i (finish) my homework so i can go shopping now

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Present Perfect / Simple Past Key

Simple Past or Present Perfect Simple

Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).

• I (just / finish) my homework.
• Mary (already / write) five letters.
• Tom (move) to this town in 1994.
• My friend (be) in Canada two years ago.
• I (not / be) to Canada so far.
• But I (already / travel) to London a couple of times.
• Last week, Mary and Paul (go) to the cinema.
• I can't take any pictures because I (not / buy) a new film yet.
• (they / spend) their holiday in New Zealand last summer?
• (you / ever / see) a whale?

• English Grammar

Verbs in time clauses and 'if' clauses

Level: beginner

Verbs in time clauses and conditionals usually follow the same patterns as in other clauses but there are some differences when we:

• talk about the future
• make hypotheses.

Talking about the future

In time clauses with words like when , after  and  until , we often use present tense forms to talk about the future:

I'll come home when I finish work. You must wait here until your father comes . They are coming after they have had dinner.

In conditional clauses with words like if , unless , even if , we often use present tense forms to talk about the future:

We won't be able to go out if it is raining . I will come tomorrow unless I have to look after the children. Even if Barcelona lose tomorrow, they will still be champions.

We do not normally use will in time clauses and conditional clauses:

I'll come home when I finish work . (NOT will finish work ) We won't be able to go out if it rains .  (NOT will rain ) It will be nice to see Peter when he  gets home .  (NOT will get home ) You must wait here until your father comes .  (NOT will come )

but we can use will if it means want to or be willing to :

I will be very happy if you will come to my party. We should finish the job early if George will help us.

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Level: intermediate

Making hypotheses

Some conditional clauses are like hypotheses , so we use  past tense forms .

We use past tense forms to talk about something that does not happen or is not happening in the present:

He could get a new job if he really tried .         (= He cannot get a job because he has not tried.) If Jack was playing , they would probably win.         (= Jack is not playing so they will probably not win.) If I had his address, I could write to him.         (= I do not have his address so I cannot write to him.)

We use past tense forms to talk about something that we believe or know will not happen in the future :

We would go by train if it wasn't so expensive.        (= We will not go by train because it is too expensive.) I would look after the children for you at the weekend if I was at home.        (= I cannot look after the children because I will not be at home.)

We use past tense forms to make suggestions about what might happen in the future :

If he came tomorrow, we could borrow his car. If we invited John, Mary would bring Angela.

After I/he/she/it , we can use were instead of was :

If Jack was/were playing , they would probably win. We would go by train if it wasn't/weren’t so expensive. I would look after the children for you at the weekend if I was/were at home.

We use the past perfect to talk about something which did not happen in the past :

If you had seen him, you could have spoken to him.         (= You did not see him so you could not speak to him.) You could have stayed with us if you had come to London.         (= You could not stay with us because you did not come to London.) If we hadn't spent all our money, we could take a holiday.         (= We have spent all our money so we cannot take a holiday.) If I had got the job, we would be living in Paris.         (= I did not get the job, so we are not living in Paris.)

If the main clause of a hypothetical conditional is about the present or future , we use a modal :

If I had got the job, we might be living in Paris now.         (= I did not get the job so we are not living in Paris now.) If you had done your homework, you would know the answer.         (= You did not do your homework so you do not know the answer.)

If the main clause is about the past , we use a modal with have : 

If I had seen him, I would have spoken to him.        (= I did not see him so I did not speak to him.) You could have stayed with us if you had come to London.        (= You could not stay with us because you did not come to London.) If you had invited me, I might have come .        (= You did not invite me so I did not come.)

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Q. Mrs. Kanwal is ............ principal of this school.

(1) no article

Some people say that there should be "no article" before the noun "principal". They say the reason is that the noun "principal" has a fixed position in this sentence "this school", so there should be no article.

However, ChatGPT-4 and some books state that the article "the" is right, and most English teachers also give "the" as the right answer.

So please give an answer with reasons as it will be very important for many students.

Please give a strong valid proof for "the" also can be taken as a right answer. For this question I failed a government exam . It will be very helpful if anyone give me a proof. Thank you sir!

• Log in or register to post comments

Hi Safikamal Sk,

I would say that 1 and 4 are the best answers, and 2 is possible too.

• No article - Professional positions are often used with no article (e.g. She is captain of the national team / He is professor of history at City University ).
• "The principal" - normally there is one principal in a school. "The" is used to show that there is only one of this thing (e.g. the moon / the king / the sky ).
• "A principal" - if a school does have more than one principal, then this is fine.

Sorry to hear about your exam result. I should point out that my explanation above is about general English usage, but usage naturally varies in different contexts (e.g. within different groups of people and institutions, and when communicating for different purposes) and specific contexts may have their own norms or standards. We have no idea about the specifics of your exam, so we cannot really comment on why your exam answer was considered incorrect.

Also, if you have more questions about this, please post them on a relevant page (e.g. Our page on The definite article would be a great place for this question). Thank you!

LearnEnglish team

Hello! Could you please help me to clarify the following? Which option is correct: - If she knew we can hear/ could hear her, she wouldn't be singing in the next room - If he understood what we are talking / were talking about, he wouldn't be laughing - I wish you were serious when you are talking/ were talking about children

What is the rule of the tense sequence in subordinate clauses in conditionals if these clauses represent real situations in the present (e.g. we really can hear her, but she doesn't know it; we are talking about something which he doesn't understand; the person is talking about children, but isn't serious)?

And what is the rule for past situations? Is it correct to say: - If I had known you were going to arrive sooner, I would have waited for you (the real part is "you were going to arrive sooner")

Hello Oksa2024,

The key here is to understand that it is the first verb in each example which expresses unreality. The other verbs are governed by the rules of reported/indirect speech.

For example, in the first sentence the unreal element is expressed by knew ; the form of the other verb is determined by whether or not the action is still true, not whether it is real or unreal:

If she knew we can hear her, she wouldn't be singing in the next room > we can still hear her now

If she knew we could hear her, she wouldn't be singing in the next room > it's not clear if we can still hear her now or only then

You can compare it to these examples of indirect speech:

If she knew I love her, she'd wouldn't have left.... > I loved her then and I still love her now

If she knew I loved her, she'd never have left.... > I loved her then; it's not clear if I love her now

The second example is similar:

If he understood what we are talking about, he wouldn't be laughing > we were talking about it then and the conversation is ongoing

If he understood what we were talking about, he wouldn't be laughing > we were talking about it then; it's not clear if the conversation is over

Your third example is a little bit different. Here the choice depends on whether 'talking about children' refers to one conversation or means something more akin to 'expressing your views on children' in an ongoing sense:

I wish you were serious when you are talking about children > 'talking about' is not a conversation but something like 'giving your opinion on'

I wish you were serious when you were talking about children > here 'talking about' could refer to a particular conversation or to a person's ongoing views/opinion.

I hope that clarifies it for you.

The LearnEnglish Team

Hello Peter, Thank you so much for the explanation!

