The are several problems with explaining verb tense to native speakers of English.
First, traditional grammar texts say that the tense of the verb is the same is the
time of the event.  It does not help matters that we are told there is future tense
in English.  Would anyone say that "the ATEG conference is in Kansas City this
summer" future tense?  Clearly, it is a reference to an event in the future.  The
second problem is labeling aspect (perfect and progressive) as a tense.  Finally,
the traditional modals (can, could, should, etc.) have inherent tense, but are no
longer present or past in most uses.

Gretchen presented us with a very interesting exercise to raise her students'
awareness of tense.  I wonder if another kind of manipulation might have been more
useful.  For example, in Harry Potter and the Socerer's Stone, there is a
play-by-play of Harry's first Quidditch game.  It is in the simple present.  It
might be interesting to change that play-by-play to a newspaper report.  I think to
do it appropriately would require certain subordinate clauses with past progressive
to describe action happening while some other important event occurs.

Another kind of exercise which requires such changes is having students report on
what kinds of stories are on the front page of the newspaper on the day they were
born.

It would then be interesting to consider why some writers use the historical
present in writing their stories.  This would set up awareness of when these
changes might be in appropriate in student writing.

Bob Yates, Central Missouri State University

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