One of the ways in which writers represent time in writing is through the use of different tenses. Understanding the various types of writing tenses can be one of the most effective ways of gearing up for your next novel, short story, or essay. But, if you’ve ever found yourself asking: ‘What are verb tenses?’, you may be wondering why such a big deal is made of these terms. Join us today at What We Writing as we guide you through the different types of verb tenses and how to utilise them effectively in your own writing!
What Are Verb Tenses?
Verb tenses in writing are sets of verbs that are used to convey the time at which something takes place, past, present, or in the future. In English, the main categories of verb tense include simple tense, perfect tense, progressive tense, and perfect progressive tense; us writers then refer to these tenses as present, past, or future.
What Is Simple Tense?
We use the term ‘simple’ to describe the most basic verb tenses, which place events in relation to the present, past, or future.
- Simple past tense: Lewis played football.
- Simple present tense: Lewis plays football.
- Simple future tense: Lewis will play football.
What Is Perfect Tense?
Perfect tenses describe completed actions that occur in the past, present, or future. They are usually formed by adding a form of ‘have’ to the main verb.
- Past perfect tense: Lewis had played football.
- Present perfect tense: Lewis has played football.
- Future perfect tense: Lewis will have played football.
What Is Progressive Tense?
Progressive tenses describe ongoing action.
- Past progressive tense: Lewis was playing football.
- Present progressive tense: Lewis is playing football.
- Future progressive tense: Lewis will be playing football.
What Is Perfect Progressive Tense?
Perfect progressive tense describes ongoing actions
- Past perfect progressive tense: Lewis had been playing football.
- Present perfect progressive tense: Lewis has been playing football.
- Future perfect progressive tense: Lewis will have been playing football.
5 Tips For Writing In Different Verb Tenses
Now that you’re well acquainted with the different tenses and verb forms, let’s take a closer look at how to use tenses in your writing. It might seem simple enough, but writers take a fair amount of creative license when choosing how to use tenses in their work. Here are some of our top tips for using tenses in your manuscript:
1. Know Your Genre
If you’re a reporter or journalist writing an article that describes past events that took place at a specific time, you’ll have less freedom to experiment with different tenses as opposed to a fiction author writing a first-person narrative jam-packed full of flashbacks. If you’re working on an academic paper, you’ll also likely be bound to a singular time frame. It’s important to identify the conventions of the form you are writing in before you begin playing with tenses or utilising radical tense shifts.
2. Select a Tense That Suits Your Narrative
If you’re writing a suspenseful crime thriller, the tense you opt for can have a big impact on how your story develops. Most first-time fiction writers tend to use the past tense – it’s straightforward, familiar, and the most common choice in literary fiction. However, it’s never too early to experiment. Writing in the present tense can convey a sense of immediacy, making readers feel like the action is unfolding right now.
3. Experiment with Time Shifts
If you’re writing a piece of literary fiction or creative nonfiction, purposeful time shifts can be a great way of ensuring that your audience remains engaged. Switching between perspectives within your narrative, or alternating between second and third person, can also inform changes in tense. If a present-tense narrative is told from the first-person POV of a protagonist, but you choose to switch to third person for a chapter or two, that could be a good opportunity to swap out the present tense and switch up to the past tense.
Check Out Our Guide On How To Write A Dual Timeline Novel
4. Keep Your Tenses Consistent
Unless there is a change in the time period or context, you should aim to keep your tenses consistent and stick to a common tense. Naturally, you’ll most likely use multiple tenses within a larger piece, but you need to ensure that you are using the correct verb forms to keep your tenses consistent at the sentence level. Once you’ve finished a first draft, you can go back and make sure your verb tenses are consistent, double-checking verb agreement. Proofreading is important for many reasons, but checking for tense choice is a necessary part of the process.
Check Out Our Guide To What An Anachronism Is
5. Switch Tenses in the Editing Process
Once you’ve finished a draft, experimenting with tense can be a fun and useful exercise. Try taking a passage from your manuscript and rewriting it in the present tense rather than the past. This one simple change can inject energy and urgency into sections of your writing that may have felt flat beforehand. You may even discover that a story originally told in the past tense feels more immediate and compelling when shifted to the present. You can also adapt this exercise by swapping out passive voice for active, or switching from second person to third. Making deliberate changes to elements such as tense, voice, or point of view can unlock new possibilities and breathe fresh life into your work.
Check Out Our Guide To Editing Vs Proofreading
James has been passionate about storytelling ever since he could hold a pen. Inspired by the epic fantasy and historical dramas he devoured in his youth, his work now centers on dark, psychological tales featuring intense, introspective characters and atmospheric, gothic undertones. In 2025, he founded What We Writing to share his creative journey and the lessons he’s learned along the way with fellow writers and passionate storytellers.