Could you, also, comment on the tense usage in past situations, please? For example,

- If I had known you weren't in the room, I wouldn't have waited for you (I waited, but I didn't know you weren't there) - If I had known you wouldn't like this idea (future from the past), I wouldn't have even suggested - If I had known you had already bought the present, I wouldn't have spent the whole day looking for one (you (had) bought the present before, but I didn't know it)

Hello again Oksa2024,

Your explanations are good here - I'm not sure what I can add.

- If I had known you weren't in the room, I wouldn't have waited for you (I waited, but I didn't know you weren't there) That's correct. This is an unreal past situation (in reality you didn't know) with an unreal past result (in reality you waited).

- If I had known you wouldn't like this idea (future from the past), I wouldn't have even suggested As above, an unreal past situation (in reality you didn't know) with an unreal past result (in reality you suggested).

- If I had known you had already bought the present, I wouldn't have spent the whole day looking for one (you (had) bought the present before, but I didn't know it) And again, an unreal past situation (in reality you didn't know) with an unreal past result (in reality you spent the looking).

Hello Peter,

Thank you so much for your comments and explanations! May I ask just a few more things, to make sure I understand everything correctly?

1. “If he hadn’t asked me whether I will report/ whether I would report tomorrow, I wouldn’t have had to check my notes” (in this situation, the moment of speaking is still today, but “I will report tomorrow” refers to the future action from the point of view of the moment of speaking, so, can we use “will” here or we need to use “would” as in the indicative mood (for example, in the indicative mood we’d say “He asked whether I would report tomorrow” to make the sequence of tenses correct)?.

And is the following correct? In conditional sentences the usage of tenses in past situations doesn’t follow the rules of the sequence of tenses in the Indicative mood: in conditionals the tenses in clauses depend on whether the situation is still ongoing (or referring to the present) or is finished.

2. Is it possible to say “You will wish you hadn’t followed this advice” (meaning: ‘you will regret following it’)? 3. What is the difference in meaning: “He behaves as if he is a clown/ as if he were a clown” (Indicative vs. Subjunctive)?

Thank you so much for all your help!

Hi Oksa2024,

1. Yes, that's right. Using "will" is fine and it makes it clear that "tomorrow" refers to the day after saying this sentence. It seems to emphasise the urgency of the report more than when using "would".

2. Yes, right.

3. Firstly, we should say that there is little practical difference. Both sentences compare this person's behaviour with that of a clown. The second sentence communicates the unreality of the idea more clearly than the first one, since it uses "as if" and also the subjunctive form "were" (whereas the first sentence only uses "as if"). Both sentences are acceptable, but the subjunctive one may be judged as ideal or more correct because of the harmony of idea between "as if" and the subjunctive verb.

I hope that helps! It seems like you have gained a good understanding of these structures.

Hello Jonathan,

Thank you so much for your help!

In these sentences, which one is correct please, and why? There should be enough cars so a taxi won't/wouldn't be necessary. If Johnson wins the next election he will/would scrap the taxes.

Hi Gezza,

In both sentences, the first clause shows something that the speaker/writer considers as a realistic possibility or a likelihood (because of "There should" and "wins", present simple), rather than using a past form to show something unrealistic or imaginary (e.g. "If there were enough cars ..." / "If Johnson won ..."). So, "won't" and "will" are the best options because they also show a realistic or likely future action. 

In everyday conversation, it's somewhat acceptable to use "would" too. However, using "would" makes it unclear whether the speaker/writer considers this to be realistic or just imaginary. If this was in a language test, "would" may not be accepted as an answer.

You can find more examples using "will/won't" and "would" on our Conditionals page (linked) . I hope it helps.

Hello Pundits,

My question is about the use of Future and Present Simple after 'when' in different clauses, as in:

- When you start cooking, I will come in from the garden. In this example 'when you start cooking' is an adverbial clause of time, it indicates the time (not defining any part of the sentence), the structure is similar to a conditional sentence. It answers the question: 'when?' We can only use Present Simple here, correct?

- I look forward to the day when this application is available. Here 'the day' is a direct object, and we explain or define it using the adjective clause 'when this application is available', it answers the question: 'what day?' As far as I know, we can use Present Simple or Future Simple here. What is the difference between the two? When should I use one or the other? - I look forward to when we get to work together again. 'When we get to work together again' is a noun clause, it answers the question: 'what?' We can rebuild the sentence into: - I look forward to our future cooperation. Having done my research on COCA, I can conclude that, in general, people prefer Present Simple in such clause, but there were some examples with Future Simple as well. What is the difference between Future Simple and Present Simple here?

Thank you very much.

Hello Tony_M,

- When you start cooking, I will come in from the garden. In this example 'when you start cooking' is an adverbial clause of time, it indicates the time (not defining any part of the sentence), the structure is similar to a conditional sentence. It answers the question: 'when?' We can only use Present Simple here, correct?

It's possible to use other forms after when here, such as present perfect to emphasise completion ( When you have written the report.... ) or present continuous to show an event in progress ( When you are peeling the potatoes... ). In the second clause, the present simple is possible if you are describing typical behaviour rather than a particular instance.

- I look forward to the day when this application is available. Here 'the day' is a direct object, and we explain or define it using the adjective clause 'when this application is available', it answers the question: 'what day?' As far as I know, we can use Present Simple or Future Simple here. What is the difference between the two? When should I use one or the other?

The present simple is more common here but both can be used, as you say. I think modal 'will' (it's not, strictly speaking, a tense at all) suggests less certainty regarding the matter. In other words, to my ear the present simple suggests that the application will definitely be available, while 'will' here is said without that certainty. You can perhaps see it more clearly in these examples:

I look forward to the day when we finally meet. [I'm confident we're going to meet] I look forward to the day when we will finally meet. [I don't know if it will actually happen] - I look forward to when we get to work together again. 'When we get to work together again' is a noun clause, it answers the question: 'what?' We can rebuild the sentence into: - I look forward to our future cooperation. Having done my research on COCA, I can conclude that, in general, people prefer Present Simple in such clause, but there were some examples with Future Simple as well. What is the difference between Future Simple and Present Simple here?

As above, I think the use of 'will' suggests hope rather than certainty. Note that these are very subtle distinctions rather than any kind of rule.

Sometimes there is a clear difference in meaning. Take a look at these two sentences:

I'll finish it tomorrow when I have less work. I'll finish it tomorrow when I will have less work.

The first sentence can be understood to mean 'At some point tomorrow I will have less work and I will use this time to finish it'.

The second sentence can be understood to mean 'Tomorrow I have less work, so I will finish it then'.

Thank you very much. You've cleared everything up.

Hi The LearnEnglish Team, thank you for your summary, which is very helpful. My question is what is the difference between if sentence to talk about future (if +present simple+(then)will do) and if+past tense to give suggestions about what might happen in the future (hypotheses)? I used to think in the latter case it means what is indicated in the main clause is not likely to happen, but in daily use I've heard people discussing a very possible future event using if+past tense. Can you shed light on this? Thank you very much!

Hello Ivy Z,

The past tense in if-clauses is generally used, as you say, for conditions we consider unlikely, impossible or hypothetical. When giving suggestions or advice we often use formulations which contain or imply a hypothetical:

If I were you > I'd.... (If I were) In your place > I'd... (If I were) In that situation > I'd... If that happened to me > I'd...

