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Past vs. Present Tense on Resumes: Best Practices

9 min read · Updated on March 20, 2024

Should a resume be in the past or present tense?

How sick are you of hearing that you must proofread your resume? The reason that proofreading is brought up so much is that it is of the utmost importance. If you take hours or even days crafting the perfect document and never discover grammar , punctuation, and spelling errors, your time has been wasted. 

There's more to proofreading than just using spell check, though. Your verb tense is also important for your overall resume writing style. Of course, that raises an important question: should your resume be in past tense or present tense?

The short answer is, “It depends.” 

In this post, we'll explore each of these tenses, examine the best practices for using each type, and offer some helpful tips you can use to ensure that your resume narrative is delivering the right message to employers.

What is past tense? What is present tense? 

First, let's have a review of what past and present tense means. Is your sentence describing something that's happening now, or did it already occur? 

Past tense is anything that's already happened. The verbs that describe past tense often end with -ed. Of course, there are some exceptions like “oversaw.” Reminder: every sentence of your resume should start with a verb.

Present tense is anything that's happening now. You'd use present tense in the summary paragraph at the top and in the bullets that you use to describe your current job. 

Pro tip: The gerund form of present tense verbs often adds an -ing at the end. There is some debate as to whether the use of the gerund is appropriate for a resume. With that said, you should avoid using it.

Related post : 11 Key Things to Put on Your Resume

Should I use past tense or present tense on my resume? 

You will likely use both the past and the present tense in your resume. However, it can get tricky because you don't want to mix both in the same section. If you have one-off achievements like successfully completing a project in your current role, you shouldn't talk about that in the present tense because it already happened. 

In the spirit of being consistent, here are some rules to help you recognize when to use past or present tense:

When to use past tense on your resume

Describe your education, past jobs, awards, and accomplishments using the past tense. You aren't in school anymore, and you no longer work at your previous jobs. Therefore, they belong in the past. For example:

Championed a 20% increase in sales by onboarding 30 new customers each month.

Architected complex algorithms that improved the efficiency of gathering, scrubbing, and merging data from more than 20 disparate sources.

Engaged in real-time troubleshooting with approximately 40 customers per day and achieved an 85% first-call resolution rate.

When to use present tense on your resume

While much of your resume will be in the past tense, there are certain sections that should focus on the present. These include the resume headline, resume summary, and the first entry in your work experience section if you're describing your current position. Let's look at each one of these critical sections and examine why it's important to use the present tense to describe your skills and ongoing achievements.

Related post : Seven Key Resume Sections and How to Organize Them

1. Resume headline

Your resume headline should always be written in the present tense since you want to ensure that the employer understands that you're actively engaged in your role. Remember, the headline is a brief description of your job title and key specialties, so make it as compelling as you can. For example:

Creative Marketing Manager Focused on Data-Driven Results in Branding and Client Engagement

Solutions-Oriented Project Manager with 10+ Years of Team Building and Client Management Success

Innovative Software Engineer with 5 Years of Experience Developing Industry-Leading Gaming Apps

Related post : 27 Great Resume Headline Examples to Stand Out

2. Resume summary

Your summary goes right below your resume headline and should provide employers with a brief elevator pitch to sell your qualifications. Include three or four sentences that highlight your experience, skills, and notable achievements. The goal here is to emphasize your qualifications in a way that shows you're prepared to provide real value to any employer who hires you. Here's an example:

Ambitious IT specialist with more than seven years of experience in network management and systems analysis. Expert troubleshooter and project lead with expertise in cloud platform, data migration, and client support. Proven track record of success in reducing network delays by 80+%, with 95+5 reported satisfaction rating on troubleshooting calls. Resilient problem-solver, capable of working both independently and in collaboration with colleagues and clients.

Related post : Resume Profile Explained (with Examples)

3. Work Experience

When you list your current job in your work experience section, it should always be in the present tense. The skills you list in this prominent section of your resume are skills you use all the time. This is the it-can-get-tricky part because you can also talk about your current position in the past tense – more on this in just a bit. Here are a couple of examples:

Direct full-cycle hiring processes, including telephone interviews, to ramp up department operations.

Source, interview, hire, and onboard a new team of 7 developers. 

Train 6 associates and 2 clerks to ascertain the needs of clients and improve customer satisfaction.

Of course, when you're listing achievements in your work experience section, you're primarily going to focus on things that you've already done. After all, if one of those achievements involved designing a new sales program that boosted revenues by 30% over two quarters, that's a one-time achievement, right? Obviously, that accomplishment needs to be presented using the past tense.

Confused? Don't be. We'll explain how to handle that situation in our next section.

When to use both past and present tense

Your resume is supposed to be a customized career marketing document that demonstrates you're the best candidate for a specific position. You sell yourself to new companies by highlighting career accomplishments. 

So, how do you handle talking about past and present items in the description of your current role if you shouldn't mix past and present tense within the same section of your resume? 

Take that example that we cited above. How would you include that type of achievement in the work experience listing for your current job? It's easier than you might imagine.

The best way to deal with that situation is to separate the bullet points under your current role into things you do every day first and achievements last. Write your daily responsibilities in the present tense and your achievements in the past tense. This is what that would look like:

Document, report, and present project milestones, performance KPIs, and status updates in weekly executive meetings attended by as many as 12 board members.

Implement and execute all standard operating procedures to ensure adherence to protocols, mitigate risk, and improve overall safety rating to 0 incidents per month. 

NOTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

Saved more than $300K by tracking spending, identifying waste, and authoring/implementing new project metrics that reduced costs.

Nominated by leaders for the I'm-The-Greatest-Employee award, 2021. 

Another great way to manage this concern is to include a brief paragraph that highlights your ongoing achievements using the present tense while making sure that all your bullet point accomplishments are listed in the past tense. Below, we've provided an example of what that might look like:

Marketing Director, ABC Marketing, Anytown Anystate, 2014 to Present

Manage daily marketing operations, including strategic campaign development, overseeing multiple project teams, evaluating and monitoring staff, and managing client expectations. Collaborate directly with senior management, finance department, and sales team to facilitate operations and ensure that the company always remains on mission.

Designed and implemented training program credited with 42% reduction in staff onboarding times.

Developed multiple marketing and advertising campaigns that brought in $100+ million over a six-year period.

Redesigned more than 20 failing client projects, leading to results that exceeded expectations by an average of 20%.

Created company's innovative “Green Marketing” campaign that drew national exposure and led to 15% spike in new client acquisition.

Tips to get the most out of your use of past and present tense

The following tips can help you maintain your focus when you're creating achievement statements and highlighting your current qualifications.

Resumes are not like standard prose documents. You don't need to stick to just one tense since you'll likely be highlighting both present skills and past achievements. Just remember to make sure that your reader can easily follow any tense changes that occur throughout your resume narrative.

If you find yourself asking, “Should this part of my resume be in past tense or present tense” just take a moment and consider the message you're trying to deliver with that statement. If you're attempting to focus attention on specific skills and qualifications, then you'll probably want to use the present tense. If you're demonstrating value by highlighting an accomplishment from a previous job, use the past tense.

Try to avoid mixing your tenses within any given bullet point section. Again, be consistent in different areas of your resume to avoid reader confusion.

If you're struggling to decide how to use the different tenses within the same resume, try a different and simpler approach. Instead of using the present tense, simply present all your information using the past tense. Most employers are used to seeing past tense used in resumes and won't be put off by that approach.

