As a general rule, verb tenses within a sentence ora paragraph should be consistent. A shift in tensewithout reason distorts the sequence of events being described and will confuseyour reader. For example, if you begin a description with a --Linglei Xu, "Bone Talk," SciTech Magazine (modified) See also the discussion of sequence of tenses. Copyright ©2001 The McGraw-Hill Companies. Any use is subject to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. McGraw-Hill Higher Education is one of the many fine businesses of Weak
Surgery made critical advances in the 19th century. Thediscovery of anesthesia by Crawford Long in 1842 and W. T. G. Morton in 1846gave doctors greater freedom to put their new anatomicalknowledge to practical use. After Louis Pasteur discoveredthat microorganisms caused infections, Joseph Lister (1827-1912), a youngScottish surgeon, realized that antiseptic surgical techniqueswould allow surgeons to suture wounds and avoid infection. Finally, Roentgen reports his discovery of X-rays (orroentgenograms) in 1895, which is immediately put to practicaluse in surgical diagnosis.Improved
Surgery made critical advances in the 19th century. Thediscovery of anesthesia by Crawford Long in 1842 and W. T. G. Morton in 1846gave doctors greater freedom to put their new anatomicalknowledge to practical use. After Louis Pasteur discoveredthat microorganisms caused infections, Joseph Lister (1827-1912), a youngScottish surgeon, realized that antiseptic surgical techniqueswould allow surgeons to suture wounds and avoid infection. Finally, Roentgen reported his discovery of X-rays (orroentgenograms) in 1895, which was immediately put topractical use in surgical diagnosis.
## Inappropriate Shifts in Tense ##
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