TOEIC Decision Point

TOEIC Verb Tense and Aspect: Use Time Signals to Choose the Answer

A useful way to approach TOEIC Part 5 verb-form questions is to read the time signal, then match the action to the sentence timeline and context.

Look at these examples:

The meeting starts at 10 a.m. every Monday.

The shipment arrived yesterday.

The manager has already approved the request.

The report had been completed before the client called.

Relevant clues may be near the blank. Time expressions such as every Monday, yesterday, already, since, before, currently, and next month can narrow the tense or aspect choice.

MTC coaching rule: Do not choose by sound alone. Find the time signal, then check whether the action is routine, finished, connected to now, happening now, earlier than another past action, or future. Syntax and wider context can still matter.

The MTC 7-second choice

Before you look at the answer choices, ask what kind of time signal the sentence gives you. The 7-second label is an MTC coaching heuristic, not an official TOEIC timing rule.

Routine / schedule

every week, usually, often, each month

Pattern: The store opens at 9 a.m.

Finished past

yesterday, last year, in 2024, two days ago

Pattern: The shipment arrived yesterday.

Connected to now

already, yet, recently, since, so far

Pattern: The team has completed the review.

Happening now

currently, now, at the moment

Pattern: The team is reviewing the contract.

Earlier than another past action

before the client called, by the time we arrived

Pattern: The report had been completed.

Future plan

next week, tomorrow, starting in April

Pattern: The program will begin next month.

Routine and schedule signals

Business contexts can include routines, schedules, policies, office hours, and repeated actions.

Every Monday: The team meeting starts at 9 a.m. every Monday.

Usually: The accounting department usually processes invoices within three days.

Policy: The company requires all visitors to sign in.

Finished past signals

When the sentence gives a clearly finished past time, the simple past is often the natural match for a completed event, unless wider context requires a different past relationship.

Yesterday: The supplier delivered the parts yesterday.

Last week: The committee reviewed the proposal last week.

In 2025: The company opened a new branch in 2025.

Already, yet, since, and so far

Words such as since and so far can strongly connect an action to the present. Already and yet can also appear with present-perfect meanings, but dialect and context matter, so do not use one signal word as an automatic rule.

The manager has already approved the request.

Already points to a completed action that matters now.

We have not received the payment yet.

Yet often appears in a not-yet situation.

The company has expanded its services since 2022.

Since connects the past starting point to now.

Currently, now, and at the moment

If the sentence clearly describes an action happening now, a progressive form may be the best match when the verb and context allow it.

The legal team is currently reviewing the contract.

Currently points to an action happening around now.

The system is being updated at the moment.

At the moment points to a process happening now.

Before another past action

When a sentence contains two past actions, the past perfect can mark the action that happened earlier, especially when that earlier relationship needs to be made explicit.

The report had been completed before the client called.

The report was completed first. The client called later.

By the time we arrived, the presentation had already started.

The presentation started before we arrived.

Future signals

Business sentences can describe future plans, schedules, announcements, and changes.

Next month: The training program will begin next month.

Starting in April: The new policy will take effect starting in April.

Tomorrow: The technician will inspect the equipment tomorrow.

Small words around the blank matter

A nearby time signal can narrow the answer. Train your eye to find that clue, then confirm it against the sentence structure and meaning.

Routine signal

The office ___ at 8:30 every weekday.

Answer: opens

Finished past signal

The parts ___ yesterday.

Answer: arrived

Already signal

The manager ___ already approved the request.

Answer: has

Currently signal

The team ___ currently reviewing the proposal.

Answer: is

Earlier past signal

The report ___ been completed before the client called.

Answer: had

Future signal

The service ___ begin next week.

Answer: will

Quick TOEIC check

Choose the best answer. Find the time signal first.

1. The staff meeting ___ at 9 a.m. every Monday.

starts started has started

Correct. “Every Monday” points to a regular schedule.

Not correct. “Every Monday” is not a finished past signal.

Not correct here. This sentence is about a regular schedule.

2. The warehouse ___ the replacement parts yesterday.

received has received receives

Correct. “Yesterday” points to a finished past action.

Not the best choice here. “Yesterday” points to a finished past time.

Not correct. This is not a routine sentence.

3. This is the first time the manager ___ the review before the deadline.

has completed completed completes

Correct. “This is the first time...” conventionally takes the present perfect here: “has completed.”

Not correct here. After “This is the first time...”, standard English uses the present perfect for the experience up to now.

Not correct. “This is the first time...” does not describe a routine schedule.

4. By the time we arrived, the technician ___ the building.

had left left has left

Correct. The technician left before we arrived.

Not the best TOEIC choice. “By the time we arrived” points to an earlier past action.

Not correct here. The sentence is built around past events.

5. The legal team ___ the contract at the moment.

is reviewing reviews reviewed

Correct. “At the moment” points to an action happening now.

Not correct here. This is not a general routine.

Not correct. “At the moment” points to now, not a finished past action.

6. The new employee training program ___ next month.

will begin began has begun

Correct. “Next month” points to a future plan.

Not correct. “Next month” is not a past-time signal.

Not correct. The program has not started yet in this sentence.

Fast-reader mistake

Under time pressure, it is easy to look only at the answer choices and choose the form that sounds familiar. A nearby time signal can be useful, but it should be checked against the whole sentence.

Do not ask only: Which answer sounds natural?

Ask instead: What time signal is nearby, and what kind of action is it?

Why this mistake returns under pressure

Verb-form questions can trigger rule-searching under time pressure, which may slow the decision.

An MTC coaching move is to scan for time words first: yesterday, every week, already, since, currently, before, next month. Then confirm the choice with the verb structure and wider context rather than assuming the signal word decides by itself.

MTC quick-decision tool: Routine → check simple present. Finished past → check simple past. Since / so far → check present connection. Currently / at the moment → check an ongoing action. Earlier than another past action → check past perfect. Next month → check future meaning. Always confirm the full sentence.

Final takeaway

TOEIC verb tense and aspect questions can often be solved by matching the action to the timeline, using time signals as evidence rather than as automatic rules.

Find the time signal

every week, yesterday, already, since, currently, before, next month

Name the action status

routine, finished, connected to now, happening now, earlier past, or future

Choose and move

Do not turn every verb question into a long grammar review.

In TOEIC Part 5, find the time signal early, then confirm the answer with the sentence structure and context.

Use small TOEIC mistakes as a diagnostic

If the same tense/aspect mistake repeats with signals such as yesterday, already, currently, or before, sentence scanning under time pressure may be one factor to investigate.

The TOEIC Learning Block Diagnostic can help you review wider repeated patterns such as speed, overthinking, translation, passive listening, memorisation, or burnout. One missed tense/aspect item is not enough to identify a Learning Block; use repeated evidence across questions, practice sets or sessions.

Take the TOEIC Learning Block Diagnostic Find a TOEIC study plan

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For more TOEIC Part 5 time and signal traps, continue with these related decision pages.

Conditionals Part 2: match the result timeline If Sentence Traps: real future, imagined, or missed past? Back to top TOEIC Part 5 Grammar Drills TOEIC Part 5 Guide TOEIC Plan Finder

 🔍 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.