Mixed verb tenses 3
✓ Useful for TOEIC
✓ Useful for Cambridge BEC
💡 Top tips
Present perfect vs simple past in professional contexts
Use the present perfect for actions with a connection to the present: 'We have launched three products this year.' Use simple past for completed actions at a specific time: 'We launched the product in March.' The distinction matters in reports and emails.
Using the passive voice professionally
The passive voice is common in formal business writing when the doer of an action is unknown, unimportant, or deliberately omitted: 'The report was submitted on time.' 'Errors were found in the data.' Avoid overusing it in spoken communication.
Expressing the future: 'will', 'going to', and present continuous
'Will' is used for decisions made at the moment of speaking and firm commitments: 'I'll send that right away.' 'Going to' refers to plans already decided: 'We're going to launch in Q4.' The present continuous is used for fixed arrangements: 'I'm meeting the client on Thursday.'
Present perfect vs simple past in professional contexts
Use the present perfect for actions with a connection to the present: 'We have launched three products this year.' Use simple past for completed actions at a specific time: 'We launched the product in March.' The distinction matters in reports and emails.
Using the passive voice professionally
The passive voice is common in formal business writing when the doer of an action is unknown, unimportant, or deliberately omitted: 'The report was submitted on time.' 'Errors were found in the data.' Avoid overusing it in spoken communication.
Expressing the future: 'will', 'going to', and present continuous
'Will' is used for decisions made at the moment of speaking and firm commitments: 'I'll send that right away.' 'Going to' refers to plans already decided: 'We're going to launch in Q4.' The present continuous is used for fixed arrangements: 'I'm meeting the client on Thursday.'
READY TO PRACTICE? LET’S GO!
These exercises will help you to practice choosing the right verb tense in a Business English context. Choose the best response to complete each of the sentences below.
1. Over that past three years, I __________________________ in a number of interesting projects.
Correct answer: A or C — Both simple past and present perfect are correct for past experience.
2. Right now I __________________________ in any project.
Correct answer: am not involved — Current state: simple present (am not involved — state verb).
3. PERSON 1: Do you have time to talk? PERSON 2: Not really, I __________________________ pretty busy right now.
Correct answer: am — Current state: simple present (be is a state verb, not continuous).
4. I __________________________ to a trade fair until I went to the one in Las Vegas last month.
Correct answer: had never been — Past perfect: action that hadn't happened before another past moment.
5. They were one of our biggest competitors, but they __________________________ bankrupt last year.
Correct answer: went — Completed past event: simple past.
6. Recent efforts _________________ our company's profile have been successful.
Correct answer: to boost — Infinitive of purpose following a noun: efforts to boost.
7. John's company _________________ one of the biggest electronics retailers in the country.
Correct answer: is — Company name takes singular verb in American English.
8. I __________________________ the approval of three committee members before Bob signed off on the project.
Correct answer: had already gotten — Past perfect: approval obtained before another past event.
9. The recent survey shows that our consumer base __________________________.
Correct answer: is growing — Present continuous for a trend currently in progress.
10. PERSON 1: How's the new guy doing? PERSON 2: Right now he's just __________________________ to get familiar with our process.
Correct answer: trying — Present continuous for an action happening right now.
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