How to Use Past, Present, Future to Talk About Change
Past, Present, Future helps you talk about any topic over time: how it was, how it is now, and what comes next.
- Tell me about yourself
- Questions about change
- Habits and technology
What is Past, Present, Future?
Many of my students freeze when someone asks, "Tell me about yourself." The question is so open that they don't know where to start. Questions about change are the same. You know the answer in your head, but it comes out as a mix of old memories, today and tomorrow, all in one long sentence.
Past, Present, Future is the simplest fix I know. You talk about the topic in time order. First, how things were. Then, how they are now. Last, what you think or hope will happen next. That's it. Three short parts, about 20 seconds each, and your listener can follow you easily.
In this guide, I'll show you how to do each step well, which tenses to use, and the phrases you can copy. You'll see three full example answers, a quick 20-second version, and a before and after answer. At the end, there are practice questions so you can try it yourself.
Why it works
- Time order is natural, so your listener always knows where you are in the answer.
- Each step has one clear job, so you never run out of things to say.
- Moving from past to present shows contrast, and contrast makes your answer interesting.
- Changing tenses on purpose shows the examiner or interviewer that you control your grammar.
Where Past, Present, Future works best
Use it when...
- Job interviews: "Tell me about yourself."
- Meeting new people: "So what do you do?"
- Speaking exams: "How has your hometown changed in recent years?"
- Talking about habits: "Do you read more or less than before?"
- Talking about technology: "How has your phone changed the way you live?"
- Talking about a skill or interest: "How did you get into cooking?"
Choose something else when...
- If someone asks for your opinion, like "Should schools ban phones?", use PREP (Point, Reason, Example, Point) instead.
- If you need to tell one detailed story about a single moment, a story framework fits better than three time periods.
- If an interviewer asks about a specific challenge you handled at work, use STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
How to do each step
Follow the steps in this order. The times are a guide, not a rule. They show you roughly how much to say in each part.
Past
Paint one clear picture of how things were before.
Start with a time phrase, like "When I was a kid" or "A few years ago". This tells the listener you are in the past. Then give one clear picture, not a full life story. What did it look like? What did you do? Use the past simple for finished actions, like "I worked" or "we walked". Two or three sentences are enough. Choose a detail that you can compare with today.
- Open with a clear time phrase.
- Pick one picture or one detail you can contrast later.
- Use the past simple: worked, lived, used, didn't have.
- Don't start from your birth or list every year.
- Don't mix in what you do now. Save it for the next step.
Present
Show how things are now and how they are different from before.
Move to today with a clear signal, like "Now" or "These days". This is where you show contrast. Your listener should hear the change. Use the present simple for habits and facts ("I work", "I buy"). Use the present perfect for changes that connect the past to now ("I've stopped", "I've learned"). If you can, add one small feeling about it, good or bad. That makes it sound real.
- Use a clear signal: now, these days, at the moment.
- Make the contrast with the past easy to hear.
- Use the present perfect to show change: I've moved, I've started.
- Don't repeat the past step with different words.
- Don't list five things you do now. One or two is enough.
Future
Finish with what you expect, plan or hope will happen next.
Look forward and give your answer a clear ending. Say what you plan, what you hope, or what you think will happen. Use going to for plans you've already decided, will for predictions, and hope to or I'd like to for wishes. In a job interview, connect your future to the job. A short final sentence that links back to the start makes the whole answer feel complete.
- Choose one plan, hope or prediction.
- Use going to, will or hope to.
- End with a short sentence so the listener knows you've finished.
- Don't say "I don't know" and stop. Give a small guess at least.
- Don't add a new topic at the end.
Three example answers
Read each answer out loud. Notice how every part has one clear job, and how short the sentences are. The colours match the steps above.
“Tell me about yourself.”
I started my career in customer service at a hotel in Bangkok. I worked there for four years. It wasn't easy, but I learned how to stay calm and solve problems quickly, even with very difficult guests. That's where I found out I really enjoy helping people.
