception to this is when a time change must
be shown.
To ensure that you avoid this problem, keep the following in mind:
- In general, establish a primary tense and remain consistent with it at
the sentence, paragraph and overall work level - Only change tenses when it is appropriate, e.g. when there is a time
shift that must be shown - Reread your writing and consider what overall timeframe it is in –
past, present or future - Pay close attention to your verbs and notice the tense they are in
