เทคนิคการใช้ Past Tense ในการเล่ าเรื่ อง

Past Tense คือ รู ปแบบของคำกริ ยาที่แสดงถึงเหตุการณ์หรื อการกระทำที่เกิดขึ ้นในอดีต แบ่งออกได้ เป็ น 4 รู ปแบบ ได้ แก่

1. Past Simple โดยมีโครงสร้ างรู ปแบบคือ Subject + Verb 2 หรื อ Verb เติม ed

2. Past Continuous โดยมีโครงสร้ างรู ปแบบคือ Subject + was/were + Verb (ing)

3. Past Perfect โดยมีโครงสร้ างรู ปแบบคือ Subject + had + Verb 3

4. Past Perfect Continuous โดยมีโครงสร้ างรู ปแบบคือ Subject + had + been + Verb (ing)

1. Past Simple Tense

(Subject + Verb 2 หรื อ Verb เติม ed) ใช้ กับเหตุการณ์ หรื อการกระทำที่เกิดขึน
้ และจบลงในอดีต มักมีคำหรือกลุ่ม
คำของอดีตมากำกับด้ วย เช่น
 ago (แต่ก่อน)

 once (ครัง้ หนึง่ ในอดีต)

 yesterday (เมื่อวานนี)้

 last night (เมื่อคืนก่อน)

 last month (เมื่อเดือนที่แล้ ว)

 when he was young (เมื่อตอนที่เขายังเป็ นเด็ก)

 after they had gone (หลังจากที่พวกเขาไปแล้ ว)

ตัวอย่ างประโยค
 I went to church yesterday. (ฉันไปโบสถ์เมื่อวานนี)้

 She bought that car last year. (เธอซื ้อรถคันนันเมื

้ ่อปี ที่แล้ ว)

2. Past Continuous Tense

(Subject + was, were + Verb (ing) ซึง่ มีวิธีการใช้ ดงั นี ้
2.1 ใช้ ร่วมกับ Past Simple Tense เมื่อมีเหตุการณ์หรื อการกระทำ 2 อย่างเกิดขึ ้นไม่พร้ อมกันในอดีต โดยให้ ใช้ Past
Simple Tense กับเหตุการณ์สนๆ
ั ้ ที่เกิดขึ ้นทีหลัง และใช้ Past Continuous Tense กับเหตุการณ์ที่เกิดขึ ้นก่อนและกำลัง
ดำเนินอยู่ในขณะนัน้ เช่น While I was watching the football match, I had a headache. (ขณะที่ฉนั กำลังดูการ
แข่งขันฟุตบอลอยู่นนั ้ ฉันก็ปวดศีรษะ)
2.2 ใช้ กับเหตุการณ์ หรื อการกระทำ 2 อย่ างที่กำลังดำเนินอยู๋ในอดีตในเวลาเดียวกัน เช่น We were playing while
they are studying. (พวกเรากำลังเล่นกัน ขณะที่พวกเขากำลังเรี ยน )

3. Past Perfect Tense

( Subject + had + Verb 3) มีวิธีการใช้ ดงั นี ้

3.1 ใช้ กับเหตุการณ์ หรื อการกระทำ 2 อย่ างที่เกิดขึน

้ และสิน้ สุดลงในอดีต โดยเหตุการณ์ที่เกิดขึ ้นก่อนให้ ใช้ Past
Perfect Tense ส่วนเหตุการณ์ที่เกิดขึ ้นทีหลังให้ ใช้ Past Simple Tense เช่น I went to work after I had eaten
breakfast.  (ฉันไปทำงานหลังจากที่ได้ ทานอาหารเช้ า) และ We had learnt Japanese before we went to Japan.
(พวกเราได้ เรี ยนภาษาญี่ปนก่ ุ่ อนที่พวกเราจะไปประเทศญี่ปนุ่ )
3.2 ใช้ กับการแสดงความปรารถนาในสิ่งที่ไม่ เป็ นจริ งที่ได้ เกิดขึน
้ แล้ วในอดีต เช่น We wish we had passed the
examination. (พวกเขาอยากให้ พวกเราสอบผ่าน ซึง่ ในความเป็ นจริ งแล้ วพวกเราสอบไม่ผ่าน)

4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense

(Subject + had + been + Verb (ing) มีวิธีการใช้ ท่ ไี ม่ แตกต่ างจาก Past Perfect Tense แต่ มีจุดต่ างกันตรงที่ Past
Perfect Continuous Tense จะเน้ นความต่ อเนื่องของเหตุการณ์  หรื อการกระทำได้ ดีกว่า Past Perfect Tense เช่น I
had been sleeping for two hours when he came in. (ฉันได้ นอนหลับต่อเนื่องมาเป็ นเวลา 2 ชัว่ โมงแล้ ว เมื่อตอนที่เขา
เข้ ามา)

