Kate CA Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 When writing an essay about someone else's work (non-fiction, instructional work) does a student have to stay with the same verb tense all the way through the essay or can it vary from one paragraph to another? I am not finding a clear consensus on this. Any help is appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate CA Posted July 19, 2008 Author Share Posted July 19, 2008 Bump! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhondabee Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 I'm not an expert. But, I do remember reading in Rod & Staff (probably 7) that although the general rule is "never change tense", you also have to apply some common sense. Sometimes there is a transition in the thought process that necessitates a change in tense. I wish I could be more specific. At any rate, this will bump you up. I hope someone else chimes in! Rhonda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E_Edgerton Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 I too, am not an expert, but I was always told...when writing a piece changing verb tense was not a good idea. I would reference something like The Elements of Style or just a grammar website, however like a previous post said, common sense is always a plus. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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