Mastering Verb Tenses

What are Verb Tenses?

Verb tenses convey the timing of events. They also help

readers understand if something occurred in the past,
present, or future.
Past tense
• Past tense should be used when you describe something that
occurred at a very specific time in the past.

Example:
• The subjects were between the ages of five and ten when they are
alive.
• The author wrote about his journey in college.
Past Perfect Tense
• It is used to describe events completed before a time in the past.
• It is also often constructed by using the word "had" or "have" before the verb.

Example:
• The human rights committee had approved the project before the
subjects were selected.
• Tony had found the factor before Jarvis started his project.
Understanding the basics: Using tenses in research papers
Tenses in research writing serve as valuable tools to indicate the time frame in which certain actions
or ideas take place. The simple past tense and simple present tense are the most used tenses in
research papers. They are supplemented by the present perfect, past perfect, and occasionally the
future tense.

The present tense Describes actions or stated that are currently happening or habitual.
Example :
1. This Study examines the impact of technology on society.

The present perfect tense The present perfect tense in research writing is used to
talk about a past event that is linked to the present or to talk about trends or events that have
occurred recently.
Example:
1. Since the study was completed, several researchers have been studying the same factors.
The future tense Use future tense in a research paper when describing events that are
expected to occur in the future; this is not very common in academic writing.
Example
1. These research findings will open up new possibilities for the effective use of Epsom salt in
agriculture.”
2. The investigators will conduct phase two of this study.