Past Tense
The past tense is one of three general English grammatical tenses whose
function is to place an action or event in the past. All of the past tenses are
really important to know. Without knowing them, you will not be fully
prepared to understand sentences and you might misuse words. We begin
this section with the four main tenses. These are:

1. Past simple tense

2. Past continuous tense
3. Past perfect tense
4. Past perfect continuous tense

Some of these tenses use auxiliary verbs and some of them use past tense
verb forms. Fortunately, one past tense is used more than others – it is the
most important one: the past simple. Without knowing the past simple, you
will not be able to understand most sentences.

We use past tenses to talk about:

Anything in the past

We use past tenses generally to talk about some events in the past.

 He had worked there for 4 months.

 He moved to Oklahoma.

Referring to hypothetical present or future situations

Past tenses are very commonly used to talk about present or future situations.

 They are outside for 6 hours. I think they got hungry.

Wishes

These tenses are also used to wish for something. In these situations, we also
refer to the future.

 I wish it was raining today.

 I wish we hadn’t spent so much time together.

Conditions
These tenses can also describe some kind of conditions.

 If you were playing, we would probably win.

 If he asked, I would help him.

Polite expressions in the present

Past tenses are also very often used to speak politely to someone.

 I just thought you wanted to be here.

 Excuse me, I was wondering if I could get a higher salary.

1. Past simple tense

This tense is used to describe completed actions or situations which
started and finished in the past. This means these actio1. Past simple
tense
This tense is used to describe completed actions or situations which started
and finished in the past. This means these actions or situations don’t
interfere with present or future events. You can use this tense every time
you want to briefly describe what happened in the past.

The structure of a sentence in the past simple tense is:

Subject + past simple (verb + ed or irregular verb) + object.

Example:

 I saw you with him.

 He watered the garden.

In this tense we always use the verb in its irregular form (2nd form/past tense
form). If the verb is not in its irregular form, we simply add the suffix –ed to
the base form of the verb (to the infinitive form).
Negative

To construct a negative sentence, we add the auxiliary verb „not“ right after
the verb „did“. The verb „did“ is used before the main verb in its infinitive
form and indicates that it is the past simple tense. „Did“ is the irregular past
tense form of the verb „do“.

When we use the auxiliary verb „did“, we do not add any suffixes to the main
verb, nor do we use irregular verbs. When constructing negative sentences
and questions in the past simple, we always use the main verb in its base form
(infinitive form).

The structure of the sentence is:

Subject + did not + base form of verb (infinitive) + object.

Example:

 You didn’t do that even though I have told you to!

Questions

Questions are pretty similar to affirmative sentences, however we do not

use irregular forms of the main verbs. As in negative sentences, we use only
the infinitive form of the verb.

The structure of questions in the past simple is:

Did + subject + base form of the verb (infinitive) + object?

Example

 Did you water the garden?

Adverbs used with the past simple

In the past simple, we often use adverbs ending with the word „ago“: a week
ago, three days ago, two years ago, etc., adverbs starting with the word „last“:
last week, last year, last month, last three days, last Monday, or other basic
adverbs like yesterday, a few days ago, and many others.

ns or situations don’t interfere with present or future events. You can use

this tense every time you want to briefly describe what happened in the past.

The structure of a sentence in the past simple tense is:

Subject + past simple (verb + ed or irregular verb) + object.

Example:

 I saw you with him.

 He watered the garden.

In this tense we always use the verb in its irregular form (2nd form/past tense
form). If the verb is not in its irregular form, we simply add the suffix –ed to
the base form of the verb (to the infinitive form).

Negative

To construct a negative sentence, we add the auxiliary verb „not“ right after
the verb „did“. The verb „did“ is used before the main verb in its infinitive
form and indicates that it is the past simple tense. „Did“ is the irregular past
tense form of the verb „do“.

When we use the auxiliary verb „did“, we do not add any suffixes to the main
verb, nor do we use irregular verbs. When constructing negative sentences
and questions in the past simple, we always use the main verb in its base form
(infinitive form).

The structure of the sentence is:

Subject + did not + base form of verb (infinitive) + object.

Example:

 You didn’t do that even though I have told you to!

Questions

Questions are pretty similar to affirmative sentences, however we do not

use irregular forms of the main verbs. As in negative sentences, we use only
the infinitive form of the verb.