Related post : 17 Resume Tips to Get Seen and Hired Faster

Knowing if your resume should be in past tense is easy

The next time you're wondering whether your resume should be in past tense or present tense, take a deep breath and focus on your narrative. Sometimes, reading your own resume a few times can help you gain insight into the message that you're delivering. Just keep things simple and remember what each tense is designed to convey to the reader. If you can successfully do that, you'll have a better chance of choosing the right tense and making the best possible impression on employers.

Are you still confused about which resume tense you need to use? Get a free resume review from our team of experts today!  

“This article was originally written by Marsha Hebert and has been updated by Ken Chase.”

Recommended reading:

• 5 Powerful Verbs to Pump up Your Resume
• Proofreading Tips to Improve Your Resume and Cover Letter
• How to Make Your Resume Stand Out With Action Verbs

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Should Your Resume Be in Past or Present Tense? Here’s How to Decide

Grammar and consistency are key when it comes to your resume . Uniform and error-free writing not only makes your resume easier for a recruiter or hiring manager to understand, but it also shows that you are conscientious, pay attention to detail, and care about your job search. (Don’t say you’re meticulous, then submit a typo-filled resume!) And the verb tense or tenses you use are one vital way to make sure your resume is professional and easy to read.

“Using proper tense is an essential detail for a well-organized resume that will help you stand out to future employers,” says Muse career coach Jennifer Smith . Resumes are primarily written in past or present tense. Past tense (think verbs ending in -ed , primarily) describes actions that are no longer happening, while present tense describes actions that are currently happening.

But overall, the most important resume rule for verb tenses is to be consistent. When Smith was a recruiter, she “would notice if a resume [was] a mix of present and past without any consistency.” Mixing tenses inappropriately makes resumes more difficult to read—which means you’re less likely to move to the next stage.

When to Use Past Tense on a Resume

Most of your resume should be in the past tense because the bulk of your resume space is taken up by past work experiences . “Use past tense for sections of your resume you are no longer doing,” Smith says. This means your previous jobs, completed accomplishments, volunteering or other activities you’re no longer participating in, awards you’ve won, certifications you’ve earned, or education you’ve completed.

A bullet point for a past job might look like this:

• Conceived, planned, scheduled, and wrote copy for 20+ social media posts weekly for Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

When to Use Present Tense on a Resume

You’ll use present tense on your resume anytime you’re describing something that’s currently happening. Present-tense verbs primarily belong in your resume summary and descriptions of your current job duties and ongoing accomplishments because those are about who you are and what you’re doing right now . If your resume headline has a verb or if there are any activities, volunteer work, or projects you’re currently working on outside of a full-time job, those should use the present tense as well. Basically, if the date range ends with “Present,” that’s a good indicator you should be using the present tense, Smith says.

Here’s an example resume summary that uses present tense:

Personable and motivated SaaS account manager who takes pride in finding the right solutions and products for every client through individual attention and relationship building. Team player who is always willing to help others and has a strong track record of reducing churn.

When You Can Mix Tenses

You should avoid mixing your verb tenses within the same resume entry or section whenever possible. The one exception is in the entry for your current job or any current volunteer work or activities— if you want to highlight accomplishments that are fully completed and not ongoing.

When you have both past and present tense in the same entry, group the present-tense bullet points at the top of the entry and all of the past-tense bullet points at the end, Smith says. You might consider creating a “Key Achievements” or similar subsection under your current job and putting the past-tense bullets under that heading to make things even more clear for anyone reading your resume.

For example, a project manager might write this about their current job:

Project Manager | OrangeYellow Co | Cleveland, OH | August 2018–Present

• Lead the delivery of initiatives using Agile/Scrum methodologies
• Define timelines, budgets, KPIs, and milestones for each initiative
• Coordinate a cross-functional team of 20+, delegating duties and allocating resources using Asana, Google Workspace, and Airtable
• Communicate with key stakeholders from conception through completion

Key Achievements

• Oversaw the creation of a new $100k client portal, meeting all key milestones on time and coming in 5% under budget, leading to a 50% increase in customer satisfaction and 20% increase in client renewals year-over-year
• Won Manager of the Year 2020 for receiving the highest scores from direct reports in a company-wide survey on management styles and employee satisfaction

Still confused? There’s an easy fix: To keep things simple and ensure consistency, some people choose to keep every verb on their resume in the past tense, Smith says. So if you’re not sure, sticking to the past tense is a safe bet.

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Should You Use the Past or Present Tense on Your Resume?

According to recruiters, you should generally use the past tense when writing your resume. But there are exceptions where the present tense may be more appropriate. Here are some specific examples.

3 years ago   •   10 min read

When writing your resume, sometimes it's the little details that matter the most — like whether to write in past or present tense. Both are valid choices; past tense makes sense when discussing your accomplishments, while present tense sounds fresh and immediate. So, which one to choose?

The quick answer is you should always use past tense on your resume. This ensures you're focussing on accomplishments rather than responsibilities and is what most modern recruiters expect to see.

In this article, we'll discuss how to decide what tense to use on your resume, provide examples of how and when to use the correct tense, and discuss how using the proper tense can boost your resume's readability and ATS compatibility.

Should your resume be in present or past tense?

There's actually an easy answer to this one — resumes should be written in past tense .

Why? Your resume should be about your accomplishments , not your responsibilities. In other words, you should write about things you've already achieved, not what you’re currently working on, ergo: past tense!

The biggest mistake people make on their resumes is listing job duties rather than accomplishments. Using the present tense in your bullet points is a good indicator that you're focusing on responsibilities rather than accomplishments.

Examples of present tense resume statements:

• Manage a team of 10 people...
• Organize annual fundraising events...

Examples of past tense resume statements:

• Designed training and peer mentoring programs...
• Led the transition to a paperless practice...

When to use past tense on a resume

In general, using past tense is always correct. This applies even to your current job.

You should use past tense for your current job when listing accomplishments, such as completed projects or skills, and when quantifying your experience to show the result of your work. When listing achievements that are currently ongoing, you can still use the past tense, if you prefer, to maintain consistency throughout your resume.

When talking about past positions you’ve held, always use past tense . Never use present tense for a job you’re no longer at. At worst, this could cause recruiters to reject your application because it shows a lack of attention to detail — so don’t risk it when it’s an easy thing to get right.

When to use present tense on a resume

When talking about your current position, you're likely to have accomplishments that are still ongoing. This might include:

• General day-to-day responsibilities
• Ongoing projects that haven't wrapped up yet

In this case, it's appropriate to write in the present tense on your resume when discussing your current job. For example, if you're currently mentoring interns or collaborating with other teams, it's acceptable to write that in the present tense.

This means that, regardless of what you were taught in high school English, it's okay to mix tenses on your resume when writing about your current job. Just make sure you're doing it intentionally, to clearly distinguish between your ongoing responsibilities and your past accomplishments.

A good way to check if you’ve used the right verb tense on your resume is to upload your resume to the tool below — it’ll let you know if you have shown accomplishments and responsibilities the right way by analyzing each of your tenses. It’ll also identify any grammatical and spelling errors and give you suggestions for improvements.

How verb tense affects the readability of your resume

Your resume is often the first impression you make on potential employers. Using the correct verb tense not only demonstrates your attention to detail but also makes your resume easier to read.

Using past tense for previous roles and accomplishments creates a clear, chronological flow for anyone reading your resume, helping recruiters quickly understand the progression of your career. Using the present tense for ongoing duties distinguishes your current responsibilities from past achievements, making it easier to see which roles and projects you’re still involved in and which are completed.

