Using the correct tense in writing?

Question

Should I use past tense to describe something of a permanent nature/situation? >"The Taipei 101 stands at ... (height) is the most famous financial centre in Taiwan and it has 101 floor of storeys". Since I'm writing an essay entitled "My holiday", should I write "The Taipei 101 ***stood*** at... **was** the most famous financial centre in Taiwan and it ***had*** 101 floor of storeys?" >"The card access system is a fully automated system that ***links*** with... and then the data captured ***is***..." As I'm writing my CV, I just wonder I should use past tense to describe the system/program that I had designed, but in fact they are still existing and running at present though I had left the previous company. Would it be more consistent with the text of other tasked performed if I write >"The card access system ***was*** a fully automated system that ***linked*** with... and then the data captured ***was*** ..." so that my whole text would be in past tense?

Answer 1

Hi! Regarding your first question--Use past tense to describe your actions ("I visited that building"), and present tense to describe the things you saw, if they are still there ("The building is 101 stories high.")

Regarding your second question, again, use past tense to describe your actions ("I designed a program") and present tense to describe the features of the program, if it still exists. ("The program helps with ____; it is capable of doing ______").

Hope that helps!