Plot twists can be created by changing tenses in the middle of reading. When the reader is focused on reading the story, a change in tenses can be a plot twist. For example, by suddenly changing to the past tense to tell about past events and adding details that have not been known before. This change in tenses can make reading more engaging.
The role of tenses in character development
We can see the development of the character by using past tense. We can use past tense to compare the character in the past and in the present, showing what changes have happened to the character.
Tenses add a dramatic effect to the story
It turns out that the choice of tenses can also have a dramatic effect on the story. For example, the use of future tense when the characters of the story begin to think about bad things that will happen in the future. This dramatic effect can certainly make the story more interesting and make readers also imagine what will happen in the future.
Tenses in the various genres
The choice of tenses is also usually varied in each reading genre. Present tense is usually used mostly in thriller or adventure-themed stories. Past tense is usually used in historical stories that recall many events in the past, while future tense is usually used in science fiction reading. So make sure to choose the right tenses for the genre you want to write about.
After seeing some of the roles of tenses, it can be seen that the role of tenses is very important in story development, but it turns out that there are still many people who choose the wrong tenses in writing their stories. Here are the mistakes that are often found in various story writing:
Inconsistency in the use of tenses
Although changing tenses can create a plot twist that makes the story more interesting, changing tenses over and over can make readers confused about the plot they are reading. So it's better to maintain the tenses we chose at the beginning without having to change them all the time.
Incorrect use of tenses that do not match the eventÂ