The key is to be consistent. Flipping randomly between tenses can confuse a recruiter trying to skim your experience and pick out your relevant skills. Using consistent verb tense on your resume (past for previous jobs, present for the current job) ensures the important information is easy for a recruiter to understand and, therefore, offers you the best chance of making a good impression.

How resume verb tense affects ATS

Modern companies often use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to filter job applications based on predetermined keyword criteria. ATS can be very sensitive to how information is presented on your resume, including verb tense.

For example, if the ATS software is looking for specific words, such as “taught” or “managed” on your resume, and you’ve written these in the present tense, as “teach” and “manage” , the software might not register this as relevant experience, and flag your resume as not including the right keywords.

To safeguard against this problem, if a job listing emphasizes past achievements, use past tense to ensure you capture those particular keywords, and only use resume present tense for roles that emphasize ongoing responsibilities.

Examples of using the right tense on a resume

Curious about what past vs present tense looks like in action? Here are some examples that you can follow.

Using past tense on a resume

Use the past tense on a resume for any accomplishments that you've already completed and all past jobs, for example:

- Launched Miami office with lead Director and recruited and managed new team of 10 employees; grew office revenue by 200% in first nine months (representing 20% of company revenue). - Designed training and peer-mentoring programs for the incoming class of 25 analysts in 2017; reduced onboarding time for new hires by 50%. - Led the transition to a paperless practice by implementing an electronic booking system and a faster, safer, and more accurate business system; reduced cost of labor by 30% and office overhead by 10% - Created a unique year-round adopt-a-school recruitment program which grew market share from 5% to 10%. - Directed agency fundraising revenue generation, daily program business operations, community outreach membership recruitment, and human resources in 30 suburbs in the city for organizations with assets of $8M. - Served as the product sale fundraising campaign manager and directed 100 volunteer chairpersons; increased fundraising donations by 40%. - Negotiated a settlement of a $2M lawsuit with under $5,000 of outside legal fees. - Increased customer retention 10% and reactivated dormant consumers through weekly email campaigns. - Took lead on the migration of the company's Microsoft SQL to MySQL project. This included updating 30 client-facing websites and one internal administration site - Promoted within 18 months due to strong performance and organizational impact (one year ahead of schedule).

Using present tense on a resume

Use the present tense on your resume for accomplishments that are still ongoing at your current job, for example:

- Manage a cross-functional team of in 3 locations (Palo Alto, Austin, and New York), ranging from entry-level analysts to vice presidents, and collaborate with business development data analysis, operations, and marketing. - Manage all aspects of a 10 person B2B appointment setting call center. - Provide administrative support and guidance to the CEO in day-to-day office operations. - Oversee a $7M budget and fifteen-member team. - Lead team members and vendors to manage the social media advertising strategy for more than 50 social media accounts - Train and mentor new and existing account executives and interns on solutions selling strategies, customer relationship management, and advanced product knowledge. - Supervise a team of 15 associates in addition to overseeing a staff of 60+ associates while managing daily operations of the store. - Service and manage 150+ target accounts consisting of medical doctors, chiropractors, acupuncturists, nurses, dieticians, and nutritionists - Direct and coordinate a staff of 80 employees. - Manage a team of 15 outbound sales specialists.

Are there any exceptions?

Yes! There are a few times it’s okay to use present tense in your resume instead of past tense.

Ongoing accomplishments

Some accomplishments may make more sense written in present tense. This doesn’t mean you should write every bullet point from your current job in present tense, but you might include the occasional accomplishment that’s still ongoing. A good example is leading a team — if you’re currently managing other staff, it’s fine to write your bullet point as “manage a team of 5” instead of “managed.” If you don’t like the idea of writing some bullet points in past tense and some in present tense, it’s also fine to write everything in past tense, even if you’re currently in the same position.

Resume summary

Your resume summary is another section where it’s fine to write in present tense. This also applies to a short (1-2 sentence) blurb you might include as a quick overview of your current job — overviews of past jobs should be written in past tense.

Cover letter

A lot of resume “rules” — like writing in past tense or not using “I” statements — don’t apply to cover letters. It’s fine to write your cover letter more conversationally than the rest of your resume, which means you can write in present tense about things you’re currently doing.

How to use action verbs in the past tense

Using powerful action verbs on your resume helps demonstrate your accomplishments in a memorable way, highlighting the effectiveness of your previous roles. Action verbs are most commonly used in the past tense, as they describe your past successes and the positive results of your past work.

Strategically using action verbs in the past tense, combined with specific examples and quantified metrics , can make your resume more engaging, memorable, and persuasive.

Selecting the right action verbs

The key is to choose verbs that describe your experience and achievements. Here's a list of powerful action verbs categorized by the type of achievement:

• Leadership and management: Led, Managed, Directed, Supervised, Coordinated
• Innovation and creativity: Developed, Designed, Innovated, Created, Pioneered
• Problem-solving: Resolved, Streamlined, Improved, Overhauled, Reconciled
• Sales and revenue growth: Increased, Amplified, Boosted, Generated, Accelerated
• Project management: Executed, Completed, Achieved, Realized, Accomplished
• Customer service: Enhanced, Delivered, Served, Supported, Assisted

When incorporating these verbs into your resume, focus on quantified results to show the impact of your actions. For example:

• Instead of saying , "Was responsible for managing a team," say, "Managed a team of 10, enhancing productivity by 30%."
• Replace "Worked on project management" with "Executed a complex project within deadline, achieving a 15% cost saving."

Common mistakes to avoid with resume verb tense

Make sure to avoid these common mistakes when deciding what tense to use on your resume.

• Mixing tenses in the same bullet point: While you can use both past and present tense to describe your current job, avoid mixing tenses within the same bullet point, as this can make your statements difficult to follow.
• Overuse of present tense: Using present tense for past positions can confuse recruiters about your employment history. Stick to past tense for all roles you're no longer engaged in, and only use present tense on your resume for your current position.
• Neglecting completed projects: When describing completed projects in current roles, use past tense to emphasize the accomplishment and its impact.
• Using present participles (gerunds): Using verbs that end in -ing , like "managing a team" or "organizing events", is less impactful and can read more like job descriptions than achievements. Opt for simple past tense ("managed a team"), and simple present tense ( "manage a team") for current roles. These phrases are more direct and convey a sense of completion or active engagement.

What other grammar rules do I need to know to write a resume?

Keep it simple.

Always write in simple past or present tense — analyzed, led, increased, manage. Never use the present participle form (eg. analyzing, leading, managing). Saying that you “manage a team” or “managed a team” is fine, but listing “managing a team” reads like a job description, not an accomplishment.

Passive vs active voice

You may have heard the advice to always use active voice, but what does that mean? Active voice is when you talk about things you did, e.g. "increased sales" or "trained new staff." Passive voice is when you talk about something that was done to you, e.g. "was asked to organize an event," or "tasked with training new staff." Active voice is always better — it's more straightforward, easier to read, and keeps the focus squarely on what you actually accomplished rather than just what you were asked to do.

(Im)perfect tense

Perfect tense is another thing to avoid on your resume. Perfect tense is when you add "have" or "had" to indicate that you've done something, e.g. "I have increased sales" or "I had organized 10 events." Leave out empty verbs like "have" and "had," which add nothing to your resume except hard-to-read filler .

First or third person: what's better on a resume?

