What's the most proper tense for talking about my past experience?
I left my job in a school this January ,and now I am not a teacher anymore.
In order to mention how long I've worked in a school, I just wonder which tense I should apply:

#1 I was a teacher for three years.

#2 I had been a teacher for three years.

#3 I have been a teacher for three years.

Or, in the other way of saying,

# 4 I worked as a teacher for past three years.

#5 I had worked as a teacher for past three years.

#6 I have worked as a teacher for past three years.

#7 I have been working as a teacher for past three years.

I've just got a little confused what sentences above are correct. Please help me to figure out.

Also,does #3 and #6 imply that I'm a teacher now? But I'm not..
So, #3 and #6 are incorrect? But I remember past perfect can express a past experience up to know..

Thank you for any help you could provide.*Also,does #3 and #6 can imply that I may still be a teacher now?

* up to now

Question

What's the most proper tense for talking about my past experience?
I left my job in a school this January ,and now I am not a teacher anymore.
In order to mention how long I've worked in a school, I just wonder which tense I should apply:

#1 I was a teacher for three years.

#2 I had been a teacher for three years.

#3 I have been a teacher for three years.

Or, in the other way of saying,

# 4 I worked as a teacher for past three years.

#5 I had worked as a teacher for past three years.

#6 I have worked as a teacher for past three years.

#7 I have been working as a teacher for past three years.

I've just got a little confused what sentences above are correct. Please help me to figure out.

Also,does #3 and #6 imply that I'm a teacher now? But I'm not..
So, #3 and #6 are incorrect? But I remember past perfect can express a past experience up to know..

Thank you for any help you could provide.*Also,does #3 and #6 can imply that I may still be a teacher now?

* up to now

Answer

Simple solution: give a time of when it happened, and use past simple.

"I worked as a teacher from 2011 to early 2014."

There's no need to confuse yourself - most of your examples depend on some extra context.

Answer

Yes, simple past will be the right choice here. For example:

We can use "to be" - I was a teacher between 2011 and 2014. 
or "to teach" - I taught [subject] between 2011 and 2014.

Answer

Thank both of you for solving the puzzle! :)

Answers · 4

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