Present tenses in academic and formal writing do not always behave in the way learners expect. The present simple is used for general truths, professional claims, and to describe what a text says or argues. The present perfect is used to frame research findings and to describe what has been established. The present continuous is rarely appropriate in formal prose. Understanding how present tenses function in formal written English will help teachers write their own professional documents more accurately and support learners who are working towards formal writing tasks.
Before you start — think honestly about your own teaching and experience.
Look at the examples. Answer each question before reading the explanation — this is how your students will learn too.
Both sentences say the same thing. What is different about the tense choices in the academic version? Why do you think those choices were made?
The informal version uses simple past ('did research', 'found') — it treats the research as a finished past event. The academic version uses present perfect ('has shown') — it frames the research finding as something that is still true and still relevant now. Academic writing uses present perfect in this way to signal that a finding is established and current, not just historical. The present perfect says: this was found in the past AND it is still considered valid now. This is one of the most important conventions of academic writing in English, and many learners — and some teachers — are not aware of it.
All five sentences use a present tense. But none of them describe actions happening right now. What is each present tense doing in these sentences?
In formal writing, the present simple is used in several specialised ways: (1) for general truths and established facts that are always valid; (2) to report what a text, report, or piece of data says or claims — this is called the 'reporting present' or 'historic present'; (3) to describe the purpose or content of a document (this lesson aims..., this report examines...). The present perfect (sentence 4) is used when findings from past research are being cited as currently valid. These conventions are consistent across academic and professional writing in English. Learning them transforms the quality of formal written work.
What is wrong with Version A for formal writing? What specific tense errors does it contain, and what should replace them?
Version A uses present continuous ('am looking at', 'am considering') — these forms sound informal and suggest the writer is in the middle of doing something, like speaking aloud while they work. In formal written English, the present simple is used to describe the content and purpose of a document: 'this report examines', 'this lesson analyses', 'this plan aims'. The present continuous is almost never appropriate in formal prose. A second issue in Version A is the use of 'I' — formal writing in many professional contexts avoids first person and uses passive or impersonal structures. Both of these are features of register, not just grammar.
| Form | Use / Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Use in formal writing | Tense | Example |
| General truths and established facts | Present simple | Regular attendance improves learning outcomes. |
| Describing what a text says or argues | Present simple (reporting present) | The report argues that funding is insufficient. |
| Stating the purpose or content of a document | Present simple | This lesson plan aims to improve reading fluency. |
| Citing established research findings | Present perfect | Studies have shown a link between feedback and progress. |
| Describing current but recently established situations | Present perfect | The school has adopted a new marking policy. |
| Describing ongoing processes (avoid in formal writing) | Present continuous — AVOID | NOT: The data is suggesting... → USE: The data suggests... |
PRESENT CONTINUOUS IN FORMAL WRITING: A NEAR-TOTAL EXCLUSION
The present continuous is almost completely absent from formal academic prose. Sentences like 'The data is suggesting' or 'Research is showing' sound informal and unnatural in written English. In formal writing, always use present simple for these: 'The data suggests', 'Research shows'. The only place present continuous might appear in a formal document is when describing an ongoing situation that is explicitly temporary and current: 'The school is currently operating with a reduced teaching staff.' Even here, present simple ('The school operates with a reduced teaching staff') is often preferred.
STUDENT REPORTS: PRESENT OR PAST?
Teachers writing student reports face a common question: should I write 'She is a strong reader' or 'She was a strong reader'? The answer depends on whether the quality is still true. If the report is about the current school year and the student is still strong, use present simple: 'She reads confidently and with good comprehension.' If the report covers a completed period (e.g. an end-of-year summary), past simple may be appropriate for specific completed tasks ('She completed all assignments on time'), while general characteristics that are still true should stay in present simple.
ACTIVE AND PASSIVE IN FORMAL WRITING
Academic and formal writing in English often uses passive voice, which affects tense choice. 'It has been argued that...' / 'A new policy has been introduced.' / 'Attendance data was collected over six weeks.' Understanding how passive forms interact with present tenses helps teachers write more natural formal prose and helps learners who are working towards formal writing tasks.
PRESENT TENSE CHOICES IN FORMAL WRITING — A QUICK GUIDE - Is this a general truth or established principle? → Present simple. - Are you describing what a report, text, or dataset says? → Present simple (reporting present). - Are you stating the purpose or structure of your document? → Present simple ('this report examines...'). - Are you citing a research finding that is still considered valid? → Present perfect ('studies have shown...'). - Are you tempted to use present continuous in a formal document? → Almost always wrong — switch to present simple. - Are you writing about a student's characteristics in a current report? → Present simple for qualities that are still true.
Choose the correct tense for each gap in these formal writing contexts.
Each sentence contains a tense error inappropriate for formal writing. Write the correct sentence and explain the mistake.
Use this sequence directly in class — guided discovery, no textbook needed. Tap each step to mark it done.
STEP 1 — COMPARE TWO VERSIONS (8 minutes): Write two versions of the same opening paragraph of a school report on the board — one using informal tense choices (past simple, present continuous), one using formal choices (present simple, present perfect). Ask learners: 'Which version sounds more professional? What is different about the verbs?' Let learners discuss in pairs for two minutes, then take feedback. Establish that tense choices in formal writing follow specific conventions.
STEP 2 — THE REPORTING PRESENT (8 minutes): Write five sentences on the board, each describing what a different text or study says. All use past simple. Ask learners to convert them to the reporting present (present simple). For example: 'The 2021 report argued that...' → 'The 2021 report argues that...' Discuss why the change is made and what effect it has on the meaning.
STEP 3 — PRESENT PERFECT FOR FINDINGS (7 minutes): Show learners three research-related sentences using simple past. Ask them to consider: is this finding still considered true today? If yes, convert to present perfect. If it is clearly a historical finding with no current relevance, simple past may be appropriate. This step develops judgment, not just rule-following.
STEP 4 — DOCUMENT PURPOSE PRACTICE (7 minutes): Ask learners to write the opening two sentences of a formal document — a lesson plan, a school report, or a professional letter. They must use present simple to state the purpose and present perfect (if appropriate) to describe relevant background. Share one or two with the class. Give specific feedback on tense choices.
STEP 5 — FULL PARAGRAPH REVIEW (10 minutes): Give learners a short paragraph (four to six sentences) of formal writing with five tense errors — a mix of the types covered in this lesson. Ask them to find and correct all errors and label each correction with the reason (general truth, reporting present, document purpose, established finding). Discuss as a class.
Use directly in class — copy, adapt, or read aloud. No printing needed.
For each strategy, choose the option that best describes where you are now.
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