The other thing to consider when writing your resume is point of view. Resumes are written in first person since you’re talking about yourself and your own accomplishments. This means your bullet points should sound like they were written by you. For example, if you’re talking about leading a team, you should write that you “managed” a team (or “manage,” if it’s your current position). Don’t write “manages a team” as if your resume is being written by somebody else.

You also shouldn’t use “I” statements outside of your cover letter , eg. “I manage a team.” Your resume is a formal document, so leave the “I” out of it.

Related : Improve Your Resume by Eliminating Adverbs

If you’re not sure what tense to use...

If you aren’t certain whether you should list something in past or present tense, always default to past tense. Even in cases where present tense may be more appropriate, past tense is never wrong and is unlikely to look strange to a hiring manager. Using present tense incorrectly, on the other hand, may raise a few red flags.

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List of Verbs Followed by Gerunds or Infinitives

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Verbs that are followed by other verbs can take either the gerund or the infinitive. A gerund is a verb ending in "ing" that functions as a noun. An infinitive is the basic or root form of a verb, typically preceded with "to."

Understanding how these words function is a crucial step in developing your English skills. The following lists of verbs followed by other verbs will help you practice using gerunds and infinitives within simple sentences. Note how the gerund and infinitive verbs ( italicized ) are used within the sample sentences .

How Are Gerunds and Infinitives Different?

In English , gerunds are verb forms that function as nouns and end in "ing," while infinitives are the base form of verbs usually preceded by "to." For example, in "I enjoy swimming," the gerund "swimming" acts as the object of the verb "enjoy." In contrast, in "I want to swim," the infinitive "to swim" functions as the object of the verb "want."

Verbs Followed by the Gerund

Verbs Followed by the Infinitive

Additional Resources

Want additional practice or a chance to show off your new skills ? Test your knowledge of gerunds and infinitives with this reference chart .

• Verbs Followed by Infinitive
• Passive Voice Usage and Examples
• Verbs Taking Gerund or Infinitive With a Change in Meaning
• An Introduction to Using Gerunds
• ESL: Learning, Teaching Direct Objects
• Parts of Speech: What Are Verbs?
• Past and Present Participles
• Essential Basic English Lessons
• Advanced English Grammar Review Quiz
• Content and Function Words
• Impersonal Subjects Using Gerund and It + Infinitive
• Word Game for the ESL Classroom
• 10 Common Sentence Mistakes in English
• Would Rather
• Writing Sentences for Beginners
• Example Sentences of the Verb 'Bring'

Should You Use Past or Present Tense on Your Resume?

Customers Interviewed by:

If you’re unsure whether to write your resume in past tense or present tense, traditional advice sides with common sense. If you’re describing something in your past, use past tense. Managed , coded , designed , and marketed . If you’re describing something you’re still doing in your current job, use the present tense. Manage , code , design , and market .

While this sounds simple, in practice it can get a little more complicated. 

Let’s take a look at exactly when you should use the present tense on your resume, when you should use the past tense, and when you can mix tenses.

Table of Contents

When to use past tense on your resume, when to use present tense on your resume, when you can mix tenses on your resume, do tenses affect how applicant tracking systems read your resume, how to tailor your resume and get more job interviews, key takeaways.

Most of your resume should be written in the past tense. This is because you’re talking about jobs and projects you’ve already done. 

Here are three places on your resume where you should use the past tense:

1) Work experience section

When listing the roles and responsibilities you held at previous jobs, always use the past tense to indicate that these are tasks you have completed. 

Your work experience bullet points should look like this:

• Enhanced customer satisfaction by 25 percent by implementing a new feedback system.
• Increased quarterly sales by 15 percent through the development of new marketing strategies.
• Coordinated and hosted successful community outreach events that strengthened brand awareness.

Here’s an example of how past work experience should look on a resume:

2) Education section

In your education section , use the past tense to describe any notable achievements or activities you were involved in during your time in school or university. 

For example: 

• Served as the president of the student council.
• Organized a successful fundraising event as the treasurer of the college charity club.
• Published a well-received research paper on environmental conservation in the university journal.

3) Awards and achievements

Use the past tense to describe awards, recognitions, or certifications you have received in the past. 

For example:

• Received the Employee of the Year award in 2021.
• Earned a certification in Advanced Project Management in 2019.
• Recognized as the Top Salesperson of the Quarter in Fall 2022.

Some of your resume should be in the present tense, especially when mentioning tasks and responsibilities in your current job . 

Here are three areas where you should use the present tense:

1) Current job responsibilities

When writing about your current job, use the present tense to show that you are actively engaged in those duties and responsibilities. 

Your bullet points should look like this:

• Leading a team of professionals in optimizing product development.
• Implementing innovative marketing strategies to boost brand visibility.
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance project efficiency.

2) Resume headline

Your resume headline is a brief phrase that highlights your professional identity. It should appear at the top of your resume, right under your contact information.

Here are some examples of resume headlines that use the present tense:

• Experienced Project Manager Seeking New Opportunities.
• Dedicated Financial Analyst with a Proven Track Record.
• Dynamic Sales Leader Specializing in Market Growth.

3) Resume summary

Your resume summary is a brief statement that highlights your professional skills, experience, and achievements. It should appear right beneath your resume headline.

You should always use the present tense in your summary to show that you are currently working and ready to contribute your skills and knowledge to a prospective employer. 

Here’s an example of a resume summary in the present tense:

“Experienced marketing professional with over 10 years of experience in developing and implementing innovative marketing strategies in the retail sector. Proven track record of increasing brand awareness and boosting sales. Adept at leading teams and managing multiple projects simultaneously.”

And here’s what a resume headline, a resume summary, and a resume skills section should look like when formatted:

There’s really only one place on your resume where you can mix tenses – your current job.

When discussing your current job responsibilities, it’s not only acceptable but often necessary to use both past and present tenses. Here’s how:

Use the present tense for ongoing responsibilities

For tasks that are a regular part of your current job, use the present tense to indicate that these are responsibilities you fulfill on an ongoing basis. For instance:

• Managing a team of 10 individuals.
• Overseeing daily operations.
• Developing monthly reports.

Use past tense for completed projects

When listing projects or accomplishments that have been completed within the timeframe of your current job, use the past tense. 

• Implemented a new software system that improved efficiency by 20 percent.
• Led a successful marketing campaign that increased brand awareness.
• Organized a company event attended by over 500 employees.

Below is an example of a resume work experience section that mixes tenses.

The first part describes the candidate’s current job responsibilities in the present tense, while the bullet points that begin with action verbs describe the candidate’s accomplishments in the past tense:

By mixing tenses in this way, you can create a more dynamic and accurate representation of your role. 

Do NOT mix tenses within the bullet point section, or when describing your current job responsibilities. 

Mixing tenses like this can create a jarring reading experience and may convey a lack of attention to detail, potentially undermining the credibility of your application.

Most large companies today use computer software called an applicant tracking system (ATS) to help them in the hiring process. 

When you submit your resume it goes directly into an ATS database. Hiring managers then search through the database looking for suitable job candidates. They do this by typing keywords into the ATS search bar. These keywords are usually skills or job titles. 

For example, if a hiring manager wants to find a candidate who has “data analysis” skills they would type that keyword into the ATS search bar. Resumes that contain the keyword “data analysis” will appear to the hiring manager for further review. Resumes without that keyword will remain in the database. 

In the past, ATS only recognized exact matches. For example, if a recruiter was looking for a candidate with “management” experience but your resume only contained the words “manage” or “managed”, the ATS would not consider that a match. 