Now I'm a team leader at a software company. I manage a team of six, and I've trained most of them myself. I still use those hotel skills every day, because a big part of my job is listening and fixing things before they get worse.
Next, I'm hoping to move into a bigger role in customer success. That's why I applied for this job. I'd love to bring my experience here and keep growing with a team like yours.
“How has the way you shop changed?”
When I was a kid, shopping meant a trip to the market with my mum every Sunday. We walked from stall to stall, and she knew all the sellers by name. It took the whole morning, but I loved it.
These days, I buy almost everything on my phone. I can order groceries in five minutes, and they arrive the same day. It's much faster, but honestly, I've stopped talking to the people who sell me things. I kind of miss that.
In the future, I think I'll try to find a balance. I'm going to visit the local market at least once a month. I want my kids to have that Sunday feeling too, not just a delivery box at the door.
“How has technology changed the way you study?”
When I was at school, learning was mostly books and the whiteboard. If I didn't understand something, I had to wait and ask the teacher the next day. We only used the computer room once a week, and it was always slow.
Now I learn almost everything online. I've taken three short courses this year, all on my phone, and I can watch a lesson again if I miss a point. The downside is that it's really easy to get distracted by notifications.
Looking ahead, I think AI tutors will become normal. I'm planning to use one to practise my English speaking every day. But I hope people won't stop learning together, because a real class gives you energy that an app can't.
Short on time? Use a 20-second version
In a quick chat, you can keep the same structure and say just one sentence for each step.
“Has your city changed much?”
When I moved here, there were no trains anywhere near my home.
Now there's a station five minutes away, and I've stopped driving to work.
I hope they'll add more parks next, because it's getting really crowded.
How the framework fixes a messy answer
“How have your hobbies changed over the years?”
Um, hobbies... I like many things. Now I play badminton, um, sometimes, and before I played football, and also I like reading, but not so much now because, you know, phone. And when I was young I played computer games with my brother also. Um, in the future maybe... I don't know, maybe travel? Or cooking. My mum cooks very well. So yes, many hobbies, it's changing, um, yes.
What goes wrong- No clear start. The speaker jumps between now and before in the first two sentences.
- Too many ideas: badminton, football, reading, games, travel and cooking, with no detail for any of them.
- Tenses are mixed up, so it's hard to know which time the speaker means.
- No real ending. "So yes, many hobbies" just fades out with fillers.
When I was a teenager, my whole life was football. I played after school every day with my friends, and I didn't really care about anything else.
These days, I don't have time for a full team, so I play badminton twice a week after work. It's shorter, it's easier to organise, and I've made some great friends at the club.
In the next few years, I'm going to try something calmer, like cooking. My mum's an amazing cook, so I'd like to learn from her. I want a hobby I can enjoy at home with my family, even on busy weeks.
Which tenses to use in each step
This framework is a great way to practise your tenses. Each step has its own tense "home". Change tenses on purpose when you move to the next step.
Past simple (and used to for old habits)
I worked in a hotel. I used to take the bus every day.
Present simple for habits and facts. Present perfect for changes that connect to now.
Now I work from home. I've stopped taking the bus.
Going to for plans. Will for predictions. Hope to or I'd like to for wishes.
I'm going to learn to drive. I think it'll make life easier. I hope to buy a car next year.
Five mistakes to avoid
Pick one picture for each time, not every year. Twenty seconds goes very fast, so choose the detail that matters most.
Finish the past before you move to the present. Use a clear signal like "Now" or "These days" so the listener follows the jump.
If the past and present sound the same, there's no story. Choose a detail that has clearly changed, and say how.
Change tenses on purpose: past simple, then present simple or present perfect, then will, going to or hope to.
You don't need to be sure about the future. Say what you hope or guess, like "I think it'll..." or "I'd like to...".
What to do before you start speaking
- Pick one key word for each time, like "hotel, team, new role". Three words are easier to hold than three sentences.
