SPI English · Spotting Errors
Tenses
A tense error is a verb that shows the wrong time, and the sentence nearly always carries a clue word that tells you the right one.
Why this matters
Five questions in the bank test the tense: one EASY and four MODERATE. Three hang on a time word such as 'yesterday' or 'in the 19th century', and two on the special rules for 'if' sentences and reported questions.
Concept 1 of 2: Time words choose the tense
A verb shows when something happens. Words like 'yesterday', 'since', 'so far' and 'every day' fix that time, so the verb must match them. Find the time word first. The verb that clashes with it is the error, even when the two sit in different parts of the sentence.
Definition
The tenses you need:
- Simple past (went, saw): a finished time that is named. Clues: yesterday, last week, ago, in 2010, in the old days.
- Present perfect (have seen, has gone): done at some time before now, with no finished time named. Clues: just, already, yet, ever, so far.
- Present perfect continuous (have been waiting): started in the past and still going on. Clues: for a length of time, since a starting point.
- Present continuous (is playing): happening right now. Clues: now, at the moment, Look!
- Simple present (walks): a habit or a fact. Clues: every day, always, usually.
| Clue in the sentence | Tense | Correct example |
|---|---|---|
| yesterday, last week, ago, in 2010 | simple past | We visited Agra last week. |
| just, already, yet, ever, so far | present perfect | I have already eaten. |
| for or since, and still going on | present perfect continuous | She has been waiting since noon. Not 'is waiting since noon'. |
| now, at the moment, Look! | present continuous | Look! The baby is sleeping. |
| every day, always, usually | simple present | He walks to school every day. |
A named finished time (yesterday, in 1990) never goes with have or has.
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a practice question:
Practice questionEasy
Example 1 · Spotting Errors · Tenses
"Spotting error". Directions. In the following questions a sentence is divided into four parts, a - b - c and d. You have to mark the part in which there is an error.
He is writing / for the / last four hours /No error.
A named past time never takes have or has
'I have seen that film last Sunday' is wrong because 'last Sunday' is finished. Say 'I saw that film last Sunday'. Use 'have seen' only when no finished time is named.
'For' and 'since' with an action still going on
An action that began earlier and has not stopped takes 'has been' or 'have been' with -ing: 'It has been raining for two days', not 'It is raining for two days'.
Concept 2 of 2: If sentences and reported questions
Two kinds of sentence have their own tense rules. An 'if' sentence pairs one tense in the 'if' part with another in the main part. A reported question tells what someone asked, so it is no longer a question: the words go in normal statement order and the tense moves one step back.
Definition
The three common 'if' patterns:
- Real, now or later: If + present, will + verb. 'If it rains, we will stay in.'
- Imagined, now: If + past, would + verb. 'If I were rich, I would travel.'
- Imagined, in the past: If + had + third form, would have + third form. 'If you had asked, I would have helped.'
- Never put 'will' or 'would' in the 'if' part.
Reported questions:
- Use statement order, with no 'did' and no question mark: 'She asked me where I lived', not 'where did I live'.
- A yes or no question is reported with if or whether: 'He asked if I was ready.'
- After 'asked', the tense moves back: lives becomes lived, lived becomes had lived.
| Sentence type | Pattern | Correct example |
|---|---|---|
| if, real | If + present, will + verb | If it rains, we will stay in. |
| if, imagined now | If + past, would + verb | If I were rich, I would travel. |
| if, imagined past | If + had + third form, would have + third form | If you had asked, I would have helped. Not 'If you would have asked'. |
| reported wh-question | asked + wh-word + statement order | She asked me where I lived. |
| reported yes or no question | asked + if or whether + statement order | He asked if I was ready. |
The 'if' part never carries will or would; a reported question never carries did.
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a practice question:
Practice questionModerate
Example 2 · Spotting Errors · Tenses
"Spotting error". Directions. In the following questions a sentence is divided into four parts, a - b - c and d. You have to mark the part in which there is an error.
If I would have been there / I certainly would have / taken care of the problem. / No error.
No 'would' in the 'if' part
'If I would know, I would tell you' is wrong. The 'if' part takes the past ('If I knew') and only the main part takes 'would'.
A reported question is not a question
After 'asked', drop 'did' and put the subject before the verb: 'He asked why I was late', not 'He asked why was I late'.
Summary — formulas & gotchas at a glance
A revision cheat-sheet for the formulas and gotchas above. Click any concept name to jump back to its full explanation.
Reference tables (2)
Time words choose the tense5 rows
| Clue in the sentence | Tense | Correct example |
|---|---|---|
| yesterday, last week, ago, in 2010 | simple past | We visited Agra last week. |
| just, already, yet, ever, so far | present perfect | I have already eaten. |
| for or since, and still going on | present perfect continuous | She has been waiting since noon. Not 'is waiting since noon'. |
| now, at the moment, Look! | present continuous | Look! The baby is sleeping. |
| every day, always, usually | simple present | He walks to school every day. |
A named finished time (yesterday, in 1990) never goes with have or has.
If sentences and reported questions5 rows
| Sentence type | Pattern | Correct example |
|---|---|---|
| if, real | If + present, will + verb | If it rains, we will stay in. |
| if, imagined now | If + past, would + verb | If I were rich, I would travel. |
| if, imagined past | If + had + third form, would have + third form | If you had asked, I would have helped. Not 'If you would have asked'. |
| reported wh-question | asked + wh-word + statement order | She asked me where I lived. |
| reported yes or no question | asked + if or whether + statement order | He asked if I was ready. |
The 'if' part never carries will or would; a reported question never carries did.
Watch out for (4)
- A named past time never takes have or has→ Time words choose the tense
- 'For' and 'since' with an action still going on→ Time words choose the tense
- No 'would' in the 'if' part→ If sentences and reported questions
- A reported question is not a question→ If sentences and reported questions
Test yourself on a real paper
Sit a past SPI paper, timed and marked the way the exam marks it. You see your score and every answer the moment you finish. Free to start.