Looking for a bit of tense advice

Panda123 · Oct 21, 2018

I've tried writing over the past few years and I've always had the same story idea but I've recently become interested in actually doing something with it and expanding on the ideas from it.

I wrote a rough draft for the first chapter a few weeks ago and my friend pointed out that I was switching between present and past tense. That was something I thought would be so obvious but I didn't even notice. I'm very confused at this part because when I want to write in past tense I find myself also describing the situation and having to use ing. I'm just very confused how to use those verbs and when to use it. An example from Harry Potter confused me even more.

" Fuming, Nearly Headless Nick stuffed the letter away. "

When I look at this, I see it start out in present tense but then going back to past tense with "stuffed". Reading throughout Harry Potter (first book I thought of to see as just an example on how to write in tenses) of course the story is in past tense but in the middle of everything she is still using present tense etc. Maybe I am seeing this wrong but I am very confused by it and am looking for clarification.

"Hello, hello," said Nearly Headless Nick, starting and looking round. He wore a dashing, plumed hat on his long curly hair,

Same thing here, starts with Past tense but uses present tense verbs.

An example from what I wrote. " Brecon awoke in an instant, realizing the soft sunshine had all but faded away."

I see here that I wrote awoke but then I wrote in the present, is that wrong?
Maybe it is also me not understanding gerunds fully, just looking for a bit of advice on not using the wrong tense accidentally.

jmurray2112 · Oct 21, 2018

All your examples are tied to controlling verb.
1. "stuffed"
2. "said", "wore"
3. "awoke"
Those dictate the tense, while the rest add action in the moment.
At least, that's my take. I married an English teacher, but she's travelling right now, so I can't ask her.

Chris P · Oct 21, 2018

The -ing words you are hitting on are part of the "past progressive" tense; something that was going on concurrently with other actions at a time in the past. The presence of the -ing does not automatically put something in the present tense.

"Roosevelt was preparing for lunch when the news came about Pearl Harbor." Past tense.
"We were running toward the planes when the Arizona exploded." Past tense.

One indication of past progressive is the presence of the past tense form of "to be": was, were. Was preparing. Were running.

It is less obvious in the examples you quote, but notice how in each multiple things are happening at the same time:

"Fuming, Nearly Headless Nick stuffed the letter away." He stuffed while he was fuming.
"Hello, hello," said Nearly Headless Nick, starting and looking round." He said something while the starting and looking round were happening.
"Brecon awoke in an instant, realizing the soft sunshine had all but faded away." Brecon was realizing something while he awoke.

Your examples are all past tense, even without the was/were, but the rewording afterward includes it.

Present tense of these sentences would be:

"Fuming, Nearly Headless Nick stuffs the letter away."
"Hello, hello," Nearly Headless Nick is saying, starting and looking round."
"Brecon awakes in an instant, realizing the soft sunshine had all but faded away."

As jmurray says, one verb dictates tense while the other describes a concurrent action.

Bufty · Oct 21, 2018

Panda123 said:
...

An example from what I wrote. " Brecon awoke in an instant, realizing the soft sunshine had all but faded away."

I see here that I wrote awoke but then I wrote in the present, is that wrong?
Maybe it is also me not understanding gerunds fully, just looking for a bit of advice on not using the wrong tense accidentally.

Nothing wrong with what you have written.

Your friend is talking nonsense, and none of these '...ing' uses are in the present tense.

Just keep doing what you're doing- it's perfectly in order. :Hug2:

And - as with other techniques - use this construction by choice and not habit.

-Riv- · Oct 21, 2018

Panda123 said:
Maybe it is also me not understanding gerunds fully, just looking for a bit of advice on not using the wrong tense accidentally.

For additional clarity to go with the excellent info you've already received, all "-ing" words aren't gerunds.

Here's a page from Purdue Owl on gerunds.

And here's one comparing gerunds and participles.

Hope that helps!

All the best,
Riv

Maryn · Oct 21, 2018

Gerunds are the -ing form of a verb serving as a noun.
Running is great exercise.
Studying improves your grades.

Present participles are the -ing form of a verb serving as an adjective.
We shared a running joke about bad teachers.
Studying the menu, Sharon seemed confused.

Progressive verbs use the -ing form of a verb to indicate continuous action while the sentence's main verb's action occurs. They can be past or present.
As Sam was running, he fell on a tree root.
While she is studying, she eats M&Ms.

Not so hard, really.

Looking for a bit of tense advice

Panda123

jmurray2112

Chris P

Likes metaphors mixed, not stirred

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

-Riv-

The much appreciated

Maryn

At Sea