However, after extensive testing and analysis of various applicant tracking systems (ATS), Jobscan has found that these systems have evolved to recognize variations of a word.

This means that a hiring manager who’s looking for a job candidate with “management” experience will also find resumes that include “manage”, “managed”, or even “manager”.

Thankfully, it’s not necessary to have the exact tense of a keyword on your resume anymore. This often made it difficult for job seekers to create a natural-sounding resume. 

But this doesn’t mean you should just create one resume that you send out with every application. As we’ve seen, your resume still needs to contain relevant keywords in order to be found by hiring managers. 

In other words, because of ATS, it’s crucial that you tailor your resume. 

If you want to get more job interviews, you must tailor each resume for the job you’re applying for. This is because applicant tracking systems use keywords to filter the pool of applicants. 

Where can you find these keywords? In the job description. 

Carefully read the job description to identify the key skills, qualifications, and responsibilities mentioned. Make a list of these keywords, and incorporate them into your resume whenever possible.

Unfortunately, tailoring each resume is time-consuming. That’s why job seekers are turning to online tools to speed up the process. 

Jobscan’s resume scanner can help you tailor your resumes in a fraction of the time it takes to do it manually. It works like this:

Step 1 : Upload your resume into the scanner.

Step 2 : Paste the job description into the scanner.

Step 3 : Click the “scan” button.

You’ll then receive a Match Report. This report scores your resume and highlights the skills and keywords you should try to add to your resume so it can easily be found by a hiring manager.

Here’s a sample section of a Match Report for a customer service job:

You can see that the keyword “call center” should be added to your resume. If it’s not, you’re far less likely to get an interview .

In addition, if your resume has any searchability issues, the Match Report will point them out.

Remember, only one mistake on your resume can diminish your chances of getting noticed by a hiring manager.

By using the Jobscan resume scanner , you’ll increase your interview chances by 50%. Try it for free here .

If you’re building your resume from scratch, try our free resume builder . There are no hidden costs and it will allow you to create an ATS-compatible resume in no time!

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Upload your resume to see what’s missing and get a free match rate.

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• Use the past tense in your work experience section, your education section, and the section where you list your awards, recognitions, or certifications.
• Use the present tense in your resume headline, your resume summary, and when talking about your current job responsibilities.
• Mix your tenses when describing your current job. Use the present tense to list your ongoing responsibilities and the past tense to list your accomplishments.

More expert insights on this topic:

The Top 10 Best Fonts For Your Resume

Your Resume File Name Matters: How to Name Your Resume

Robert Henderson, CPRW, is a career advice writer and a resume expert at Jobscan.

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A gerund is a verbal that ends in -ing and functions as a noun. The term verbal indicates that a gerund, like the other two kinds of verbals, is based on a verb and therefore expresses action or a state of being. However, since a gerund functions as a noun, it occupies some positions in a sentence that a noun ordinarily would, for example: subject, direct object, subject complement, and object of preposition.

Gerund as subject:

• Traveling might satisfy your desire for new experiences. ( Traveling is the gerund.)
• The study abroad program might satisfy your desire for new experiences. (The gerund has been removed.)

Gerund as direct object:

• They do not appreciate my singing. (The gerund is singing .)
• They do not appreciate my assistance. (The gerund has been removed)

Gerund as subject complement:

• My cat's favorite activity is sleeping. (The gerund is sleeping .)
• My cat's favorite food is salmon. (The gerund has been removed.)

Gerund as object of preposition:

• The police arrested him for speeding. (The gerund is speeding .)
• The police arrested him for criminal activity. (The gerund has been removed.)

A gerund phrase is a group of words consisting of a gerund and the modifier(s) and/or (pro)noun(s) or noun phrase(s) that function as the direct object(s), indirect object(s), or complement(s) of the action or state expressed in the gerund, such as:

The gerund phrase functions as the subject of the sentence.

Finding (gerund) a needle (direct object of action expressed in gerund) in a haystack (prepositional phrase as adverb)

The gerund phrase functions as the direct object of the verb appreciate.

my (possessive pronoun adjective form, modifying the gerund) offering (gerund) you (indirect object of action expressed in gerund) this opportunity (direct object of action expressed in gerund)

The gerund phrase functions as the subject complement.

jabbering away to (gerund) his constituents (direct object of action expressed in gerund)

The gerund phrase functions as the object of the preposition for.

faking (gerund) an illness (direct object of action expressed in gerund) to avoid work (infinitive phrase as adverb)

Being (gerund) the boss (subject complement for Jeff, via state of being expressed in gerund)

Punctuation

A gerund virtually never requires any punctuation with it.

Points to remember:

• A gerund is a verbal ending in -ing that is used as a noun.
• A gerund phrase consists of a gerund plus modifier(s), object(s), and/or complement(s).
• Gerunds and gerund phrases virtually never require punctuation.

• CV Examples
• CV Templates
• Cover Letter
• Job Interview

Should I write my CV in the past or the present tense?

What on earth can the movie Back to the Future have anything to do with your CV?

It seems that like Marty McFly, many applicants are also confused about the past and present.

I’m going to share with you a quick hack that can immediately improve the impact of your CV and it is related to the correct use of verb tenses.

Don’t worry; this is not going to be a remake of those horrible language classes that you had to endure when you were younger!

Let’s get to the basics and refresh our memories.

Verbs come in three tenses; past, present and future.

• The past is used to describe things that have already happened
• The present is used to describe things that are currently happening
• The future tense is used to describe things that will happen in the future

For the purposes of writing your CV, we are only interested in the past and present tenses while ignoring the future tense.

Below are some quick tips to enhance your CV by using the verb tenses correctly:

• Anything related to your previous positions/jobs should be in the past tense
• Anything related to your current position should be in the present tense
• Anything achieved/finished in your current job should be in the past tense

The majority of applications use verbs (for example “work”) in their present participle (ending with -ing: “work ing “) rather than in its past participle (e.g. ending with -ed: “work ed “) when referring to their previous job responsibilities.

Here are some typical examples of what applicants write on their CVs:

• “Responsible for analysing the finance books of a multinational organisation.”
• “Duties included managing a group of young students.”
• “Having experience in working with a group of 20 sales professionals.”

That doesn’t look too bad, right?

Now, let’s rephrase these verbs into the past tense and behold the magic:

• “ Analysed the finance books of a multinational organisation.”
• “ Managed a group of young students.”
• “ Worked with a group of 20 sales professionals.”

The past tense is incredibly powerful because it actually gives the impression that you have really achieved something. It tells the recruiter: I have taken care of it. It’s finished. It’s done and dusted!

A weaker form of writing on your CV is to use the present tense such as “direct ing ”, “design ing ”, and “investigat ing .”

These phrases can make the recruiter wonder; “have they actually achieved it?” , “Did they complete the task?” or “Was it a half-baked job?”

Instead, replace them with the past tense; “direct ed ”, “design ed ”, and “investigat ed .” – Doing this gives your CV that authoritative-punch which it so dearly needs.

If you do not wish to write your previous job’s entries in the past tense, you can write “Main duties perform ed ” at the top of your entries:

This format is not as strong as using the past tense for all job entries.

Whichever approach you take, these little things matter and can indeed enhance and strengthen your CV subconsciously without realising it.