Perhaps what you noticed is something like this, but I can only speculate without knowing the particular example.

Hi Peter. Thank you for your response and explanation. The past tense in if-clauses I referred to was used by our lawyers to indicate the possible outcomes under each action plan. So an example would be:

If the company chose / decided to hold off from making a claim against B, the company would likely to benefit ...

What confused me was that 'making a claim against B' was exactly what was suggested and was also the plan favoured by the company and the lawyers knew it, so to me, using past tense in this case seemed to imply that the likelihood for it - namely holding off fire against B - to happen was small but in fact it was most likely to happen. Thus I was wondering if, in this situation, the past tense in if-clauses only mutually indicates a possible result.

Hello again Ivy Z-1,

The past tense in the if-clause makes the action more distant. This usually means more distant in terms of likelihood – i.e. less certain or probable. However, other forms of distancing exist, such as social distancing in terms of formality or politeness. This is why forms such as 'Could I...' and 'Would you...' are more polite/formal than 'Can I...' and 'Will you...'

In the context you describe I think the distancing is more social or professional. While it's perfectly fine to say 'If the company chooses... they will likely benefit...', the past + would form is more neutral in terms of leaving the decision up to the company. In other words, the speaker (the lawyer) may use this form to maintain a certain distance and make it clear that the decision is up to the company. These are very subtle nuances, of course.

One point to note: the 'to' is incorrect in the second clause of your example. It should be '...would likely benefit'.

Thank you very much Peter. This is very clear and helpful!

Hello, Since I am hungry to learn, I would ask more about the Future and 'if' clauses. As it is written above, "in time clauses and conditional clauses, with words like if, when...we often use present tense forms"... but we can use "will" if it means want to or be willing to. This means that: I will be very happy if you will come to my party. I will be very happy if you come to my party. Are both sentences correct? I am a bit confused because with the if clauses, I normally use the present tense forms to talk about the future. Is that an exception to the general rule? Thank you!

Hi User_1,

Yes, that's right. Both are correct and they mean basically the same thing, although "if you will come" may give the idea of "if you want to come" or "if you are willing to come". In comparison, "if you come" is simply the action of coming.

Here is an example where "will" cannot be used in the "if" clause, because the idea of being willing is not relevant to the action.

• Even if Barcelona will lose tomorrow, they will still be champions. (incorrect)
• Even if Barcelona lose tomorrow, they will still be champions. (correct)

If you have doubts, it's always fine to just use present tense forms, as you normally do!

Hi Jonathan, Thanks for your help! Since the present is the correct form, I keep on using that to avoid grammar mistakes.

I know that in time clauses with words like before, when, after, and until, we often use present tense forms to talk about the future, but could you explain why or if it's something idiomatic?

Hello CarolinaRuiz,

I'm not sure I can say why this is the case. Language doesn't really work like that - it evolves rather than being planned with identifiable purposes.

What I can say is that, unlike many languages, English does not have a future tense. Instead, we have many ways of talking about the future. These include present tenses, modal verbs (like will or might) and even past tenses (for unlikely or hypothetical futures). Using present tenses for future meaning is nothing unusual - it's part of the normal language system of English.

Hello. I'd like to ask there is written "I'll come home when I finish work." As i know /finish/ is a gerund so why there is /work/ not /working/ ( it seems like infinitive without to) or i remember not correctly¿ I have an exam and I am trying to learn in all situations. (I think i have to improve my writing also) I'm really grateful for your help.

Hello alice.wu,

I think you mean that 'finish' is followed by a gerund and that is correct: I finished working late last night.

However, 'finish' can also be followed by a noun: I finished the project yesterday.

In your example, 'work' is a noun and it is the object of 'finish'.

The LearnEnglish

Why is it not "Barcelona loses" in your example? Why is the verb plural?

Hello m6769,

The names of institutions and organisations can often be either singular or plural, so you can say 'Barcelona loses' or 'Barcelona lose'.

Some other examples of this include the army, the police, the government, the European Union, the judiciary, the media and the BBC .

If a "would have V3" sentence is used alone, should we take it as a sentence about an unreal past situation?

For example ... "the landscape would have been open" ... does this sentence mean that ... in fact landscape was not open in the past?

Thanks a lot.

Hello Ilter,

It certainly could be talking about an unreal past situation, and I'd even go so far as to say it probably is talking about an unreal past situation, but what exactly it means really depends on the context. The context and the verb forms make meaning together.

If you can give us the context, then we can tell you more.

All the best, Kirk The LearnEnglish Team

Hello Kirk,

The complete paragraph is ...

"Walking back through the menhirs, Agogué explained while the Alignments are reasonably well preserved, both nature and humans have altered the appearance of the site over time. When the Alignments were constructed, the landscape would have been open, without the trees that now divide and flank the sections, and the sea would have been further away. And in the past 6,000 years, some of the menhirs have toppled over – including one last year."

In this context, I think that it does not talk about an unreal past ... would "might have been" be more correct here? What the meaning here "would" adding to the context?

Thanks a lot, Best wishes

Thanks for giving the full context -- that's much clearer now.

This is the use described on our 'will have' and 'would have' page in sentences such as:

It was half past five. Dad would have finished work.

In a case like this, the speaker has good reasons for their belief (for example, she knows her father always finishes at 5:00), but not direct evidence (she hasn't seen him leave work). The speaker is imagining a situation that they haven't witnessed but which seems likely due to some evidence. It could be their knowledge of that person's typical behaviour, or it could be some other evidence.

In the passage you ask about, the writer supposes that the landscape was open in the past -- they probably have some archaeological or historical evidence to support this idea and are fairly certain about it -- but obviously they didn't witness it themselves.

Does that make sense?

Yes got it ... thank you so much Kirk ... best wishes

Hey, I hope it's still okay to comment, I have two examples about which I'd like to know more please! first example: *boy comes to a girl's house to ask her dad* "Hey, is she here? I promised her I'd see her before I left" second example: *they don't want him to go outside while there's danger* "Nobody would want him to leave the safety of the house until the criminal was caught"

Please explain these two to me! Maybe with a sort of model/format/structure and also the name of this? And I couldn't find anything on the web with this example, especially with before/until, and would + verb so if you could talk about this too if there's anything to it.

Thank you in advance!

Hi aa223,

Sure, no problem. You can think of example 1 as reported speech (i.e. indirect speech). The boy may have said to the girl, "I promise I'll see you before I leave". Some time later, the boy tells the girl's dad what he promised her earlier, so it all shifts back into the past (promise --> promised; I'll see --> I would see; leave --> left). You can read more about this on our Reported Speech 1 page (linked) .

In example 2, "would" and the use of the simple past "was caught" frame the situation as an imagined or hypothetical one, rather than one that is realistic or bound to happen. It suggests that the speaker is not confident or certain that the criminal will actually be caught. Saying "Nobody would want him ..." (rather than "Nobody wants him ...") suggests that the speaker has not actually gone around and asked everybody what they want, but is supposing or assuming what they want.

I hope that helps to make sense of it.