- Choose the contrast first. Ask yourself, "What is the biggest difference between then and now?"
- Decide your first time phrase, like "When I was a kid...", so you can start speaking without freezing.
10 sample questions with answers
Try each question yourself first: take 15 seconds to plan, then speak for one minute. Then open the sample answer and compare. Do not learn the answers by heart. Copy the structure and the phrases, then use your own ideas.
1 How has your morning routine changed?
A couple of years ago, my mornings were a total mess. I woke up at the last minute, grabbed a coffee and ran to catch the bus. Most days I didn't eat breakfast at all.
These days, I get up an hour earlier. I've started going for a short walk before work, and I make a proper breakfast, usually eggs and rice. It sounds small, but I feel much calmer when I get to the office.
Next, I'm going to try reading for ten minutes before I check my phone. That's the hardest part for me. I hope my mornings will stay slow and easy, because a calm start really changes my whole day.
Copy this move: Open with a short time phrase like "A couple of years ago" and pick one messy detail you can clearly contrast with today.
2 Do you use your phone more or less than before?
Honestly, I used to use my phone much less. Back when I was at university, it was just for calls, messages and the odd photo. I read paper books on the train, and I didn't even have social media.
Now it's the opposite. I use it for everything, work emails, banking, maps, even paying for my lunch. I checked my screen time last week, and it was nearly six hours a day. That surprised me, and not in a good way.
So I'm going to set some limits. My plan is to keep my phone out of the bedroom and turn off most notifications. I don't think I'll ever go back to paper books on the train, but I'd like to get closer.
Copy this move: Answer the "more or less" question in the first sentence, then use "Now it's the opposite" to make the change easy to hear.
3 How have your weekends changed?
Before I had kids, my weekends were all about sleep and friends. I slept until eleven, met people for brunch and usually went out on Saturday night. Sunday was for doing nothing at all.
Things are very different now, because I've got two little boys. We're up at six, and the day is full of swimming lessons, the park and birthday parties. I'm more tired, for sure, but I actually enjoy it more. The house is never quiet.
In a few years, when they're older, I'd like to start hiking with them on Saturdays. I think they'll love being outdoors. And maybe, just maybe, I'll get my Sunday lie-in back one day.
Copy this move: Add one honest feeling in the present, like "I'm more tired, but I enjoy it more", so the change sounds real.
4 Tell me about yourself.
I studied accounting, and my first job was at a small family business in Chiang Mai. I did a bit of everything there, from invoices to payroll. It was a great place to learn, because nobody else was going to fix my mistakes.
Since then, I've moved into finance at a logistics company, where I've been for three years. Now I look after monthly reports for four regional offices. I've also helped the team move from spreadsheets to a new system, which cut our month-end work by two days.
Looking ahead, I'd like to do more analysis and less data entry. That's what attracted me to this role. I'm going to finish my professional accounting exams next year, and I'd love to grow into a team leader position here.
Copy this move: Give one concrete result in the present step, then link your future plan directly to the job you're applying for.
5 How has your hometown changed since you were a child?
I grew up in a small town in northern Vietnam. When I was a child, there was one main road, a few shops and a lot of rice fields. Everybody knew everybody, and we played outside until it got dark.
Since then, the town has changed a lot. Most of the rice fields have become factories and new housing. There's a big shopping centre now, and lots of young people have moved there for work. It's more convenient, but the traffic is terrible.
I think it'll keep growing quickly, and maybe it'll be a proper city in ten years. I hope the local government is going to protect some green spaces, though. It'd be sad if the next generation never sees a rice field.
Copy this move: Bring back one detail from the past, like the rice fields, in your last sentence so the whole answer feels complete.
6 How did you start learning English, and where do you want to go with it?
I started learning English at school, but it was all grammar tests and vocabulary lists. I could write a correct sentence, but if a tourist asked me for directions, I just froze and smiled.