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Verbs Followed by Gerunds and Infinitives

In English, if you want to follow a verb with another action, you must use a gerund or infinitive. For example:

There are certain verbs that can only be followed by one or the other, and these verbs must be memorized. Many of these verbs are listed below.

Common verbs followed by a gerund:

Example: He misses playing with his friends.

• acknowledge
• can’t help
• discontinue
• give up (stop)
• keep (continue)
• mind (object to)
• necessitate

Common verbs followed by an infinitive:

Example: She threatened to quit if she didn't get a raise.

• can/can’t afford
• can/can’t wait

Verbs followed by a gerund or infinitive with little to no change in meaning:

Example: It started to rain . / It started raining .

• can’t stand

Verbs followed by a gerund or infinitive with a change in meaning:

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A resume is a document that outlines an individual's work experience, education, and skills. It is typically used to apply for jobs, internships, and other opportunities, and serves as a summary of an individual's qualifications and abilities.

A resume typically includes the following sections:

• Contact Information: This includes the individual's name, address, phone number, and email address.
• Objective or Summary Statement: This is a brief overview of the individual's career goals and relevant experience.
• Work Experience: This section lists the individual's previous employment, including job titles, company names, and dates of employment. It may also include a brief description of the individual's responsibilities and achievements in each role.
• Education: This section lists the individual's academic qualifications, including the name and location of the institution, degree earned, and any relevant coursework.
• Skills: This section highlights the individual's relevant skills and abilities, such as technical expertise or proficiency in a foreign language.
• References: This section includes the names and contact information of individuals who can speak to the individual's qualifications and abilities.

Overall, a resume is a key tool in the job search process, as it helps potential employers quickly understand an individual's background and qualifications.

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50 Examples of Gerunds

3-minute read

• 30th August 2022

Are you familiar with gerunds ? These verb-noun hybrids can be confusing because they look like verbs but function as nouns . In this article, we’ll explain the grammatical function of gerunds and provide plenty of examples to help you understand how to use them in your writing.

What Is a Gerund?

A gerund is a type of word that looks like the present participle of a verb, but it functions as a noun. Gerunds can be formed from any verb by adding “ing” at the end, such as:

However, there are some exceptions to this rule, such as when a verb ends in “ie,” such as:

With verbs that end in e (but not i e ), you remove the e before adding ing , like this:

Finally, there are some verbs for which the doubling up rule applies. This means you double the final consonant in single-syllable verbs that end with a single vowel followed by a single consonant:

Now that you know how to form gerunds, let’s look at how to use them.

Using a Gerund as the Object of a Sentence

Each of the following sentences has a gerund as its direct object (i.e., the noun that’s acted upon by the verb):

You can add modifiers to gerunds to create gerund phrases:

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Using a Gerund as the Subject of a Sentence

Gerunds can also be used as the subject of a sentence, such as:

Again, we can add modifiers to make more descriptive gerund phrases:

Gerunds as Subject Complements

Subject complements are words or phrases that come after a linking verb – often a form of the verb to be (e.g., is , was , am , are ) – and describe or define the subject. You use gerunds in subject complements when they refer to any kind of activity:

Gerunds in Compound Nouns

Compound nouns are nouns made up of more than one word. Many compound nouns include gerunds:

Although the first word in each of these examples is a verb, it functions as a noun in the compound noun. The site is for building, but it doesn’t build. The water doesn’t drink, the pool doesn’t swim, etc.!

Summary: The Many Uses of Gerunds

Gerunds can be confusing, especially if English isn’t your first language. This is because they’re spelled exactly like the present participle form of a verb, but they act like nouns (or parts of compound nouns).

Hopefully, you now feel more confident about using gerunds in your writing. If there’s an area of grammar that you’re not sure about, check out our guide to common ESL writing errors . And if you’d like a professional to check any of your work for errors, our proofreaders are here to help. Why not try our service today by uploading your first document  for free ?

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What is the correct verb form for a list of tasks/responsibilities in CV?

In my CV I have short lists of responsibilities/tasks that I was assigned in my past jobs. Should I use the -ing form of a verb in such lists or rather the infinitive? For example:

Accountant at XYZ Tasks: Prepare project meetings Calculate big meaningful numbers

Accountant at XYZ Tasks: Preparing project meetings Calculating big meaningful numbers

• conjugation

• 1 I'd lean toward "preparation for..." and "calculation of..." –  KillingTime Commented Aug 10, 2020 at 14:58
• @KillingTime Good idea. I think, I’ll go with this. If you make it an answer, I’ll accept it. –  Max Commented Aug 10, 2020 at 15:45
• The standard is to use the past tense, even for activities we are doing now. –  Yosef Baskin Commented Aug 10, 2020 at 16:47
• @YosefBaskin like “prepared project meetings”? Isn’t that weird in listings without full sentences? –  Max Commented Aug 10, 2020 at 21:07
• 1 Prepared A, Managed B, Saved 11%. It's all standard resume style. –  Yosef Baskin Commented Aug 10, 2020 at 23:59

3 Answers 3

Action verbs are the go-to. MIT gives a list of action verbs for CV writing that are all past tense. The rule of thumb is on consistent verb tense, and since your work history is mostly in the past, use the past tense.

Possibly it depends on how you phrase the preceding text.

My tasks were to:

• Calculate...

I was tasked with:

• Preparing ...
• Calculating ...

Everyone wants to make his/her resume catchy and unique, which is natural. Here, both styles should be fine, provided, minimum parallelism is maintained. E.g.,

Responsibilities include/ included,

• Preparing minutes
• Calculating sales figures
• Preparation of minutes
• Calculation of sales figures

Part of a multi-tasking team, I usually had to

• Prepare minutes
• Calculate sales figures

https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/military-resume-sample : Relevant part of this link is here:

Under 'experience' details:

• Performed regular foot patrols, escorted residents ...

• Provided informational assistance and directional guidance to ...

• Responded swiftly and reacted calmly to reported incidents ...

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The Mighty Gerund: A Verb Form with Superpowers

A gerund is a verb form ending in -ing that acts as a noun. You can form a gerund from any verb by adding -ing to it: swimm ing ( swim  + -ing ), runn ing , sing ing , dream ing , danc ing , think ing , talk ing .

A verb as we know describes an action, an occurrence, or a state of being, while a noun is the name given to something—for example, a hobby. We use gerunds to speak of hobbies, interests, behaviors, and activities.

• Cycling is a great form of exercise.
• Maya likes reading before bed.
• She spends her weekends photographing old motels.
• Lulu loves singing in the shower.

Gerunds are versatile words that exhibit both noun- and verb-like qualities: everything a noun can do, a gerund can as well, all while being a verb form.

The uses of a gerund

A gerund can be the subject of a sentence, thus functioning as a noun. (A subject is whom or what the sentence is about.)

• Swimming gives all your main muscle groups a good workout. The gerund “swimming” is the subject.

The subject can also be a gerund phrase (a gerund with other words that describe the action or state expressed by the gerund).

• Running from tigers is hard to do on bad ankles. The gerund phrase “running from tigers” is the subject.
• Watching TV is all she can do after a long day at work.

A gerund or gerund phrase can also simply describe the subject, thus acting as a subject complement.

• Her favorite form of exercise is swimming . The gerund swimming describes the subject (tells you what her favorite form of exercise is).
• Seeing is believing .
• His new nocturnal pastime is baking chicken cupcakes for dogs .

And like a noun, a gerund (or gerund phrase) can also be the object of a verb.

• Rita enjoys swimming in the ocean. verb = enjoys ; object = swimming
• Maya likes watching TV at the end of the day.
• Lulu hates running in the rain.

