How to use perfect tenses in IELTS

One key skill that examiners are looking for is your ability to use different grammatical structures and tenses within the test. Lower level students will often stick to simple tenses which can limit their ability to properly express certain ideas. Mastering the perfect tenses will allow you to boost your range and to express yourself with greater confidence and fluency. 

If you are unsure what “perfect” means in terms of grammar, it simply means that the verb “to have” is used as an auxiliary verb. All perfect tenses use some form of the verb “to have” to create the tense. Additionally, you will need to use the participle or third form of the verb. 

The present perfect tense 

cONSTRUCTION

SUBJECT + HAVE + PARTICIPLE FORM

- We use this tense for actions in the past that have a connection to the present or that are still true 

In an IELTS context, this tense is great to use for your opening sentence or even for the example in your supporting paragraphs. 

*** NOTE if you use the present perfect you cannot state WHEN the event happened. This tense is for non-specific events in the past. 

• A recent study by Harvard University has concluded that…… 

  - OKAY

• A recent study by Harvard University in 2016 has concluded that……

  - INCORRECT BECAUSE YOU CANNOT STATE WHEN IT HAPPENED

More examples of the present perfect in an IELTS context

• In recent years, the popularity of video games has increased…..

• Binge eating has led to health issues among young people…

• An increase in the number of available career paths has caused many to question whether too many choices is a good thing. 

NOTE - Many students have great difficulty mastering the difference between the past simple and present perfect. If you wish to totally understand it, please check out my podcast on it here.

The past perfect tense 

cONSTRUCTION

SUBJECT + HAD + PARTICPLE FORM

The past perfect tense has a couple of uses, though I will only cover the ones that can be easily used in an IELTS writing context.

One way we can use this tense in an essay is to explain the relationship between a cause and an effect. We can do this simply by combining it with a past simple clause using the auxiliary verb HAD and the word BECAUSE. 

It does not matter in which order you place the clauses. 

PAST PERFECT + PAST SIMPLE 

PAST SIMPLE + PAST PERFECT 

• For example, according to a paper published on BBC, the majority of lung cancer patients got it BECAUSE they HAD smoked. 

• Because they had eaten far too much sugar, the patients observed in the study developed diabetes. 

We can also use it for actions that finished before another specific time in the past by using BEFORE.

• Many people had died before the government decided to change the law and make wearing seatbelts compulsory. 

• Before the government had invested in space exploration, we knew very little about outer space. 

The future perfect tense 

Construction

Subject  + will have + participle form

The future perfect tense is considered to be by many students the most difficult tense to use naturally. It can however be used easily within an IELTS context if we use it to make predictions.

• It is predicted by the year 2055 that average global temperatures will have increased by 4 degrees.

You can even add conditional clauses to make your sentences even more interesting.

• It is predicted by the year 2055 that average global temperatures will have increased by 4 degrees if current trends continue.

• It is predicted by the year 2043 that there will be no tigers left in the wild if current levels of deforestation continue.

NEXT STEPS?

I hope that you have enjoyed reading this blog.  If you have any questions regarding the test or would like to inquire about my writing correction services or IELTS online classes please email me at info@lovetolearnenglish.com.