Hi dear team. I was wondering if you could help me identify what kind of sentence the following one I saw in a movie. I mean, I know that the zero conditional is used with present simple in both clauses but I don't know if we can use zero conditional with both clauses in simple past. And also I know that the second conditional is used for hypothetical situations and has a Modal verb like would and will. My question is what kind of sentence is this one? : "If somebody said it was a happy little tale, if somebody told you I was just an average ordinary guy, not a care in the world, somebody lied". Thank you so much.

Hello David,

When we're not speaking about an imaginary or unreal situation (as in a second or third conditional), the verb tenses we use in sentences with 'if' have their 'normal' meanings -- in other words, the present refers to the present and the past to the past.

That's the case for the sentence 'If somebody said it was a happy little tale, if somebody told you I was just an average ordinary guy, not a care in the world, somebody lied'. Without knowing more about the situation, it's hard to work exactly what is meant by this, but basically the speaker is saying that whatever another person said about them isn't or wasn't true.

Thank you so much dear Kirk for your help. So is it possible to classify the if clause in simple past and the main clause in simple past in a specific category? I mean do you think that sentences like: 'if someone called me, I didn't notice it' or 'if I came late, it wasn't my fault' are a kind of zero conditional with both clauses in simple past or do they belong to a different category? Thank you so much. And regarding the sentence from the previous comment do you think it is a kind of indirect question? I mean: (' did somebody say it was a happy little tale? Well, somebody lied = 'If somebody said it was a happy little tale, somebody lied'). Thank you so much for your help.

Hello David Araque,

The so-called 'zero', 'first', 'second' and 'third' conditional labels were created by teachers as a way to help students make sense of some common patterns. But the truth is, 'if' sentences can be used with any verb tense that makes sense. Of course, what makes sense isn't always easy for students to discern, and so that's why we have these labels. But, as you've discovered, other combinations are possible.

If you think about it, the tenses in zero and first conditionals are 'normal' uses of the verb tenses. The same is true of second and third conditionals, too, because the use of the past to talk about unreal situations is a use of the past tense that also occurs in other structures (e.g. 'I wish it were raining now'); we just don't typically think of these uses. So really all the tenses we use in 'if' sentences are normal uses of the verb tenses that exist in other situations too.

I wouldn't call the sentence in a question a zero conditional, personally. It's two past simple verbs used to talk about a condition in the past. But if coming up with some name for this structure helps you remember it, then by all means, go ahead -- just know it will be your own creation.

Yes, 'Did somebody say (that) it was a happy little tale?' has the structure of an indirect question. But if you combine it with 'somebody' lied, the indirect question is embedded within the larger 'if' sentence.

Hope that helps.

Thank you so much dear Kirk for your explanation. It really helped me a lot.

Can you please shed light on the proper structure of this sentence.

"He promised to come when he was/is done at work"

Please which is correct to use between "was" or "is"?

Hello Aryin,

It depends. If the speaker thinks the man is still working when the speaker says this, then 'is' is the correct form. But if the speaker thinks the man already finished his work at the time of speaking, then 'was' is the correct form.

Sir, In your above-mentioned example

‘We would go by train if it wasn't so expensive. (= We will not go by train because it is too expensive.) I would look after the children for you at the weekend if I was at home. (= I cannot look after the children because I will not be at home.)

- I used to write e.g. ‘We would go by train if it weren’t (!) so expensive.’ ‘I would look after the children for you at the weekend if I were (!) at home.’

Could you, please, explain it to me why you used another grammatical form?

Thank you in advance.

Hello Helena-Victoria,

In 'if' clauses talking about an unreal situation, both 'was' and 'were' are correct forms of the verb 'be' for both first-person singular subjects ('I') and third-person singular subjects ('he', 'she' or 'it').

Many years ago, the only correct form for such situations was 'were', but now in all but very formal situations, 'was' is also accepted. If it's easier for you to remember 'were', then by all means use it -- it is perfectly correct!

It could refer to the present or the future :)

• Present: If you want (right now) to lose weight, ...
• Future: If you want (at some point in the future) to lose weight, ...

We would need to know the context in which this is said to know which timeframe is intended.

Hello Nevi,

Yes, it looks as if you understand this correctly. Good work!

All the best,

Hello Nevı,

In your example when is a conjunction.

You can see similar examples in dictionary entries such as this:

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• I 've already visited three universities.
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• visit  →  visit ed   arrive  →  arriv ed
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• do, did  →  done   eat, ate  →  eaten
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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to do homework: 15 expert tips and tricks.

Coursework/GPA

Everyone struggles with homework sometimes, but if getting your homework done has become a chronic issue for you, then you may need a little extra help. That’s why we’ve written this article all about how to do homework. Once you’re finished reading it, you’ll know how to do homework (and have tons of new ways to motivate yourself to do homework)!

We’ve broken this article down into a few major sections. You’ll find:

• A diagnostic test to help you figure out why you’re struggling with homework
• A discussion of the four major homework problems students face, along with expert tips for addressing them 
• A bonus section with tips for how to do homework fast

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepared to tackle whatever homework assignments your teachers throw at you . 

So let’s get started! 

How to Do Homework: Figure Out Your Struggles 

Sometimes it feels like everything is standing between you and getting your homework done. But the truth is, most people only have one or two major roadblocks that are keeping them from getting their homework done well and on time. 

The best way to figure out how to get motivated to do homework starts with pinpointing the issues that are affecting your ability to get your assignments done. That’s why we’ve developed a short quiz to help you identify the areas where you’re struggling. 

Take the quiz below and record your answers on your phone or on a scrap piece of paper. Keep in mind there are no wrong answers! 

1. You’ve just been assigned an essay in your English class that’s due at the end of the week. What’s the first thing you do?

A. Keep it in mind, even though you won’t start it until the day before it’s due  B. Open up your planner. You’ve got to figure out when you’ll write your paper since you have band practice, a speech tournament, and your little sister’s dance recital this week, too.  C. Groan out loud. Another essay? You could barely get yourself to write the last one!  D. Start thinking about your essay topic, which makes you think about your art project that’s due the same day, which reminds you that your favorite artist might have just posted to Instagram...so you better check your feed right now. 

2. Your mom asked you to pick up your room before she gets home from work. You’ve just gotten home from school. You decide you’ll tackle your chores: 

A. Five minutes before your mom walks through the front door. As long as it gets done, who cares when you start?  B. As soon as you get home from your shift at the local grocery store.  C. After you give yourself a 15-minute pep talk about how you need to get to work.  D. You won’t get it done. Between texts from your friends, trying to watch your favorite Netflix show, and playing with your dog, you just lost track of time! 

3. You’ve signed up to wash dogs at the Humane Society to help earn money for your senior class trip. You: 

A. Show up ten minutes late. You put off leaving your house until the last minute, then got stuck in unexpected traffic on the way to the shelter.  B. Have to call and cancel at the last minute. You forgot you’d already agreed to babysit your cousin and bake cupcakes for tomorrow’s bake sale.  C. Actually arrive fifteen minutes early with extra brushes and bandanas you picked up at the store. You’re passionate about animals, so you’re excited to help out! D. Show up on time, but only get three dogs washed. You couldn’t help it: you just kept getting distracted by how cute they were!

