What’s Up with Tenses? Writing Skills in the TOEFL

 By: TOEFL consultant

Tenses are such the problems in the order of you-know-what, aren't they?

1. Using “by” + time, you can take a past perfect or future perfect tense.

By 2009, Mary graduated from school. (Incorrect)
By 2009, Mary had graduated from school. (Correct)



By next month, I will finish my thesis. (Incorrect)
By next month, I will have finished my thesis. (Correct)

2. Using “in” + time, you can employ simple past tenses.

In 2009, John graduate from school. (Incorrect)
In 2009, John graduated from school. (Correct)

3. Using “since/for” + time, you can apply present perfect tenses to the structure.

Since I was a child, I lived in this beloved village. (Incorrect)
(Here, I no longer live in the village)

Since I was a child, I have lived in this beloved village. (Correct)
(Here, I still live in the village)

Source: About.com