IELTS Grammar: question about verb tenses

Here's a question that someone sent me this week:

I have a big problem with verb tenses, especially the present perfect continuous and past perfect continuous. I can't use these tenses when I'm speaking. How can I solve this problem?

My answer is simple: stop worrying about this! You don't have time to think about grammar when you're speaking. Thinking about verb tenses will distract you from your main objective, which is to answer the question well. Forget those tenses, and focus instead on listening to the question and answering it naturally.

Comments

[Tuna]

Thanks for your advice !

[sjm]

I'm a native speaker and I used the past perfect continuous the other day when speaking. I actually surprised myself because I couldn't remember the last time I had used it. Honestly, we probably use that tense maybe once a month.

[arefe]

hi simon thanks a lot about answer my question and thanks for me friend sjm for this comment .these answer makes me really happy .so I need a native partner could you help me sjm please??

[Trish]

Hi Simon, I want to ask questions again out of this topic and hoping for your kind response.

Most developed countries spend a large portion of their health budgets on expensive medical technology and procedures. This money should be spent instead on health education to keep people well. To what extent do you agree/disagree?

To give a balanced opinion, should I write this one?

To a certain extent, I agree that health funds of most progressive countries should be spent on high-end medical equipments and procedures. However,I also believe that this budget should be allocated on health care services.

[Trish]

If I give a strong opinion, the paragraphs should contain reasons on why health funds should be used on health education. Am I doing it right?

[tian]

Hi,Simon

Will candidates get penalties if he/she made grammar errors in speaking test?

[Sharon Lin]

Hi Simon,

If I make a mistake about verb tenses between present simple and past simple, will this kind of mistakes make my speaking score down?

I'm really worried about that!

Thank you.