4. You have an hour of downtime, so you decide you’re going to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show. You: 

A. Scroll through your social media feeds for twenty minutes before hitting play, which means you’re not able to finish the whole episode. Ugh! You really wanted to see who was sent home!  B. Watch fifteen minutes until you remember you’re supposed to pick up your sister from band practice before heading to your part-time job. No GBBO for you!  C. You finish one episode, then decide to watch another even though you’ve got SAT studying to do. It’s just more fun to watch people make scones.  D. Start the episode, but only catch bits and pieces of it because you’re reading Twitter, cleaning out your backpack, and eating a snack at the same time.

5. Your teacher asks you to stay after class because you’ve missed turning in two homework assignments in a row. When she asks you what’s wrong, you say: 

A. You planned to do your assignments during lunch, but you ran out of time. You decided it would be better to turn in nothing at all than submit unfinished work.  B. You really wanted to get the assignments done, but between your extracurriculars, family commitments, and your part-time job, your homework fell through the cracks.  C. You have a hard time psyching yourself to tackle the assignments. You just can’t seem to find the motivation to work on them once you get home.  D. You tried to do them, but you had a hard time focusing. By the time you realized you hadn’t gotten anything done, it was already time to turn them in. 

Like we said earlier, there are no right or wrong answers to this quiz (though your results will be better if you answered as honestly as possible). Here’s how your answers break down: 

• If your answers were mostly As, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is procrastination. 
• If your answers were mostly Bs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is time management. 
• If your answers were mostly Cs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is motivation. 
• If your answers were mostly Ds, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is getting distracted. 

Now that you’ve identified why you’re having a hard time getting your homework done, we can help you figure out how to fix it! Scroll down to find your core problem area to learn more about how you can start to address it. 

And one more thing: you’re really struggling with homework, it’s a good idea to read through every section below. You may find some additional tips that will help make homework less intimidating. 

How to Do Homework When You’re a Procrastinator  

Merriam Webster defines “procrastinate” as “to put off intentionally and habitually.” In other words, procrastination is when you choose to do something at the last minute on a regular basis. If you’ve ever found yourself pulling an all-nighter, trying to finish an assignment between periods, or sprinting to turn in a paper minutes before a deadline, you’ve experienced the effects of procrastination. 

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, you’re in good company. In fact, one study found that 70% to 95% of undergraduate students procrastinate when it comes to doing their homework. Unfortunately, procrastination can negatively impact your grades. Researchers have found that procrastination can lower your grade on an assignment by as much as five points ...which might not sound serious until you realize that can mean the difference between a B- and a C+. 

Procrastination can also negatively affect your health by increasing your stress levels , which can lead to other health conditions like insomnia, a weakened immune system, and even heart conditions. Getting a handle on procrastination can not only improve your grades, it can make you feel better, too! 

The big thing to understand about procrastination is that it’s not the result of laziness. Laziness is defined as being “disinclined to activity or exertion.” In other words, being lazy is all about doing nothing. But a s this Psychology Today article explains , procrastinators don’t put things off because they don’t want to work. Instead, procrastinators tend to postpone tasks they don’t want to do in favor of tasks that they perceive as either more important or more fun. Put another way, procrastinators want to do things...as long as it’s not their homework! 

3 Tips f or Conquering Procrastination 

Because putting off doing homework is a common problem, there are lots of good tactics for addressing procrastination. Keep reading for our three expert tips that will get your homework habits back on track in no time. 

#1: Create a Reward System

Like we mentioned earlier, procrastination happens when you prioritize other activities over getting your homework done. Many times, this happens because homework...well, just isn’t enjoyable. But you can add some fun back into the process by rewarding yourself for getting your work done. 

Here’s what we mean: let’s say you decide that every time you get your homework done before the day it’s due, you’ll give yourself a point. For every five points you earn, you’ll treat yourself to your favorite dessert: a chocolate cupcake! Now you have an extra (delicious!) incentive to motivate you to leave procrastination in the dust. 

If you’re not into cupcakes, don’t worry. Your reward can be anything that motivates you . Maybe it’s hanging out with your best friend or an extra ten minutes of video game time. As long as you’re choosing something that makes homework worth doing, you’ll be successful. 

#2: Have a Homework Accountability Partner 

If you’re having trouble getting yourself to start your homework ahead of time, it may be a good idea to call in reinforcements . Find a friend or classmate you can trust and explain to them that you’re trying to change your homework habits. Ask them if they’d be willing to text you to make sure you’re doing your homework and check in with you once a week to see if you’re meeting your anti-procrastination goals. 

Sharing your goals can make them feel more real, and an accountability partner can help hold you responsible for your decisions. For example, let’s say you’re tempted to put off your science lab write-up until the morning before it’s due. But you know that your accountability partner is going to text you about it tomorrow...and you don’t want to fess up that you haven’t started your assignment. A homework accountability partner can give you the extra support and incentive you need to keep your homework habits on track. 

#3: Create Your Own Due Dates 

If you’re a life-long procrastinator, you might find that changing the habit is harder than you expected. In that case, you might try using procrastination to your advantage! If you just can’t seem to stop doing your work at the last minute, try setting your own due dates for assignments that range from a day to a week before the assignment is actually due. 

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say you have a math worksheet that’s been assigned on Tuesday and is due on Friday. In your planner, you can write down the due date as Thursday instead. You may still put off your homework assignment until the last minute...but in this case, the “last minute” is a day before the assignment’s real due date . This little hack can trick your procrastination-addicted brain into planning ahead! 

If you feel like Kevin Hart in this meme, then our tips for doing homework when you're busy are for you. 

How to Do Homework When You’re too Busy

If you’re aiming to go to a top-tier college , you’re going to have a full plate. Because college admissions is getting more competitive, it’s important that you’re maintaining your grades , studying hard for your standardized tests , and participating in extracurriculars so your application stands out. A packed schedule can get even more hectic once you add family obligations or a part-time job to the mix. 

If you feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions at once, you’re not alone. Recent research has found that stress—and more severe stress-related conditions like anxiety and depression— are a major problem for high school students . In fact, one study from the American Psychological Association found that during the school year, students’ stress levels are higher than those of the adults around them. 

For students, homework is a major contributor to their overall stress levels . Many high schoolers have multiple hours of homework every night , and figuring out how to fit it into an already-packed schedule can seem impossible. 

3 Tips for Fitting Homework Into Your Busy Schedule

While it might feel like you have literally no time left in your schedule, there are still ways to make sure you’re able to get your homework done and meet your other commitments. Here are our expert homework tips for even the busiest of students. 

#1: Make a Prioritized To-Do List 

You probably already have a to-do list to keep yourself on track. The next step is to prioritize the items on your to-do list so you can see what items need your attention right away. 

