Verb Consistency--Today's "Gotcha" Grammar Glitch

Verbs should reflect the time frame. If you are talking about the past, ALL the verbs used should be in the PAST TENSE. If you are talking about the present, the verbs referring to that time frame should be in the PRESENT TENSE. You only mix them if you want to show a change in time frame.

A good example of this grammar glitch appeared in The Birmingham News this week--on the front page--in an article about coal mine blasting damaging people's homes:

They (the homeowners) didn't in most cases move into the neighborhood of the mine knowing what was going to happen. The mine moves into their neighborhood.

Because the blasting is already occurring, we can assume that the mines MOVED into the neighborhood IN THE PAST, but as written, this sentence does not reflect that time relationship. It should read as follows:

They didn't in most cases move into the neighborhood of the mine knowing what was going to happen. The mine MOVED into their neighborhood.

By changing "moves" to "moved," we achieve the correct time frame.