# Sequence of Tenses: Rules and Examples | SwaVid

Sequence of tenses: When two actions happened in the past, the earlier one takes the past perfect: had plus V3. Rules, examples and a quick check.

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Source: https://www.swavid.com/english-grammar/the-verb/sequence-of-tenses

# Sequence of tenses: rules and examples

## The rule, step by step

## Check yourself

## Common mistakes

## Frequently asked questions

## Keep practising

### Quick reference

### What is the rule for sequence of tenses?

### Can you give examples of sequence of tenses?

### What mistakes do students make in sequence of tenses?

### Free English grammar test

### More in The Verb

Short answer. When two actions happened in the past, the earlier one takes the past perfect: had plus V3. The later one stays in the simple past.

1 . Choose the right verb. By the time Nitin reached the bus stop, the last bus ___.

2 . Which sentence is correct?

Earlier past action: had plus V3. Later action: simple past.

When two actions happened in the past, the earlier one takes the past perfect: had plus V3. The later one stays in the simple past.

Ritu says that she is hungry. Our teacher said that the moon goes round the Earth.

Wrong: When the guests had arrived, we had served tea. Right: When the guests arrived, we served tea. (Only the earlier one)

Your child's level and 3 topics to fix first.

All the topics in this chapter, one rule at a time.

- Only the earlier one . Use had plus V3 only for the action that came first. Words like already, before and by the time help you see which came first.
- After said or told . After a past reporting verb like said, told or promised, the verb moves one step back: is becomes was, are plus -ing becomes were plus -ing, has becomes had.
- Modals move back too . After a past reporting verb, will becomes would, can becomes could and may becomes might.
- When the verb does not move . The verb does not move back when the reporting verb is in the present (says, tells). A fact that is always true also stays in the simple present.
- Ritu says that she is hungry.
- Our teacher said that the moon goes round the Earth.
- When the guests had arrived, we had served tea. → When the guests arrived, we served tea. Only the earlier one

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