These days, I focus on speaking. I've joined an online conversation group, and I talk to people from all over the world twice a week. I still make mistakes, but I've stopped worrying about them so much. My confidence has really grown this year.
My next goal is to get a band seven in IELTS, because I'm hoping to do a master's degree in Australia. After that, I'd like to use English every day at work. I want to be the person who helps the tourist, not the one who freezes.
Copy this move: Use the present perfect ("I've joined", "I've stopped") to show how far you've come since the past step.
7 How have your friendships changed since you left school?
At school, my friends were basically the people who sat near me. We saw each other every single day, so we never had to plan anything. We just hung out after class and talked about nothing for hours.
Now it's much harder. Everyone's busy with work, and a few of my old friends have moved abroad. I've got fewer close friends than before, but the ones I have are really important to me. We have to plan dinner weeks ahead, but it's worth it.
In the future, I think I'll make new friends through work and hobbies, not just by chance. I'm also going to visit my best friend in Seoul next spring. Some friendships need more effort as you get older, and I'm fine with that.
Copy this move: Show a clear contrast with simple opposites, like "never had to plan" in the past and "plan dinner weeks ahead" now.
8 How has the way people work changed in your country?
Twenty years ago, most people in Thailand stayed in one company for their whole career. You went to the office at eight, stayed until six, and changing jobs was seen as a bit disloyal. My dad worked for the same bank for thirty years.
These days, it's much more flexible, especially in big cities. Lots of companies have offered hybrid work since the pandemic, and young people change jobs every few years. There's more freedom, but people find it harder to switch off, because work follows them home on their phone.
Looking ahead, I think AI will change a lot of office jobs, so people will need to keep learning new skills. I hope companies are going to take mental health more seriously too. Flexibility is great, but only if people still get real rest.
Copy this move: For a big topic about society, add one small personal example, like "My dad worked for the same bank", to make it concrete.
9 How has your idea of success changed as you've got older?
When I was in my early twenties, success meant money and a big job title. I wanted a nice car and an office with my name on the door. I compared myself with my classmates all the time, mostly on social media.
My view has changed quite a lot since then. I've worked in two stressful jobs, and I realised that a big salary doesn't help much if you're exhausted every day. Now I think success is having time for my family, good health and work I actually care about.
I'm sure my idea will keep changing as I get older. Maybe at sixty, success will just mean waking up without back pain! But for now, I'm going to choose balance over a bigger title, and I hope I'll stop comparing myself with others.
Copy this move: Explain what made your view change ("I realised that...") so the present step sounds like real growth, not just a new opinion.
10 How do you think technology will change education in the next ten years?
Ten years ago, technology in my school meant a projector and a slow computer room. Teachers used it to show slides, but the lessons were basically the same as before. Everyone learned the same thing at the same speed.
Now things are starting to change. Many students already use AI tools to check their writing or explain hard topics. My younger sister has an app that gives her extra maths practice based on her mistakes. It's useful, but schools are still working out the rules.
In the next ten years, I think lessons will become much more personal. Each student will probably have an AI tutor that knows their level. But I hope teachers won't be replaced, because students still need someone to motivate them and teach them how to work with others.
Copy this move: When the question is about the future, keep the past and present short and use them to set up your prediction.
Practise with a timer and new questions
The practice tool gives you a random question, 15 seconds to think and a one-minute timer that lights up each step.
Good to know
Do I have to talk about my childhood in the Past step?
No. The past can be ten years ago or last month. Just choose a time that shows a clear difference from now.
What if I don't know what will happen in the future?
Nobody does, so that's fine. Use "I think", "I hope" or "I'd like to" and give a small, honest guess.
Is this good for "Tell me about yourself" in an interview?
Yes, it's the easiest structure I know for that question. Talk about where you started, what you do now, and why you want this job next.
Can I change the order and start with the present?
You can in casual chat, but I don't recommend it while you're learning. Time order is easier for you to plan and easier for your listener to follow.
More speaking guides
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