Download Sequence of Tenses The verbs within main and subordinate clauses

Sequence of Tenses
The verbs within main and subordinate clauses relate to each other via a grammatical structure
called the “sequence of tenses.” As the sentence progresses from a main clause to a
subordinate clause, the verbs must adhere to the sequence. The different tenses are arranged
into two sequences: primary and secondary.
As shown in the chart below, a “primary” indicative tense must be followed by a “primary”
subjunctive tense. A “secondary” indicative tense must be followed by a “secondary”
subjunctive tense. The “primary” tenses describe incomplete actions (i.e. those in the present
or future time), while the “secondary” tenses describe past actions. For this reason
“secondary” tenses are often called “historical” tenses.
Main Clause
Present
Future
Future Perfect
Imperative
Subordinate Subjunctive
Present (action at same time or after action of main verb)
Perfect (action before action of main verb)
Imperfect
Perfect
Pluperfect
Imperfect (action at same time or after action of main verb)
Pluperfect (action before action of main verb)
Rogamus quid legat.
We are asking what he is reading.
Rogamus quid lēgerit.
We are asking what he read.
Rogāvērunt quid legeret.
We asked what he was reading.
Rogāvērunt quid lēgisset.
We asked what he had read.
Translate the following sentences:
Nōn certum est cūr barbarī veniant.
Rogant ut servī captī sint.
Mīlitī dux dīxit ubi barbarī manērent.
Rogāvimus cūr probātiō tam dūra esset.
Pater socium rogāvit num fēlīx esset.
Rogābat cūr ex urbe virī cessissent.