✅ Mastering Verb Tenses and Aspect for TOEIC Part 5 Success

In Part 5, verb tense questions are one of TOEIC’s favourite traps.
You’re not asked to define grammar terms — you’re asked to pick the only form that fits the logic and timing of the sentence.

If you can read the timeline correctly, you can collect these points quickly.

💥 Why TOEIC Uses Verb Tense Questions

They test your ability to:

  • Spot time references in the sentence.

  • Identify the sequence of events.

  • Choose the correct aspect — simple, perfect, or continuous.

This mirrors real workplace English in emails, reports, and updates — exactly what TOEIC is built to measure.

🧪 Sample Question

The team ___ the project before the deadline passed.

A) completes
B) had completed ✅
C) was completing
D) will have completed

Why B? “Passed” is in the past tense. To show the project finished before that moment, you need the past perfect.

🔄 5 Tense Patterns TOEIC Tests Constantly

1️⃣ Present Perfect vs Past Simple

  • I have worked here for five years. ✅ (still true now)

  • I worked there in 2019. ✅ (finished in the past)
    Look for since, for, already, yet, recently → often present perfect.

2️⃣ Past Perfect vs Simple Past

  • The meeting had ended before she arrived. ✅
    Earlier past = past perfect, later past = simple past.
    Common trap: both verbs look past, but only one should be in past perfect.

3️⃣ Future Perfect

  • By next month, we will have launched the app. ✅
    Action completed before a future time reference.
    Triggers: by the time, by next week, before 5 PM.

4️⃣ Present Continuous for Future Plans

  • She is meeting the client tomorrow. ✅
    Often used in schedules and emails.
    Triggers: tomorrow, next Friday.

5️⃣ Past Continuous + Simple Past (interruption)

  • They were discussing the budget when the CEO arrived. ✅
    Background action = past continuous, interrupting action = simple past.

🧠 Trigger Words for the Right Tense

  • Present Perfect: since, for, already, yet, recently.

  • Past Perfect / Future Perfect: by the time, before, after, by next week.

  • Past Continuous: while, when, as.

  • Future / Present Continuous: tomorrow, next year, soon.

  • Simple Past: in 2022, last week, yesterday.

🎯 Pro Tip — Read for the Timeline First

Don’t start with the blank.
Look at the other verbs and time phrases first — most verb tense questions can be solved just by tracking the order of events.

Final Word

Verb tense questions appear on every TOEIC test. Once you master:

  • Present perfect vs past simple

  • Past perfect vs simple past

  • Continuous vs perfect aspects

…you’ll move from guessing to confident, fast answers.

For more strategies and resources to master TOEIC verb tense logic, visit the English Library Collection and start locking in these patterns today.

🔍 Hidden FAQ – Verb Tense & Aspect for TOEIC Q1: How do I know if I should use present perfect or past simple in TOEIC? A: Look for time clues. “Since,” “for,” “already,” and “yet” usually mean present perfect. If the sentence talks about a finished time like “in 2019,” use past simple. Q2: What’s the most common verb tense mistake on the TOEIC test? A: Mixing up past perfect and past simple. TOEIC often puts both in the options, but only past perfect fits when describing something that happened before another past action. Q3: When do I use future perfect in TOEIC questions? A: When the sentence refers to something that will be completed before a point in the future. Example: “By next week, we will have finished the project.” Q4: How can I spot a tense trap in Part 5? A: If two or more answers are different verb forms of the same verb, read the sentence carefully for time indicators. TOEIC loves to distract with wrong tenses that look “almost right.” Q5: Why does TOEIC use so many verb tense questions? A: Because they reflect real workplace English. You need to express timelines clearly in emails, reports, and meetings — so TOEIC checks that you can do that under pressure. Q6: Is continuous tense used in TOEIC a lot? A: Yes — especially present continuous for scheduled events (She is meeting the team tomorrow) and past continuous for interrupted actions (They were working when the call dropped). Q7: What’s the difference between 'has finished' and 'finished' in TOEIC usage? A: “Has finished” connects the past to the present. “Finished” just states a completed action in the past. Choose based on the sentence context — that's what TOEIC is testing. Q8: How do I get better at verb tense questions fast? A: Study time phrases like “since,” “while,” “by the time,” and “already.” Practice with real TOEIC-style questions where all four choices are different verb forms — that’s where it gets tricky.
A colour image of a young man checking his wrist watch in the middle of an exam