A gerund can even be the object of a preposition (words like of , on , at , in , about ), again acting as a noun.

• What matters is a desire for learning . preposition = for ; object = learning
• Rita dreams of swimming to Fiji.
• Maya is writing a book on traveling the world by bus.

Adjectives with gerunds

Adjectives can be used to describe gerunds, just like they describe nouns.

• I have never heard such beautiful singing . The adjective beautiful describes the gerund singing .
• We appreciated his careful driving .
• Tumkin’s artistic rendering of a simple logo has transformed our website.
• This book is about the ghastly haunting of a local library by ghosts of unpublished writers.
• Farley’s tuneless humming was getting on everybody’s nerves.

Adverbs with gerunds

A gerund, after all a verb form, retains some of its verb-like qualities. Unlike a noun, a gerund can be modified by adverbs. A regular noun is described using an adjective ( a happy man ) rather than an adverb ( a happily man ). But gerunds can take adverbs ( sadly , madly , loudly , almost , never ), just like verbs.

• Driving carefully will save you.
• Those were the days when writing neatly was valued above all else.
• Willingly submitting to an investigation can only help your case.
• I would suggest quickly selling your house now that you have found a buyer.
• Never being proved wrong doesn’t mean you’re right.

Gerunds in compound nouns

Interestingly, gerunds can form compound nouns (two or more words making up a single noun), an ability that further underscores their “nounishness.”

• When Anita discovered she was pregnant, she bought herself seventeen books on child-rearing . The noun child combines with the gerund rearing to form a compound noun.
• Doesn’t Poco’s argument sound like so much hair-splitting ?
• Farley, your play-acting isn’t fooling anyone!
• Beekeeping can be a rewarding hobby—for you and for the bees.
• A successful business requires good bookkeeping .

Gerunds in compound verbs

Gerunds, which by now we know have superpowers, can even give birth to compound verbs.

• Nesbit loves to window-shop on his way to work. Window plus the gerund shopping made window- shopping . Through usage, this then turned into the compound verb window-shop .
• I have to babysit my niece this evening. from baby + sitting
• Tumkin finds it reassuring that he is being headhunted by three companies at once. from head + hunting

Gerunds vs. -ing nouns

Not all nouns that end in -ing are gerunds—only those that are verb forms and retain their verb-like qualities. Only one of the following sentences has a gerund.

• Noun: The building I live in is a hundred years old.
• Gerund: Building the bridge cost numerous lives.

In the first example, building is simply a noun that has no verbal qualities—no action is being hinted at. In the second sentence, the verb build combines with ‑ing to give us a gerund. Here are more such words.

• Noun: Farley bought a hideous painting at the auction yesterday. Gerund: Painting for a living doesn’t always pay.
• Noun: Are you going to hang a stocking for Santa tonight? Gerund: One of the tasks Rita must complete today is stocking the shelves.
• Noun: You don’t have to hide your feelings . Gerund: Feeling blue on Monday is par for the course.

Gerund vs. present participle

The form of a gerund is the same as that of the present participle of any verb: verb + -ing . Although the gerund and present participle of a verb look identical, they function differently in sentences. A gerund functions as a noun, while the present participle serves as the progressive form of a verb and helps form verb tenses.

• Gerund: Jogging hurts my ankles. Present participle: She was jogging in the park when I ran into her. Present participle: She had been jogging for two hours when her feet started to hurt.
• Gerund: Rita likes singing in the shower. Present participle: She was singing in the shower when the phone rang.

The participle can also act as an adjective.

• Present participle: Have you ever met a talking cat? The participle talking describes the noun cat , thus acting as an adjective.

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In “was dancing,” the word dancing functions as a verb (present participle). In “likes dancing,” it is used as a noun ( dancing is the object of the verb likes ) and is a gerund.

The word singing (verb + -ing) is a gerund.

The gerund is yelling , which functions the same way as a noun, as the subject of the sentence.

The gerund phrase is “baking mud pies” (the gerund baking and other words that help describe the action expressed by it).

Definition & Useful List of Verbs Followed by Gerunds with Gerund Examples

What is a gerund? List of Gerund Examples. Learn types of gerunds and useful list of most popular verbs followed by gerunds in English with ESL printable infographics.

Gerund Definition

A gerund is formed by adding–ing to a verb . It functions as a noun. The gerund is commonly used after quite a few different verbs.

The four types of gerunds and gerund phrases follow:

2. Direct Object

3. Object of Preposition

4. Subject Complement

For examples:

• Swimming is very good for the body.
• Smoking is prohibited in the hospital.
• Reading  is relaxing.
• Writing  is an exchange of ideas.
• My neighbors admire my gardening .
• I am enjoying my gardening this year.
• I have received several awards for my gardening .
• I love reading .
• Patrick likes  photographing  nature.
• I avoid going  to the dentist.
• I miss taking  walks in the morning.

List of Verbs Followed by Gerunds with Examples

The most important of these verbs are shown below.

Verbs Followed by Gerunds

List of Verbs Followed by Gerunds with Gerund Examples – Image 2

List of Verbs Followed by Gerunds with Gerund Examples – Image 3

List of Verbs Followed by Gerunds with Gerund Examples – Image 4

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I am surprised for your help, my english is not very well. However I have two childrens and I want helping to their.

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I want to become IAS officer

Th example mentions “forget” instead “forgive”

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Gerunds and infinitives: the essentials

First, some definitions:

• They take direct objects, just like verbs so we can have, e.g.:     I enjoy reading detective novels where the gerund, reading , has a direct object, detective novels , just like many other verbs.
• We can also use an adverb to modify a gerund (not an adjective as would be the case if it were a pure noun) so we allow, for example:     I enjoy strolling aimlessly around the town where the word aimlessly is an adverb modifying the gerund strolling .
• They cannot take a a direct object so we do not allow, e.g.:     *The painting the village was beautiful because, although painting looks like a verb or a gerund, we cannot add the object to it because it is a noun.  This means it has to be treated as a noun and modified with a prepositional phrase as in:     The painting of the village was beautiful
• They are modified by adjectives, not adverbs so we do not allow, e.g.:     *The beautifully painting but need to use an adjective and have:     The beautiful painting
• They can be made plural as in e.g.:     There were lots of paintings of the village and we cannot to that with a gerund so we do not allow:     *I do a lot of walkings
• An infinitive Also simply put, an infinitive in English is the base form of the verb and it can also act as the object of another verb.  In the example above there are two infinitives: to try and to grow .  Infinitives in English can appear with and without to before them, so, for example:     I prefer to wait     She can go both contain infinitives.  In the first case we call it the to- infinitive and in the second, the bare infinitive. There is more on the use of the infinitive linked from the list of related guides at the end.

