Verb tenses

Depending on when you show a status or error message, you might use one of many different verb tenses.

Use recent past for instant feedback

For a status update on something that has just happened in response to a user action or when a user is otherwise watching for an update, use the present perfect tense. This is ideal for toast messages and terminal output.

There are two options:

• When brevity is the priority, use only the noun and verb (omitting articles and prepositions); for example, “Pipeline scheduled.”
• When you want to use a full phrase for a human feel, use a complete sentence; for example, “The pipeline has been scheduled.”

Use distant past for earlier feedback

For a status update about something that happened in the more distant past, use past tense.

Do	Don’t
The pipeline was last run on October 3.	The pipeline has been run on October 3.

Use present tense for future state

For a status update about something that's slated to happen in the future, use present tense.

Do	Don’t
The pipeline is scheduled to run on October 3.	The pipeline will be run on October 3.

Use present tense for instructions

For instructions, use present tense with an imperative verb.

Do	Don’t
Select the Designs tab.	You will need to select the Designs tab.
To see what’s changed, choose a branch or enter a commit.	Choosing a branch or entering a commit will show you what’s changed.