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Module 1 Handout

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20 views2 pages

Module 1 Handout

Uploaded by

Miguel Ángel
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Language tools for effective scientific writing

HANDOUTS
MODULE 1

Using tenses correctly

This unit is very brief and only looks at specific contexts.


In scientific papers, choosing whether to use present or past forms can have a special
implication, because the use of past or present verb forms is a way of indicating the status
of the work you are reporting.

Tense When? Examples


Brown reported that 53% of the
Past To discuss results that cannot be samples in her study were affected.
generalised.

Past To talk about unpublished results In our study, 75% of the inoculated
rabbits survived.

To talk about established facts and


Present published results This virus spreads quickly.

To describe figures, tables and graphs Table 2 shows that our results
point to a decline in this tendency.

Section Tense Reference

Present Background, what is known


Abstract/Summary Past To refer to your own
unpublished results
Present Outlines general topic and
Introduction Present perfect states what is already
known
Present continuous
Future Describe trends

Present perfect Refers to your particular


Past study

Materials and Method Past Here you describe what


Results you did, observed and
found

Discussion Past A comparison of your


Present tenses
Modals verbs results
Future tenses Speculation and extension

The present tense for a published fact.


Use the present simple to make generalisations, comment on stable conditions, and

Interglobe Language Links ©Fabiola Barraclough


Language tools for effective scientific writing
published in a primary journal. We use the present tense when referring to it, respecting
it as proven.

The present perfect tense for repeated events.

The present perfect tense is appropriate for repeated or continued observations.

The table outlines the main differences for past/present perfect usage.

Past tense Present perfect

With specific reference to past time Since/for*


or a past event: Yet/already
in our study Once/twice/three times ...until now
in previous studies So far
....ago Recently/lately/just
last..... Unfinished time: this year.....
In 1964

Since vesus for


Use since before a time point in the past (date, year, month etc).
They have been following this research line since 1987
Use for to a period of time (three years, two months, 16 hours etc)
We have been studying this aspect for six years.

For versus during

We use for + a period of time


I have been working here for three years.
The experimental period will last for 9 months.

We use during + noun to say when something happens.


We took readings during the experiment.
I wrote three papers during my stay in the USA.

While is similar to during but the structure is different:


I wrote three papers while I was staying in the USA.

It is not correct to say: During three years/ 6 months etc.


During the whole experiment can be expressed by
Throughout the experiment

Throughout can also be used to describe the whole space:


Samples were taken throughout the country /country-wide (from all over the
country).
Note we say worldwide (throughout the world)

Along is used to talk about space not time

Interglobe Language Links ©Fabiola Barraclough

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