Here’s how it works: at the beginning of each day, sit down and make a list of all the items you need to get done before you go to bed. This includes your homework, but it should also take into account any practices, chores, events, or job shifts you may have. Once you get everything listed out, it’s time to prioritize them using the labels A, B, and C. Here’s what those labels mean:

• A Tasks : tasks that have to get done—like showing up at work or turning in an assignment—get an A. 
• B Tasks : these are tasks that you would like to get done by the end of the day but aren’t as time sensitive. For example, studying for a test you have next week could be a B-level task. It’s still important, but it doesn’t have to be done right away. 
• C Tasks: these are tasks that aren’t very important and/or have no real consequences if you don’t get them done immediately. For instance, if you’re hoping to clean out your closet but it’s not an assigned chore from your parents, you could label that to-do item with a C. 

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you visualize which items need your immediate attention, and which items you can leave for later. A prioritized to-do list ensures that you’re spending your time efficiently and effectively, which helps you make room in your schedule for homework. So even though you might really want to start making decorations for Homecoming (a B task), you’ll know that finishing your reading log (an A task) is more important. 

#2: Use a Planner With Time Labels 

Your planner is probably packed with notes, events, and assignments already. (And if you’re not using a planner, it’s time to start!) But planners can do more for you than just remind you when an assignment is due. If you’re using a planner with time labels, it can help you visualize how you need to spend your day.

A planner with time labels breaks your day down into chunks, and you assign tasks to each chunk of time. For example, you can make a note of your class schedule with assignments, block out time to study, and make sure you know when you need to be at practice. Once you know which tasks take priority, you can add them to any empty spaces in your day. 

Planning out how you spend your time not only helps you use it wisely, it can help you feel less overwhelmed, too . We’re big fans of planners that include a task list ( like this one ) or have room for notes ( like this one ). 

#3: Set Reminders on Your Phone 

If you need a little extra nudge to make sure you’re getting your homework done on time, it’s a good idea to set some reminders on your phone. You don’t need a fancy app, either. You can use your alarm app to have it go off at specific times throughout the day to remind you to do your homework. This works especially well if you have a set homework time scheduled. So if you’ve decided you’re doing homework at 6:00 pm, you can set an alarm to remind you to bust out your books and get to work. 

If you use your phone as your planner, you may have the option to add alerts, emails, or notifications to scheduled events . Many calendar apps, including the one that comes with your phone, have built-in reminders that you can customize to meet your needs. So if you block off time to do your homework from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, you can set a reminder that will pop up on your phone when it’s time to get started. 

This dog isn't judging your lack of motivation...but your teacher might. Keep reading for tips to help you motivate yourself to do your homework.

How to Do Homework When You’re Unmotivated 

At first glance, it may seem like procrastination and being unmotivated are the same thing. After all, both of these issues usually result in you putting off your homework until the very last minute. 

But there’s one key difference: many procrastinators are working, they’re just prioritizing work differently. They know they’re going to start their homework...they’re just going to do it later. 

Conversely, people who are unmotivated to do homework just can’t find the willpower to tackle their assignments. Procrastinators know they’ll at least attempt the homework at the last minute, whereas people who are unmotivated struggle with convincing themselves to do it at a ll. For procrastinators, the stress comes from the inevitable time crunch. For unmotivated people, the stress comes from trying to convince themselves to do something they don’t want to do in the first place. 

Here are some common reasons students are unmotivated in doing homework : 

• Assignments are too easy, too hard, or seemingly pointless 
• Students aren’t interested in (or passionate about) the subject matter
• Students are intimidated by the work and/or feels like they don’t understand the assignment 
• Homework isn’t fun, and students would rather spend their time on things that they enjoy 

To sum it up: people who lack motivation to do their homework are more likely to not do it at all, or to spend more time worrying about doing their homework than...well, actually doing it.

3 Tips for How to Get Motivated to Do Homework

The key to getting homework done when you’re unmotivated is to figure out what does motivate you, then apply those things to homework. It sounds tricky...but it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it! Here are our three expert tips for motivating yourself to do your homework. 

#1: Use Incremental Incentives

When you’re not motivated, it’s important to give yourself small rewards to stay focused on finishing the task at hand. The trick is to keep the incentives small and to reward yourself often. For example, maybe you’re reading a good book in your free time. For every ten minutes you spend on your homework, you get to read five pages of your book. Like we mentioned earlier, make sure you’re choosing a reward that works for you! 

So why does this technique work? Using small rewards more often allows you to experience small wins for getting your work done. Every time you make it to one of your tiny reward points, you get to celebrate your success, which gives your brain a boost of dopamine . Dopamine helps you stay motivated and also creates a feeling of satisfaction when you complete your homework !  

#2: Form a Homework Group 

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, it’s okay to turn to others for support. Creating a homework group can help with this. Bring together a group of your friends or classmates, and pick one time a week where you meet and work on homework together. You don’t have to be in the same class, or even taking the same subjects— the goal is to encourage one another to start (and finish!) your assignments. 

Another added benefit of a homework group is that you can help one another if you’re struggling to understand the material covered in your classes. This is especially helpful if your lack of motivation comes from being intimidated by your assignments. Asking your friends for help may feel less scary than talking to your teacher...and once you get a handle on the material, your homework may become less frightening, too. 

#3: Change Up Your Environment 

If you find that you’re totally unmotivated, it may help if you find a new place to do your homework. For example, if you’ve been struggling to get your homework done at home, try spending an extra hour in the library after school instead. The change of scenery can limit your distractions and give you the energy you need to get your work done. 

If you’re stuck doing homework at home, you can still use this tip. For instance, maybe you’ve always done your homework sitting on your bed. Try relocating somewhere else, like your kitchen table, for a few weeks. You may find that setting up a new “homework spot” in your house gives you a motivational lift and helps you get your work done. 

Social media can be a huge problem when it comes to doing homework. We have advice for helping you unplug and regain focus.

How to Do Homework When You’re Easily Distracted

We live in an always-on world, and there are tons of things clamoring for our attention. From friends and family to pop culture and social media, it seems like there’s always something (or someone!) distracting us from the things we need to do.

The 24/7 world we live in has affected our ability to focus on tasks for prolonged periods of time. Research has shown that over the past decade, an average person’s attention span has gone from 12 seconds to eight seconds . And when we do lose focus, i t takes people a long time to get back on task . One study found that it can take as long as 23 minutes to get back to work once we’ve been distracte d. No wonder it can take hours to get your homework done! 

3 Tips to Improve Your Focus

If you have a hard time focusing when you’re doing your homework, it’s a good idea to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Here are three expert tips for blocking out the noise so you can focus on getting your homework done. 

#1: Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Pick a place where you’ll do your homework every day, and make it as distraction-free as possible. Try to find a location where there won’t be tons of noise, and limit your access to screens while you’re doing your homework. Put together a focus-oriented playlist (or choose one on your favorite streaming service), and put your headphones on while you work. 

You may find that other people, like your friends and family, are your biggest distraction. If that’s the case, try setting up some homework boundaries. Let them know when you’ll be working on homework every day, and ask them if they’ll help you keep a quiet environment. They’ll be happy to lend a hand! 

