Summary
Using English verb tenses correctly is essential for producing a clear, professional thesis or dissertation. For many non-native speakers, the present tenses—simple present, present continuous, present perfect and present perfect continuous—pose difficulties because they each express different time relationships and academic meanings.
Understanding how each tense is formed and when it should be used is crucial for describing methods, reporting established facts, explaining ongoing processes, and linking past work to present relevance. These tenses help you express precision, demonstrate mastery of academic conventions and maintain consistent, accurate scholarly prose.
Common errors include confusing habitual and ongoing actions, misusing the present perfect for completed tasks, or choosing tenses that distort the timeline of research. This article explains how to avoid these mistakes and how to use each present tense effectively in thesis writing.
AI tools can help check tense consistency, but they must be used with caution. Automated suggestions can introduce new errors, increase similarity scores or misinterpret academic context. Human judgement remains essential for ensuring correctness and clarity.
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A Complete Guide to English Present Tenses for Dissertation Writers
Writing a thesis or dissertation requires precise, formal and highly disciplined use of language. Among the challenges faced by academic writers—particularly non-native English speakers—verb tense is one of the most difficult areas to master. Even strong English writers can struggle to convey the correct time frame, sequence of events or degree of completion when describing complex research procedures or analytical processes.
Because a thesis must present information with absolute clarity, correct tense choice is not optional. It directly affects how readers understand your methodology, your findings, the ongoing relevance of previous research and the relationship between your study and the broader scholarly field. Using the wrong tense can distort meaning, confuse your examiners or make your writing appear less professional.
This expanded guide examines the four English present tenses—simple present, present continuous, present perfect and present perfect continuous—in detail. It explains how each is constructed, when each is appropriate in academic writing and how to avoid common errors. It also includes a section on using AI responsibly to check tense consistency without compromising academic integrity.
1. Why Present Tenses Matter in Academic Writing
In a thesis or dissertation, the present tenses are used in many important ways:
- to describe established knowledge or widely accepted facts;
- to explain the content of your thesis (e.g., “Chapter Four presents…”);
- to describe ongoing or habitual research activities;
- to discuss data or results that still hold relevance;
- to comment on the implications or significance of findings.
Mastery of present tenses gives your writing clarity, authority and a sense of scholarly professionalism.
2. The Simple Present Tense
The simple present is the most foundational tense in English. It is used for:
- general or habitual actions,
- statements of fact,
- timeless truths,
- definitions, descriptions and explanations, and
- conditions in logical or scientific statements.
Examples of the simple present include:
I AM interested in this topic. She SINGS every morning. The solution REACTS with oxygen. The method WORKS effectively under pressure.
2.1 The Simple Present in Academic Writing
In theses and dissertations, the simple present is used frequently:
- to state what the thesis discusses (“This chapter examines…”);
- to present established knowledge (“The literature shows…”);
- to define concepts (“The term refers to…”);
- to describe visual materials (“Figure 2 illustrates…”).
The simple present also appears in conditional structures, such as:
If the participant RUNS every day, fitness IMPROVES.
Because academic writing relies heavily on logical argumentation, these patterns are extremely common.
3. The Present Continuous Tense
The present continuous tense expresses actions happening now or around the present moment. It is formed with the present tense of “to be” + present participle:
You ARE READING this article. He IS ANALYSING the dataset. We ARE CONDUCTING additional tests.
3.1 Present Continuous for Planned Actions
In academic writing, present continuous is also used for future arrangements:
We ARE ATTENDING a conference next week. I AM MEETING my supervisor tomorrow.
However, future usage must be clear from context. Without time indicators, sentences may be misinterpreted.
3.2 Present Continuous in Academic Contexts
The present continuous is less common in theses than the simple present, but it is appropriate when describing:
- actions occurring during the time of writing (“We ARE PREPARING additional analyses”);
- temporary research conditions (“The lab IS UNDERGOING renovation”);
- ongoing debates (“Scholars ARE ARGUING that…”).
Because dissertations often narrate completed research, use this tense with caution.
4. The Present Perfect Tense
The present perfect connects past actions to the present moment. It is formed with “have/has” + past participle:
I HAVE ANALYSED the results. She HAS WRITTEN several chapters. They HAVE DEVELOPED a new method.
4.1 When to Use the Present Perfect
The present perfect is extremely useful in academic writing because it expresses:
- experience (“Researchers HAVE SHOWN that…”);
- change over time (“The population HAS INCREASED steadily”);
- a continuing situation (“This issue HAS REMAINED unresolved”).
It is ideal for describing your own progress:
I HAVE COMPLETED three experiments so far.
It also appears frequently in literature reviews to link past research to present debates.
4.2 Avoid the Present Perfect for Finished Actions
The present perfect should not be used for actions completed at a specific time in the past. In those cases, use the simple past instead:
❌ Researchers HAVE CONDUCTED the experiment in 2018. ✔ Researchers CONDUCTED the experiment in 2018.
Understanding this distinction strengthens accuracy and prevents temporal confusion.
5. The Present Perfect Continuous Tense
The present perfect continuous highlights the duration or continuity of an action. It is formed with “have/has been” + present participle:
They HAVE BEEN ANALYSING the samples. He HAS BEEN INVESTIGATING the problem. I HAVE BEEN WRITING my thesis all week.
5.1 When to Use It
This tense is effective when describing:
- actions that began in the past and continue to the present,
- actions that recently stopped but have present consequences,
- long-term processes in research (“The team HAS BEEN COLLECTING data for two years”).
In dissertation writing, it often appears in methodology descriptions, progress updates and reflective commentary.
6. Common Tense Errors in Theses and Dissertations
Non-native English speakers often make predictable mistakes with present tenses:
- Switching tenses mid-paragraph without clear reason;
- Overusing the present continuous for habitual or completed actions;
- Using the present perfect when the simple past is correct;
- Choosing tenses that distort timelines (e.g., making methods sound ongoing when they are completed);
- Inconsistency in describing research stages.
These errors can confuse readers and weaken examiners’ confidence in your writing.
7. Using AI Tools Responsibly for Tense Checking
AI grammar tools can help identify tense inconsistencies, but they must be used cautiously:
7.1 Helpful Uses of AI
- highlighting inconsistent verb forms,
- suggesting clearer alternatives,
- helping multilingual writers spot complex tense issues.
7.2 Risks and Drawbacks
- AI can misinterpret academic context and recommend incorrect tenses;
- AI suggestions may increase similarity scores by echoing common phrasing patterns;
- AI may invent or distort meaning when “correcting” complex prose.
Always double-check AI recommendations against grammar rules and thesis-writing conventions.
Conclusion
Present tenses are foundational tools for expressing meaning in academic writing. By mastering the simple present, present continuous, present perfect and present perfect continuous, thesis writers can communicate procedures, describe research stages, engage with literature and present arguments with clarity and precision.
Although AI tools can support consistency, scholarly judgement and careful revision remain essential. With correct tense usage and responsible writing practices, your thesis will demonstrate professionalism, accuracy and academic maturity.
