Identify the sentence with inconsistent verb tense.

• A. She walked to the store and buys bread.
• B. She walked to the store and bought bread.
• C. She walks to the store and buys bread.
• D. She walked to the store and is buying bread.

Answer: (A)

Maintaining the same time frame for actions joined by “and” is essential. In the sentence that starts with “She walked to the store” the first verb is in the past, but the second verb is in the present tense (“buys bread”). That shift in time creates an inconsistent timeline within the same sentence: one action is placed in the past, while the other is described as happening in the present. To be consistent, the two verbs should share the same tense. If both actions happened in the past, say “She walked to the store and bought bread.” If describing a habitual present action, say “She walks to the store and buys bread.” The other sentences keep the same tense across both verbs, either past-past or present-present, so they read steadily. The mixed tense in this sentence is what makes it inconsistent.