#2: Limit Your Access to Technology 

We know, we know...this tip isn’t fun, but it does work. For homework that doesn’t require a computer, like handouts or worksheets, it’s best to put all your technology away . Turn off your television, put your phone and laptop in your backpack, and silence notifications on any wearable tech you may be sporting. If you listen to music while you work, that’s fine...but make sure you have a playlist set up so you’re not shuffling through songs once you get started on your homework. 

If your homework requires your laptop or tablet, it can be harder to limit your access to distractions. But it’s not impossible! T here are apps you can download that will block certain websites while you’re working so that you’re not tempted to scroll through Twitter or check your Facebook feed. Silence notifications and text messages on your computer, and don’t open your email account unless you absolutely have to. And if you don’t need access to the internet to complete your assignments, turn off your WiFi. Cutting out the online chatter is a great way to make sure you’re getting your homework done. 

#3: Set a Timer (the Pomodoro Technique)

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique ? It’s a productivity hack that uses a timer to help you focus!

Here’s how it works: first, set a timer for 25 minutes. This is going to be your work time. During this 25 minutes, all you can do is work on whatever homework assignment you have in front of you. No email, no text messaging, no phone calls—just homework. When that timer goes off, you get to take a 5 minute break. Every time you go through one of these cycles, it’s called a “pomodoro.” For every four pomodoros you complete, you can take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The pomodoro technique works through a combination of boundary setting and rewards. First, it gives you a finite amount of time to focus, so you know that you only have to work really hard for 25 minutes. Once you’ve done that, you’re rewarded with a short break where you can do whatever you want. Additionally, tracking how many pomodoros you complete can help you see how long you’re really working on your homework. (Once you start using our focus tips, you may find it doesn’t take as long as you thought!)

Two Bonus Tips for How to Do Homework Fast

Even if you’re doing everything right, there will be times when you just need to get your homework done as fast as possible. (Why do teachers always have projects due in the same week? The world may never know.)

The problem with speeding through homework is that it’s easy to make mistakes. While turning in an assignment is always better than not submitting anything at all, you want to make sure that you’re not compromising quality for speed. Simply put, the goal is to get your homework done quickly and still make a good grade on the assignment! 

Here are our two bonus tips for getting a decent grade on your homework assignments , even when you’re in a time crunch. 

#1: Do the Easy Parts First 

This is especially true if you’re working on a handout with multiple questions. Before you start working on the assignment, read through all the questions and problems. As you do, make a mark beside the questions you think are “easy” to answer . 

Once you’ve finished going through the whole assignment, you can answer these questions first. Getting the easy questions out of the way as quickly as possible lets you spend more time on the trickier portions of your homework, which will maximize your assignment grade. 

(Quick note: this is also a good strategy to use on timed assignments and tests, like the SAT and the ACT !) 

#2: Pay Attention in Class 

Homework gets a lot easier when you’re actively learning the material. Teachers aren’t giving you homework because they’re mean or trying to ruin your weekend... it’s because they want you to really understand the course material. Homework is designed to reinforce what you’re already learning in class so you’ll be ready to tackle harder concepts later. 

When you pay attention in class, ask questions, and take good notes, you’re absorbing the information you’ll need to succeed on your homework assignments. (You’re stuck in class anyway, so you might as well make the most of it!) Not only will paying attention in class make your homework less confusing, it will also help it go much faster, too. 

What’s Next?

If you’re looking to improve your productivity beyond homework, a good place to begin is with time management. After all, we only have so much time in a day...so it’s important to get the most out of it! To get you started, check out this list of the 12 best time management techniques that you can start using today.

You may have read this article because homework struggles have been affecting your GPA. Now that you’re on the path to homework success, it’s time to start being proactive about raising your grades. This article teaches you everything you need to know about raising your GPA so you can

Now you know how to get motivated to do homework...but what about your study habits? Studying is just as critical to getting good grades, and ultimately getting into a good college . We can teach you how to study bette r in high school. (We’ve also got tons of resources to help you study for your ACT and SAT exams , too!) 

Need more help with this topic? Check out Tutorbase!

Our vetted tutor database includes a range of experienced educators who can help you polish an essay for English or explain how derivatives work for Calculus. You can use dozens of filters and search criteria to find the perfect person for your needs.

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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How to Finish Your Homework

Last Updated: March 2, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Emily Listmann, MA . Emily Listmann is a private tutor in San Carlos, California. She has worked as a Social Studies Teacher, Curriculum Coordinator, and an SAT Prep Teacher. She received her MA in Education from the Stanford Graduate School of Education in 2014. There are 17 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 279,939 times.

While studying can differ for different age groups, many of the things that get in the way are the same. Whether it's your environment or time management skills, it easy for things to discourage you from finishing your homework. With a little organization and help, your homework can become approachable.

Managing Your Time

• For instance, try setting aside a time you know you can work well such as an hour or 2 before dinner, or if you're a night owl, after dinner.

• Work in hour blocks, with 50 minutes spent studying and 10 minutes spent taking a break.
• It can also be helpful to move around when you are taking your break, especially if you are working at a screen. Go for a walk outside to get your blood circulating and enjoy some fresh air.
• You might also want to eat a healthy snack on your break to improve your focus. Avoid junk food and choose something like a handful of nuts, a piece of fruit, veggies, or a small portion of cottage cheese.

• Identify which assignments are worth the most points for each class. Most likely these will take the longest to complete. [5] X Research source
• Consider how long you have to do each project, and if possible, see when the assignment is introduced. Oftentimes, primary and secondary school classes do not have syllabi, so it might be harder to plan out an entire term, but if you are in college, you will most likely have a syllabus with at least a partial course schedule. Knowing how long you have to complete an assignment will help you prioritize which assignments to do first. You can also ask the teacher how long you have to complete an assignment. [6] X Research source

• Use highlighters or stickers to mark which assignments are most important.
• If you're using an online or mobile schedule, create alerts or notifications for the projects and any time-sensitive steps for those projects.

• Don't let a big project overshadow the smaller assignments you need to complete!

• Assignment outlines can help you visualize the necessary tasks to get the assignment done.

Creating a Productive Work Environment

• A desk or table would be a better location than a couch or a bed.

• Turn your phone off or on silent (not vibrate). It might be best to put the phone out of sight, or in another room while you work, as the temptation to text or get on social media can be as much of a distraction as actually using social media.
• Use an app that blocks social media. There are plenty of applications out there that can help block social media and other distracting sites (such as shopping or gaming sites). [10] X Trustworthy Source Pew Research Center Nonpartisan thinktank conducting research and providing information on public opinion, demographic trends, and social trends Go to source

• Use a white noise app to block out noise.
• Use earplugs or noise-blocking earmuffs. [12] X Research source
• Work in a quiet place, such as a library or a home office, if you have one.
• Avoid listening to music while studying. Studies have shown that although listening to music while studying lowers overall performance, this does not affect everyone equally. [13] X Research source However listening to music before studying has been shown to improve performance on cognitive tasks. [14] X Research source

Using Your Resources

• If you're too afraid to ask a teacher during class, see if you can stay behind to ask your questions.

