Problem: PTE responses describe trends hesitantly — “is increase”, “has rose” — because tense forms never became reflexes. Answer in brief: automatise verb tenses with present continuous for happening-now trends as the anchor use, then fuse tenses into full practice paragraphs. This guide teaches trend language with a paragraph build, and PTE Grammar — Course 3 trains verb tenses across 13 topic sections.
Verb tenses for PTE: the working set
Present simple (claims, routines), present continuous (happening now, trends), past simple (evidence events), present perfect (change-to-now), future/modal (implications) — five forms covering nearly every PTE sentence. Drill forms first (be + -ing without fail, irregular pasts, have/has + participle), functions second. Form faults (“is increase”) betray missing automation, not missing knowledge.
Present continuous: happening now and current trends
“Is growing”, “are shifting”, “is becoming” — the trend vocabulary of summaries and essays alike. Pair each trend verb with its extent (“rapidly”, “steadily”, “by 30%”) and timeframe (“since 2020”, “over the decade”). Trend sentences without extent or time are claims without evidence; the continuous form promises ongoing change the details must deliver.
Automatise tenses supervised? The full PTE Grammar — Course 3 teaches verb tenses with present-continuous trend language and paragraph practice across 13 topic sections with 64 lessons and mock tests. Explore the course →
Practice 1C: building the paragraph
One paragraph, four sentences, four tenses: claim (present), evidence (past), trend (continuous/perfect), implication (modal). Build to the template first with marked zones, then free-write holding the pattern. Paragraph 1C is the course’s fusion exercise — components become writing here.
Worked paragraph: remote-work trend
Fictional paragraph, newly written: “Remote work is reshaping (continuous trend) office districts. Footfall has fallen 30% since 2020 (perfect + extent), and several firms closed (past evidence) city-centre branches. Rents are adjusting (continuous result), and planners should repurpose (modal implication) vacant floors for housing.” Four sentences, full working set — the paragraph build demonstrated.
FAQs
How do I stop “is increase” faults?
Separate be-verbs from main verbs in drills: be + -ing always (“is increasing”), be + adjective never continuous (“is important”, not “is being important” for states). Ten contrast pairs daily.
Must every trend have numbers?
Extent or timeframe, at least one: “rapidly”, “since 2020”, “by a third”. Bare trend verbs (“is growing”) promise evidence the sentence never delivers.
What is in the course?
Thirteen topic sections on verb tenses with present-continuous trend language and paragraph practice, 64 lessons and 5 complete mock tests.
The matching course
PTE Grammar — Course 3 makes tenses reflexes and trends fluent: forms, functions, paragraph builds — 13 topic sections, 64 lessons, 5 mock tests. If trends hesitate, automatise here.
Sources and note
- PTE Academic format per the official PTE site: pearsonpte.com — PTE Academic. Check current official guidance before the test. No scores are guaranteed.
- Course details verified from its public staging page (read-only): 13 topic sections, 64 lessons, 5 mock tests.
- Examples are newly written; other valid structures exist.