Tense Summary: Academic Usage

SUMMARY OF TENSES

In academic writing, the most frequent tenses used are simple present and simple past; present perfect and future are less frequent, but are also important because they perform key functions at certain times (for instance present perfect often features in the introduction and conclusion for different reasons). Other tenses are generally less common, although frequencies vary according to the discipline and the function expressed.

Past tense is used to refer to past actions.

Forms:

• Active voice: he suggested, they found
• Passive voice: it was found, they were seen

Present perfect is used to refer to an action that has recently been completed, but which has relevance to the present time (up to now).

Forms:

• Active voice: we have demonstrated, research has shown
• Passive voice: it has been suggested, they have been reported

Present tense is used to refer to facts, truths or generalisations.

Such statements can be seen either as ‘timeless’, that is existing outside time and having nothing to do with it, or as being true in all times (i.e. as including past, present and future time).

Forms:

• Active voice: we argue, they suggest
• Passive voice: they are seen, it is shown

Future tense is used to refer to future time.

It is sometimes used in the introduction by writers to outline the upcoming sections of their work. Appears frequently in the conclusion to discuss recommendations and potential issues in future studies.

Forms:

• Active voice: the third part will consider…
• Passive voice: the issue of _____ will be discussed

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