PAST TENSE

1. PAST PERFECT.

We use the past perfect when something happened in the past that could be EVOIDED or
CHANGED. The auxiliar used is the verb HAVE in past simple HAD.

A. Affirmative
SUBJECT + HAD + P.P.F.V. + C

NOTE: Remember that there are two different groups of verbs; regulars and irregulars.

EXAMPLES:

a) Regular verb:
Susan had played in the other volleyball team. For regular verbs, just add “ED” at
the end of them, for both forms; past simple and past participle.
b) Irregular verb:
My mother had death many years ego before my father. Irregular verbs should
change o not change; it depends.

B. Negative:
SUBJECT + HAD NOT + P.P.F.V. + C
(HADN’T)

EXAMPLES: (she’d not) we can find this kind of contraction also.

a) Regular verb:
Susan hadn’t played in the other volleyball team. For regular verbs, just add “ED”
at the end of them, for both forms; past simple and past participle.
b) Irregular verb:
My mother hadn’t dead many years ego before my father. Irregular verbs should
change o not change; it depends.
 C. Interrogative

YES/NOT QUESTIONS
HAD + SUBJECT + P.P.F.V. + C. + Q.M.

EXAMPLES:

a) Regular verb:
Had Susan played in the other volleyball team? For regular verbs, just add “ED” at
the end of them, for both forms; past simple and past participle.
b) Irregular verb:
Had My mother dead many years ego before my father? Irregular verbs should
change o not change; it depends.

WH- QUESTIONS
WH-WORD + HAD + SUBJECT + P.P.F.V. + C. + Q.M.

EXAMPLES:

a) Regular verb:
Why had Susan played in the other volleyball team? For regular verbs, just add
“ED” at the end of them, for both forms; past simple and past participle.
b) Irregular verb:
What year had My mother dead? For Irregular verbs should change o not
change; it depends.
ACTIVITY 2

Write down 5 sentences using regular verbs and another 5 using irregular verbs of each
structure (affirmative, negative, and interrogative including yes/no and wh-questions). As
the examples given. I will recommend you to use verbs that you are not familiar with, so
you can increase your verb vocabulary.

PRACTICING PAST PERFECT.

1. Where were they? What happened?

What had they done?

Last night, Dane and Emily danced in a competition. They danced a salsa dance. They had

Affirmative past simple with a regular verb.

practiced for 6 months before they danced in the competition. They were very good. Dane

Affirmative past perfect with a regular verb.

and Emily's friends were in the audience. Before that night, they had never seen Dane and

Negative past perfect with an irregular.

Emily dance. In fact, Dane and Emily had never danced in front of anyone before the

Negative past perfect with a regular.

competition.

After everyone had danced, the judges announced the winners. Dane and Emily won! They

were the best dancers in the competition. Emily said she had never practiced so hard

Negative past perfect with a regular verb.

before! She was glad they had practiced a lot.

Affirmative past perfect with a regular verb.

 2. Where were they? What did they do?

What had they done?

Last weekend, Mark and Trisha went on a date. Mark took Trisha to the golf course. Mark
loved to golf. He had learned to golf as a child. He had even played on a team in high
school.

Before that day, Trisha had never golfed. She did not know how to hold the golf club. She
did not know the rules.

Mark taught Trisha how to play. After Trisha had learned the basics, she hit the ball. It was
a good hit! Mark had taught Trisha well.

3. Where had I gone? What had I done?

What had I seen?

I had never seen such beautiful sights before I visited Paris in 2012. I had saved money for
5 years before I booked my trip to Paris. I was very excited! Before my trip to Paris, I had
never been out of the United States.

When I went to Paris, I spent many days touring the city. The city was big. Sometimes I got
lost and asked for directions. I asked for directions in French. That was easy because I had
studied French for 2 years before I visited Paris.

By the time I left Paris, I had toured many beautiful places. The Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame
Cathedral, and Luxembourg Gardens were just a few of the places I saw. Before I visited
Paris, I had only seen those places on television.

ACTIVITY 3

Copy down the reading so you can do the same as the example given in story no. 1.