1

The case was approved by the employer on 03.5.2014.

or

The case is approved by the employer on 03.5.2014.

Which tense is better while preparing a report?
Simple present sounds better to me, but I can't be sure since "the approval" was received in the past.

Improve this question
2
  • I would look for a better reason than "sounds better". It is in the past, right?
    – user3169
    Commented Mar 5, 2015 at 18:56
  • Need some context to answer this question. Especially: what kind of report, for who, for what purposes.
    – user6951
    Commented Mar 6, 2015 at 14:21

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1

The present simple tense is used for past events mostly in the context of talking about history and historical facts:

William Shakespeare is an English writer. He starts his writing career at the age of 10, and continues writing plays and poems until his death.

It can also be used when reviewing a sequence of actions, such as when considering evidence during court proceedings:

The suspect enters the building at 4:15pm, checks to see where the security cameras are, and then robs the plaintiff at gunpoint.

In your example, it looks like you were given a simple acknowledgement that something happened. In that case, the past simple tense is the better choice.

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .