Contrasting Tenses

1. Introduction

As illustrated in the table in Step 1, a verb can be in the present or the past. The aspect (simple, be+ing, perfect or perfect be+ing) gives us additional information about a verb by telling us whether the action was completed, continuous, neither, or both.

2. Signal words

The first thing that will help you choose which tense you should choose is signal words. Some signal words will demand a certain tense. Here is a basic table.

2.1. Who needs correct tenses?!

Choosing the wrong tense might lead to some misunderstandings. Look at the following video:

3. If there is no signal word, then what?

Remember that the choice of the aspect (simple, be+ing, perfect or perfect be+ing) depends on what the speaker wants to focus on and what they want to emphasize.

Look at the following sentences from Hillary, Ndira and Raghav’s testimonies.

3.1. Past simple or present perfect?

Hillary

I’ve done it twice now. (...) For me the challenge hasn’t so much been the rigors of a foreign education system—I adapted relatively quickly both times—but rather the sense of a personality temporarily lost. (...)

My first study-abroad experience in Beijing fostered my love of travel—which has lead me on adventures below the equator and above the arctic circle. It gave me my (French) husband whom I met on a train in China headed for the Himalayas. My second study abroad experience gave me the gift of a second language and a love of those glorious, stinky cheeses that just don’t exist across the pond. With time, I’ve even been able to recapture my personality—bit by bit.

⇒ In this extract, Hillary gives information about the past mentioning elements that are finished (adapt, foster, give, meet)

She also presents actions that happened in the past and that have consequences on the present (do, be able to). The signal words (twice now & with time) indicate the link she chooses to establish between the past and the present.   

Ndrina

I finished my Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at the University of Pristina, and just after that I won a fully-funded scholarship from the European Union to study a Master’s degree abroad. I completed my first semester in Paris, Université Paris Sud, and now I am pursuing my studies in Porto, Portugal, where I am currently living.

All my academic life, I have been inspired by some of my professors; they convinced me to study chemistry, to love chemistry. I have been very lucky to have had this opportunity to study in such renowned Universities, coming from such a small country which most of people I met abroad didn’t even know existed.

⇒ In this extract, Ndrina mentions actions that are completed for her (no link) and which have no consequences on the present (finish, win, complete, convince, meet, not know, exist).

She talks about what is happening at the moment when she writes (pursue, live) as indicated by the signal words (now & currently).

To finish, she establishes a link between the past and the present (inspire, be). The time marker “all my academic life” associated with the present perfect means her academic life is not over. The absence of time marker in the following sentence indicates she chooses to stress this past event has consequences on the present (= she was very very lucky and she still feels  very lucky).

Raghav

In the 22 years of my life this venture of studying abroad has been the most exciting learning experience.

It has been daunting and satisfying at the same time.

I was blessed and fortunate enough to have my best friend along with me for this new phase of both of our lives. I didn’t know what to expect from this new life of living far from home, but I knew that at least I would get something positive from it.

The courses here, although fast-paced and intensive, have been instrumental in pushing me forward towards my future goals.

 I’ve been happy to apply a lot of what I’ve learnt in the daily life.

This experience has taught me how to be independent and strong in many ways

⇒ In these extracts, and in most of his testimony, Raghav stresses what he has learnt from his experience that is why he chooses present perfect over past simple (be (X4), learn, teach). He focuses on the benefits of this year in Paris Sud and how this past experience has made him who he is today (link past/present).

The passage in the past simple is related to his feelings before the experience started. It is then finished.

3.2. Past tenses: past be+ing, past simple, past perfect

Ndrina

Yes, that’s how much I was struggling. When the time came for the midterms, I had already studied everything, I was sleepless for months, but yet the results were not the best.

⇒ I was struggling - past be + ing - the action (struggle) was in progress in the past. It is often translated with the French tense “imparfait”

In the sentence “(1) When the time came for the midterms, (2) I had already studied everything” the two actions are not presented chronologically. The first action (came) happened after the second mentioned (study) but the speaker chooses to present them like that.

3.3. Conclusion

Remember that when choosing a tense, you should first consider the signal words. Some signal words are always and only used with the same tense.

However, the same signal word can sometimes be used indifferently with one tense or the other, depending on the meaning.

With such signal words or with no signal word at all, you should focus on the meaning of the sentence, so don't forget the meaning associated with which tense.

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