The issue in English is fourfold:

• In English, the bare infinitive takes the same form as the verb operating as a finite form.  For example, in both:     We work in London and     You should work harder the function of the verb work is indistinguishable by looking at its form.  In many languages that would not be the case because there would be an ending on the verb to show the person and the number.  This does happen in English but the system is greatly reduced and only the third-person singular carries an ending as in, e.g.:     He work s in London vs.     He should work harder
• We saw above that the infinitive in English can take two forms and that is a slightly unusual phenomenon.  It is not always a simple matter to select the to- infinitive or the bare infinitive.  We have, for example:     I let him go which contains the bare infinitive following the verb let and we also have a parallel structure:     I permitted him to go which carries more or less the same meaning but contains the to- infinitive. In many languages (at least those that have an infinitive form of some kind) only one form is possible.  This leads to errors such as:     *I can to do it     *I ought go     *She will to be there etc.
• The gerund form in English looks exactly the same as something called the present participle and that can be confusing sometimes for learners.  For example, in:     She is reading and     She enjoys reading the form of reading looks the same but in the first sentence, it is functioning as a verb and in the second as a noun (albeit a noun with verb-like characteristics as we saw at the beginning).
• The final issue, with which this guide is mostly concerned, is that verbs in English can be followed by either the infinitive or the gerund.  The technical terms is that verbs colligate with one form of the other and it is not always easy to decide which form to use.  For example, it is not obvious why:     I promised to drive and     I enjoy driving are correct, while     *I promised driving and     *I enjoy to drive are not. The problem is compounded by the fact that, in many languages, only one verb form is permissible in this kind of construction so learners may select the one they are most comfortable with, often the infinitive, and use it indiscriminately.

There's a bit more on some of this below.

Some verbs are followed by a gerund, some by an infinitive (the base form of the verb with to before it).

The technical term for verbs operating like this in chains is catenation (from the Latin for a chain ).  There is a much fuller guide to catenation in the in-service section of the site (linked below in the list of related guides). If you would like the PDF document concerning catenative verbs which includes considerations of to- infinitives and gerunds following verbs, click here .

Here are some examples:

Did you see the pattern? The following is not a hard-and-fast rule by any means but:

You can see the rule working clearly with the class of verbs which take either the gerund or the infinitive but with a change of meaning. Compare:     He remembered to post the letter in which the remembering comes before the posting with     He remembered posting the letter in which the posting comes before the remembering. The verb forget works similarly:     I forgot to tell him in which the forgetting came before the non-event of telling him     I forgot telling him in which the telling occurred but was later forgotten. And the verb regret also has the same characteristics:     They regretted telling me in which regretting comes after telling with     They regretted to tell me . in which regretting comes immediately before telling.

Although not to do with the ordering of events, the verb try changes its meaning when followed by an infinitive or a gerund:     I tried taking an aspirin means I experimented with this as a cure, but     I tried to take an aspirin means I attempted to take an aspirin (and probably failed).

If you would like a single document with the two tables above combined, one is available here .

Some verbs do not conform to the two patterns set out above.  In that sense they break the rule but it is, in any case, only a rule of thumb. These verbs include two which should, if the rule is followed, take a gerund because they refer back in some way, but are usually followed by an infinitive: claim, deserve. The following verbs usually take a gerund although the rule above would suggest they should take an infinitive because they refer forward: avoid, consider, contemplate, defer, delay, escape, evade, (can't) help, keep on, postpone, put off, resist, risk.

There is a problem in English which makes life quite difficult for learners, and, alas, a number of teachers.  It is this: The - ing form of a verb in English signals four possible grammatical functions . Here is what is meant:

• She enjoys running in which running is the object of the verb enjoys and could be replaced, for example, by a more recognisable noun such as chocolate or her garden etc.
• I objected to his criticising me in which it is less easy to replace the - ing form with a simple noun because it clearly has an object ( me ) so we will have to rephrase the whole sentence as something like: I objected to his criticism of me
• The professor was writing a letter when the 'phone rang in which the verb form ( was writing ) suggests that this was an an action in progress when the telephone rang and interrupted him
• I am taking the bus to work these days in which it is clear that the speaker is not actually on a bus (probably) but is referring to a continuous background event which is probably, not certainly, temporary
• I am seeing Mary tomorrow in which the speaker is using the same sort of tense form to talk about a current arrangement for a future event
• Mary is extremely irritating which could be rephrased as Mary irritates people habitually
• It's a frightening film which means The film frightens people
• It's part of the aging process in which the adjective describes the process just as something more adjective-like, such as, mechanical could be used instead.
• A verbal noun Verbal nouns are unlike gerunds in that they have lost all verb-like qualities.  They do not take objects (direct or otherwise), they can be made plural in the normal way of nouns and they are modified by adjectives, not adverbs.  Many are formed by the addition of the -ing suffix but there are other ways to form nouns from verbs (as in the last two of these examples).  Here are some examples:     The old master paintings were stolen from the gallery     The buildings are complete     The discovery of a new entrance was a surprise     Her flat refusal took everyone by surprise

In this guide, we are concerned with whether we use a gerund or an infinitive after certain verbs but it is important for teachers to be clear whether we are actually dealing with a gerund or some other use of the - ing form of the verb. To check that you can do this, try a little test .

When it comes to teaching, of course, it is very important that learners are alert to the patterns so we need to set the language in a context .  Here's an example of the sort of text one might use to get students to notice the forms and perhaps work out the pattern for themselves with a little help.  With a group at B1 or B2 level getting them to notice the words in italics and try to see what they have in common would be a good place to start.

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gerund or infinitive for bullet points on a CV?

• Thread starter Ven_In_Oz
• Start date Mar 10, 2009

Senior Member

• Mar 10, 2009

I am writing my Resume and I need to specify my duties. If I want to start the duty description with a verb, does it have to be a gerund or an infinitive? For example: - Define/Defining requirements with the business (or To define?). - Coordinate/Coordinating solution designs together with the architech team (or To coordinate). Thanks.  

The infinitive. You want "action" words at the beginning of each bullet.  

Thanks, So in my example is "Define..." not "To define", right?  

All good. Understood. Thanks again.  

• Gerunds/Infinitives Intro
• Gerunds/Infinitives Pt.1
• Gerunds/Infinitives Pt.2
• Gerunds/Infinitives Pt.3
• Gerunds/Infinitives Lists

Verbs Followed by Gerunds

9 = verb followed by a gerund OR a noun + an infinitive 13 = verb followed by a gerund OR an infinitive with a difference in meaning 14 = verb followed by a gerund OR an infinitive with little difference in meaning

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English Grammar Here

50 examples of gerunds, definition and example sentences.

50 examples of gerunds, Definition and Example Sentences

The gerund  is a verb that acts like a noun in a sentence. The subject in which the names are used in the sentence is used in the case of the object. The gerund is obtained by adding the -ing tag to a verb root.

It is important to note the distinction between  the gerund verb  and  the present participle . It may not always be the gerund which receives the ”ing” tag but it can also be participles . Present participle verbs report continuity.

Here are 50 Examples of Gerunds;

1. Swimming is my favourite sport.

2. Having to get up early won’t bother me at all.

3. Getting up early is a good habit.

4. Being married will not make me happy.

6. I can’t stand Tom’s speaking German.

7. After taking a bath, I felt fine.

8. I was afraid of hurting her feelings.

9. I’m afraid I have to delay going on holiday because of my personal problems.

10. You can go to cinema when you’ve finished doing your homework.

Verb + Gerund

11. acknowledge

12. anticipate

13. appreciate

14. consider

18. discuss

20. imagine

21. involve

Verb + Prepposition + Gerund

24. adapt to

25. apologize for

26. approve of

27. ask about

28. believe in

29. blame for

30. care about

31. complain about

32. engage in

33. forgive for

34. give up

35. help with

36. look forward to

37. result from

38. succeed in

39. suffer from

40. talk about

41. take part in

42. there’s no point in

43. think about

44. warn about

45. work on

46. worry about

Be + Adjective + Prep. + Gerund

47. be good at

48. be sad about

49. be successful in

50. be suitable for

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