In November 1967 a test was carried out at Vilnius State University and Vilnius State Pedagogical Institute with the aim to check the second- and third-year students’ knowledge, skills and habits in using English tenses. The objective of the test was to ascertain the difficulties the students encounter in learning English tenses. The results of the test revealed the following: I. The largest number of mistakes is made in the use of the Past Indefinite, Present Perfect and Past Perfect. This is caused by some reasons of philological and methodological character. Partially the teaching process which does not provide for the study of grammar as a separate aspect is to be blamed. II. The teaching of grammar should be rearranged in the following way: a) by changing the system of presenting and consolidating the grammar material proceeding from the peculiarities of the grammar system of the native language; b) by teaching grammar as a separate aspect in close connection with the entire material of the English language, taught at every particular higher school