Arjun from Patna described a chart’s projections for 2040 in the past tense: “In 2040, sales rose to…” The chart was showing a forecast, not a record.

Let the time in the chart choose the tense: past tenses for past years, the present for data with no time or current facts, and future forms such as “is expected to” for projections. Then stay consistent.

Which tense suits which data?

Data Tense Example
Dates in the past past simple Output fell to 40 tonnes in 2018.
Dates up to now present perfect Enrolment has risen steadily since 2015.
No dates given present simple Rice is the main crop in Region B.
Future projections is expected to + verb Demand is predicted to reach 500 units by 2040.
A process present simple, mostly passive The leaves are dried and then packed.
Maps tense matches each date In 2005 the site was farmland; now it is a park.

Look at the last year on the axis: it tells you which row of the table you are in. The present perfect belongs to data that runs up to the present, and if the chart ends in a past year, the past simple is the right choice.

How do you write about projections?

Phrases such as “is expected to”, “is predicted to”, “is projected to” and “is forecast to” tell the reader that the figures are estimates. “Will” is also possible, but it sounds more certain than a forecast is. For “will” and “going to”, see our future forms lesson.

Incorrect: “In 2040, sales rose to 5 million.”

Correct: Sales are projected to reach 5 million by 2040.

A year that has not happened yet cannot take a past tense.

What about maps and processes?

Processes use the present simple, mostly passive, as our post on the process diagram shows. For maps, match the tense to each map’s date, as our post on describing maps explains.

Which two slips should you check for?

The first slip is the present perfect with a finished date. Cambridge’s teaching notes correct this in a sample answer: a completely finished period needs the past simple. Our present perfect lesson explains the difference.

Incorrect: “Exports have peaked in 2010.”

Correct: Exports peaked in 2010.

The present perfect cannot be used with a finished time such as “in 2010”.

The second slip is changing between past and present inside one paragraph. Our guide to common tense mistakes covers more slips like these.

Model sentences

The figures below are invented.

Model sentences (illustrative Band 7)

Between 2010 and 2020, domestic car production fell from 120,000 to 85,000 vehicles.

Membership has grown steadily since 2015 and now stands at 6,200 members.

Car ownership is highest in City A, at 62%, and lowest in City D, at 31%.

Commercial vehicle output is forecast to climb steadily, reaching 150,000 units by 2035.

The raw tea leaves are gathered and transferred to drying trays.

In 2005 the town centre had a market, but it now has a shopping mall.

Why it works:

  • Grammatical Range and Accuracy: each verb form matches its data, from the past simple for 2010 to 2020 to the present simple for the undated chart.
  • Task Achievement: “is forecast to climb” presents a 2035 figure as an estimate, not as a fact.
  • Coherence and Cohesion: the map sentence moves from the past to the present because its later map shows today.

Tip

In your planning notes, write the tense beside each period before drafting, such as “2010–2020: past simple”.

Key Takeaways

  • Let the dates in the visual choose the tense.
  • Use “is projected to” or “is expected to” for future figures.
  • Use the past simple for a finished period, not the present perfect.
  • Write processes in the present passive, and match map tenses to dates.

The bottom line: A tense is a statement about time, so make the visual’s dates and your verbs say the same thing.