Which verb represents an erroneous shift in verb tense in the following sentences? 'I started working when I was sixteen... I made a lot of good friends at that job.'

In the provided sentences, the verb indicates a misunderstanding regarding tense consistency. The sentence "I started working when I was sixteen" is in the past tense, indicating an action that happened in the past. Meanwhile, the second sentence, "I made a lot of good friends at that job," also maintains the past tense correctly.

However, the answer choice mentions 'is,' which would represent a present tense verb. Although 'is' does not appear within these sentences, the point is about tense coherence. In this context, if a verb were shifted to the present tense when discussing past actions, it would disrupt the narrative flow and clarity, making it an erroneous shift. Maintaining the past tense consistently throughout the narrative is crucial to keeping the timeline clear.

Thus, recognizing an inappropriate shift to present tense, like 'is,' reinforces the concept of maintaining consistent verb tenses in storytelling and writing. This helps to prevent confusion regarding the timeline of events and keeps the narrative coherent.