Verb Tenses: the Core Six

Present simple
For habits and general facts:

She works at a hospital. Water boils at 100 degrees.

Signal words: always, usually, often, every day, in general.

Present continuous
For actions at this moment, or current trends:

She is working on a new project. More people are choosing plant-based diets.

Signal words: now, currently, at the moment, these days.

Past simple
For completed past actions with a specific time:

I graduated in 2020. The company launched its first product in 2015.

Signal words: yesterday, last year, in 2019, ago.

Past continuous
For background or interrupted actions:

I was studying when my phone rang. The population was growing rapidly during this period.

Signal words: while, when, as, at that time.

Present perfect
For past actions with present relevance, or experience without specific time:

I have visited Tokyo three times. Prices have risen sharply this year.

Signal words: ever, never, already, yet, since, for, recently.

Past perfect
For the earlier of two past events:

By the time I arrived, the train had left. She had completed her degree before starting the job.

Signal words: by the time, before, after, already (in past context).

Here is a 3-sentence paragraph using all 6 tenses naturally:

I work as a software engineer, and I 'm currently building a mobile app for a healthcare client. Before this role, I worked at a startup that had been developing a similar product, and I was doing the same kind of work there. It has been a useful career path so far.

Mistake 1: Present simple for things happening now > ❌ I write this essay because... > ✅ I am writing this essay because...

Mistake 2: Past simple instead of present perfect > ❌ I visited Paris last week. (fine) > ❌ I visited Paris many times. (wrong — need present perfect) > ✅ I have visited Paris many times.

Mistake 3: Present perfect with specific past time > ❌ I have gone to the gym yesterday. > ✅ I went to the gym yesterday.

Mistake 4: Flat past simple where past perfect is needed > ❌ When I arrived, she left. (ambiguous) > ✅ When I arrived, she had left. (clearly: she left first)

• Graphs showing trends over time — past simple for completed trends, present perfect for trends continuing to now:

  From 2000 to 2020, sales rose steadily. (complete) > Since 2000, sales have risen steadily. (continuing)

• Opening: present perfect ("I've chosen to talk about...")
• Main story: past simple + past continuous for background + past perfect for earlier events.
• Closing reflection: present simple ("I still remember...")

Put the verb in brackets in the correct tense.

1. By 2022, global temperatures ___ (rise) by more than 1°C since pre-industrial times.
2. While I ___ (study) at university, I discovered my interest in design.
3. She ___ (work) at the same company for ten years, and she's still there.
4. Yesterday I ___ (meet) an old friend at the café.
5. These days, more people ___ (choose) to work remotely.

Answers:

1. had risen •
2. was studying •
3. has worked •
4. met •
5. are choosing