Tenses, Voice

Tenses, Voice

1. What Tenses Are (for Technical Communication — Focus on 3 Key)

Tense = time reference via verb form. For technical writing, present simple, past simple, and present perfect dominate; future and continuous used sparingly.

Tense	Form (active)	Use in Technical	Example
Present simple	$V_1$ / $V_1+s$	General truths, definitions, habits	"Water boils at 100°C", "The sensor measures."
Past simple	$V_2$ (irregular)	Completed actions, experiments done	"We measured the voltage.", "Ohm formulated law."
Present perfect	have/has + $V_3$	Recent action with present relevance, or experience	"We have completed the test."
Future simple	will + $V_1$	Planned work, predictions	"The project will be completed."

Continuous ($be + V_{ing}$) for ongoing: "The system is running."

2. What Voice Is

Voice = relation between subject and action:

• Active voice: subject does action: "The engineer calibrated the sensor." — concise, direct, preferred in most technical writing.
• Passive voice: subject receives action: "The sensor was calibrated by the engineer." — object focused, formal, useful when actor unknown/irrelevant or emphasize object: "The samples were tested." Form: be + $V_3$ (+ by agent).

When to use passive in technical:

• Methods: "The solution was heated to 70°C." (actor not important)
• Objectivity: avoid "I/we".

Active present: "The technician calibrates the device." → Passive: "The device is calibrated by the technician."

Past active: "We measured the voltage." → Passive: "The voltage was measured."

Present perfect active: "We have completed the tests." → Passive: "The tests have been completed."

5. Exam Points

• Give present/past/present perfect with one technical example — 5 marks, frequent.
• Transform active ↔ passive (with tense) — 5-7 marks, very frequent (the most common tense/voice question, often 5 sentences to change).
• State when to use passive in technical writing — 3-5 marks, frequent.
• Distinguish $V_1, V_2, V_3$ — 3 marks.