B2 Upper-intermediate Tenses and sequence of tenses
Tense consistency in discourse
Lesson goal. After this lesson you can write a whole paragraph without random tense jumps, and you know when a change of tense is justified.
When to use it
- Writing narratives, essays and letters — where tense jumps cost marks.
- Keeping the reader anchored in time.
- Changing tense on purpose to step back or reach the present.
Form
| Text type | Main tense | Supporting tenses |
|---|---|---|
| Telling a story in the past | past simple | past continuous (background), past perfect (earlier event) |
| Describing habits and facts | present simple | present continuous (what is happening now) |
| Linking the past to the present | present perfect | past simple when a specific time is given |
| Future plans | will / be going to | present simple in time clauses |
Step by step
- Before writing, choose the main time frame: past or present.
- Keep that tense for the main narrative sentences.
- Change tense only with a clear reason: stepping back to an earlier event, or reaching the present.
- Reread, underline every verb and check each one.
Three good reasons to switch
| Reason | Switch to | Example |
|---|---|---|
| an action before a point in time | past perfect | I was tired because I hadn't slept. |
| the background in progress | past continuous | It was raining when I left. |
| continuing up to now | present perfect / present simple | I have lived here since 2020. |
Examples
Last week our class visited a museum. We left school at seven and arrived at nine.
I was tired because I hadn't slept the night before.
I live in Ha Noi now, but I grew up in Hue.
It was raining when we left the house.
My grandfather was a teacher for forty years. Now he spends his time gardening.
She says she is busy tomorrow.
Common mistakes
I went to the shop and buy some bread. → I went to the shop and bought some bread.
Two consecutive events in the same past frame must share a tense. Vietnamese never inflects verbs, so the second one slips.
When I arrived, she has already left. → When I arrived, she had already left.
Both events are past → use had, not has.
Yesterday I meet my old teacher and we talked for an hour. → Yesterday I met my old teacher and we talked for an hour.
With yesterday the first verb must be past.
Memory tip
After writing, reread and underline every verb. If one sits outside the main time frame and you cannot justify it, that is your error.
Summary
- Choose one main time frame for the paragraph and keep it.
- Change tense only with a reason: an earlier event, background, or a link to now.
- Reread and check every verb before you hand the work in.
Practise this lesson
Do exercises with an explanation for every question, take mini tests and track your progress on GrammUp.