• First, contact your school to see if there are any after-school tutoring programs. While not all primary and secondary schools offer tutoring, a vast majority of universities do. If your school does not offer tutoring, they may know of other resources for you to contact.
• Then, contact your library to see if they offer any tutoring. [18] X Research source
• In some areas, there may also be free community tutoring programs. Contact your local community center for more information.
• There are plenty of private tutors out there as well, but they can be costly (ranging from $20 to $100 an hour). [19] X Research source You can find tutors online through a number of websites, such as Craigslist or Angie's list.

• If you need to work at a library after school, ask your parents or search the web to find your local library.

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• ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/homework.html
• ↑ https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/power-habit-charles-duhigg
• ↑ https://www.edutopia.org/article/research-tested-benefits-breaks/
• ↑ https://www.wma.us/about/titan-blog/post/~board/titan-blog/post/how-to-prioritize-school-assignments-and-homework
• ↑ https://jhsap.org/self_help_resources/school-life_balance//
• ↑ https://lsc.cornell.edu/how-to-study/studying-for-and-taking-exams/guidelines-for-creating-a-study-schedule/
• ↑ https://success.oregonstate.edu/learning/concentration
• ↑ https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2020/07/28/parenting-children-in-the-age-of-screens/
• ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/homework.html/
• ↑ https://absn.northeastern.edu/blog/8-things-to-keep-in-your-at-home-study-space/
• ↑ https://scholar.utc.edu/theses/171/
• ↑ https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/acp.1731
• ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/talk-to-parents.html
• ↑ https://rdw.rowan.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2412&context=etd
• ↑ https://blogs.chapman.edu/scst/2016/02/09/what-tutoring-is-and-what-tutoring-is-not/
• ↑ https://undergrad.stanford.edu/tutoring-support
• ↑ https://www.ideaedu.org/idea-notes-on-instruction/encouraged-students-to-use-multiple-resources-e-g-internet-library-holdings-outside-experts-to-improve-understanding/

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How to Finish Your Homework Fast – 5 Effective Tips and Tricks

Students of all ages find themselves struggling to finish their homework for one reason or another. In a technology-driven world, it’s always tempting to check your social media feed, play video games, or watch online videos to rid your mind of all your school worries. And before you know it, you have barely any time left to complete your homework and submit it on time.

Of course, you can’t be irresponsible and ignore your assignments altogether. It’s important to find ways to work around the everyday distractions and finish what needs to be done. Without question, this is easier said than done. But there are plenty of tips and tricks you can use to finish your homework fast. Keep reading to learn how to get motivated to complete your homework—even without lifting a finger!

Mastering the Basic Rules

There are some good tips you can follow which will ultimately help you focus on your assignments, stay organized and complete them in the least amount of time. These rules don’t require money or any special knowledge. It’s all about prepping yourself up for the task at hand. What’s great about mastering these basic rules is that once they become a habit, you’ll find yourself eager to finish your homework without even thinking about it.

• Eliminate Distractions – Several things cause you to feel distracted and unable to do your college or high school homework assignments. It’s not uncommon for you to start studying and doing your homework, and then your phone beeps and the rest is history. You constantly tell yourself that you’ll spend only 5 minutes on your phone, but you end up tapping away at the screen for hours on end. Other distractions include TV, magazines, and even the people surrounding you. Sometimes, all it takes is for a friend or family member to start a conversation to completely distract you from your schoolwork. This is precisely why you should eliminate distractions—or at least keep them to a minimum. Try to avoid watching TV, keeping your phone in another room, and finding a quiet place where you can’t be easily reached. Listening to music is neither an option.  If it requires living like a recluse for a few hours to complete your assignments, then, by all means, do it. It won’t be easy, but you’ll thank yourself for making this change. In any case, all these distractors will add hours and hours of homework.
• Prioritize Tasks – Many school students choose to do the easiest tasks first when the time to study comes. But did you know that experts recommend starting with the hardest task? This has to do with your willpower. Interestingly, willpower is a resource that diminishes as the day goes by. This explains why people love to lay in bed at night, nibble on midnight snacks and make irrational decisions late in the day. As soon as your classes are over, spend a couple of minutes planning what you should do for the rest of the day. If you need to write a research or dissertation paper, figure out how long it will take you to finish it. This helps you allow enough time for your assignments, and perhaps find some time to do other things you love—be it hanging out with friends, watching your favorite TV series, or just getting enough shuteye.
• Work with Peers – Introducing a system of accountability in your routine can go a long way in establishing excellent studying habits. Only a handful of the student population study with their classmates. Maybe this has to do with how convenient it is to communicate with others through instant messaging apps and social media platforms. Sometimes, it seems like there’s no sense in meeting in person with your friends if you can just text or call them for free. But when it comes to getting your homework done, working with your peers can be a huge difference maker that can make your brains work better. You might not realize it, but sitting in silence is the reason why you’re not feeling motivated to complete your assignments. Boredom can get the best of you at times, so why not try finding ways to make this otherwise dull activity into something fun and exciting? This offers the advantage of getting help from your friends if you’re having difficulties with a particular topic. Of course, it helps if you have a friend who performs well in your classes. As the adage goes, two heads are better than one. This can’t be any truer when it comes to studying. What’s more, there’ll be someone who holds you accountable for all the tasks you don’t finish on time. This can be just what you need to stay focused on your tasks.
• Understand the Consequences and Benefits – Many students don’t display any hesitation in saying that they hate assignments. It takes away time which they could otherwise spend with their families, friends, and favorite activities. There’s a never-ending debate about how useful assignments really are, but the fact remains that students have no choice other than to comply with the requirements given out by their teachers. Instead of purely thinking of how much you hate assignments, why not look on the other side and consider its benefits? Assignments can be a huge pain, but there’s no doubt that they aid your classroom learning. For one, it hones your problem-solving skills, especially if you manage to complete a difficult homework by doing all the research and studying yourself. It always feels rewarding when you accomplish something you thought you couldn’t. Also, take some time to think about the consequences of failing to complete your assignments on time. What happens if you don’t do your homework? The obvious repercussions include getting a bad grade and being scolded by your teachers and parents. But the biggest consequence is that you’re missing an opportunity to learn new lessons, discover your strengths, develop your skills to become not just a better student, but a better person as well.
• Get Professional Help – There are times in which you start doing your homework and then find yourself unable to progress. In most cases, this has to do with your lack of understanding of the topic, the unavailability of research materials, or an emergency that forces you to stop completing your assignment. What can you do during such scenarios? At first, you might think that there’s nothing left to do but accept the terrible grade you’ll receive and just move on. But did you know that you can enlist real experts to get your homework done fast? Assignment Expert has been helping students across the globe finish their assignments on time, get high marks, and learn their school lessons at the same time. It’s undeniable that many teachers give out assignments that prove too challenging. Some assignments may be about a topic that hasn’t been covered yet. It seems as if teachers always assume that students can do their own research because all the answers can be found on the web nowadays. But the fact is, students need professional help sometimes. This is your best course of action when you have a lot of assignments to finish but want to have free time instead. What’s great is that you’ll be matched with the right expert based on the topic and its difficulty. Whether you struggle with lack of motivation, don’t understand the subject, have just  one math problem or have to attend to an emergency, Assignment Expert is always ready and willing to work on your homework and finish it for you in no time.

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