Chart of English Tenses

Past Present Future

V+ed V/V+s Will + V
worked work/works will work
Simple

chose choose/chooses will choose

Keywords: last ..., in 2012, … ago, yesterday Keywords: usually, often, every…, sometimes, always Keywords: next year, in 2035, tomorrow, soon
Exports consist of all the goods and services a country provides
Exports declined by 40% in 2010. to the rest of the world. Exports will reach £2 bn in 2035.

was/were + V+ing am/is/are + V+ing will be + V+ing

Continuous

was/were working am/is/are working will be working

was/were choosing am/is/are choosing will be choosing

Keywords: at that moment, still Keywords: now, at this moment, still Keywords: still, at 5pm tomorrow

The committee was working on this proposal when it was In 2035, the country will be exporting more services than
dissolved. The committee is working on this proposal at the moment. goods.

had + past participle has/have + past participle will have + past participle
had worked has/have worked will have worked
Perfect

had chosen has/have chosen will have chosen

Keywords: just, recently, already, yet, ever, never, since, for, this
Keywords: since, by 2010, before (action) year/month Keywords: since, by 2035, before (action)
Over the past five years, exports have experienced modest By 2035, the country will have become the largest
By 2010, exports had shrunk to £500 mln. growth. exporter.

had been + V+ing has/have been + V+ing will have been + V+ing
Continuous

had been working has/have been working will have been working
Perfect

had been choosing has/have been choosing will have been choosing

Keywords: since, for Keywords: since, for Keywords: since, for

By 2010, exports had been declining for a number of In 2035, exports will have been growing for
years. Exports have been growing since 2010. 25 years. (emphasises the duration of activity)
FasTrack IELTS Academic Writing Task 1