1. Tense Problems Write about literature in the Present Tense!

2. Literature Literary works, paintings, films, and other artistic creations are assumed to exist in an eternal present. (They exist in a timeless realm where they can happen over and over again each time we read them.) This is called the literary present. Therefore, when you write about writers or artists as they express themselves in their work, use the present tense.

3. Present Tense The Present Tense describes the things you do every day. Note the use of an "s" at the end of the verb when describing a man, a woman, or a thing. Jody works at Walmart. John likes pizza. The rat likes cheese. Plural Hockey players like ballet. (no “s”)

4. The Rule The Basic Rule: You should use the past tense when discussing historical events, and you should use the literary present when discussing fictional events. Many things we read in English are fictional.

5. Literature When discussing events in a novel, poem, play, or story, always use the present tense, unless there is a shift in the time frame within the world of the text. Example: Caliban kills the dog because he is jealous. The narrator heard the story of Caliban from French Louis. * “heard” is in past tense because the hearing of the story occurred before the described set of events in the actual story.

6. Examples: “The Soul of Caliban” Past tense: The climax of the story was when the baby started crying. Present tense: The climax of the story is when the baby starts crying.

7. Fix the tense error. Rewrite each sentence and correct any tense errors. 1.An example of rising action was when Caliban killed the dog that Leon pets. An example of rising action is when Caliban kills the dog that Leon pets.

8. Fix the tense error 2.One important incident in the rising action of the story was when Caliban showed emotion toward the helpless kitten. One important incident in the rising action of the story is when Caliban shows emotion toward the helpless kitten.

9. Tense error? 3.Leon Suprenon assumes that Caliban had killed his son, and shot him.

10. Past Tense within the text The narrator heard the story from French Louis. Examples: As Leon rode home he remembered how Caliban had snapped at the baby. (This is because Leon is referring to a past event within the story) During the war Stever Deever shipped out faulty cylinder heads.