The structure of questions in the past simple is:

Did + subject + base form of the verb (infinitive) + object?

Example

 Did you water the garden?

Adverbs used with the past simple

In the past simple, we often use adverbs ending with the word „ago“: a week
ago, three days ago, two years ago, etc., adverbs starting with the word „last“:
last week, last year, last month, last three days, last Monday, or other basic
adverbs like yesterday, a few days ago, and many others.

2. Past continuous tense

This tense is commonly used to talk about longer actions in the past which are
usually interrupted by some other event in the past (by a shorter action in
the past simple). We can this tense when there are two actions happening at
the same time, to talk about a situation at a specific point in time in the past,
or to describe a story that occurred in the past.

The structure of a sentence in the past continuous tense is:

Subject + was/were + verb(-ing) + object.

In the past continuous, we use the progressive aspect (form –ing). By using
the suffix –ing, we make it clear that the action was happening for a longer
period of time. We also use the 2nd form (past tense form) of the verb „to
be“ which is „was/were“. This auxiliary verb is used to describe that we are
talking about a situation in the past instead of in the present.
Example:

 They were eating a pizza.

 She was feeling fine.

Negative sentences

Negative sentences are easy to construct. We just add the word „not“ right
after the auxiliary verb „was/were“. The rest of the sentence is the same:

Subject + was/were + not + verb(-ing) + object.

Example:

 I was living in Ukraine for 3 years.

Questions

Questions in the past continuous are constructed the same way as affirmative
sentences – we just switch the subject with an auxiliary verb. The structure of
the question is:

Was/were + subject + verb(-ing) + object?

Example:

 Was she doing your homework?

Adverbs used with the p2. Past continuous tense

This tense is commonly used to talk about longer actions in the past which are
usually interrupted by some other event in the past (by a shorter action in
the past simple). We can this tense when there are two actions happening at
the same time, to talk about a situation at a specific point in time in the past,
or to describe a story that occurred in the past.

The structure of a sentence in the past continuous tense is:

 Subject + was/were + verb(-ing) + object.

In the past continuous, we use the progressive aspect (form –ing). By using
the suffix –ing, we make it clear that the action was happening for a longer
period of time. We also use the 2nd form (past tense form) of the verb „to
be“ which is „was/were“. This auxiliary verb is used to describe that we are
talking about a situation in the past instead of in the present.

Example:

 They were eating a pizza.

 She was feeling fine.

Negative sentences

Negative sentences are easy to construct. We just add the word „not“ right
after the auxiliary verb „was/were“. The rest of the sentence is the same:

Subject + was/were + not + verb(-ing) + object.

Example:

 I was living in Ukraine for 3 years.

Questions

Questions in the past continuous are constructed the same way as affirmative
sentences – we just switch the subject with an auxiliary verb. The structure of
the question is:

Was/were + subject + verb(-ing) + object?

Example:

 Was she doing your homework?

Adverbs used with the past continuous

If we talk about a specific time, we use adverbs like: o’clock, yesterday
morning, a week ago, last month, etc.

If we line up and limit the time period, we use: between, from-to, during, etc.

When we are talking about two or more actions happening at the same

time, we use adverbs like: and, when, while, etc.

ast continuous

If we talk about a specific time, we use adverbs like: o’clock, yesterday

morning, a week ago, last month, etc.

If we line up and limit the time period, we use: between, from-to, during, etc.

When we are talking about two or more actions happening at the same

time, we use adverbs like: and, when, while, etc.

3. Past perfect tense

This tense is slightly more difficult than the previous two tenses. We use
the past perfect to talk about actions that happened before some other
previous action in the past. Sometimes students overuse this tense by using
it to describe almost any event that occurred in the past. Pay attention and
make sure to use it only to describe events happening before a previous
action in the past.

In this tense we use the auxiliary verb „have“ in its past participle form „had“.
We use this verb in front of the main verb, which is also used in its past
participle form.

The structure of the sentence is:

Subject + had + past participle + object.

Example:

 I had eaten a lot before I came in.

Negative

In negative sentences we simply add the negative „not“ right after the
auxiliary verb „had“. The structure of negative sentences is:

Subject + had not/hadn’t + verb in past participle + object.

Example:

 I had not eaten anything before I came in.

Questions

Questions are also pretty easy to construct. We just place the verb „had“ at
the beginning of the sentence then continue with using the same structure as
we would for affirmative sentences. The structure of the sentence is:

Had + subject + verb in past participle + object?

Example:

 When had you eaten dinner?

4. Past perfect continuous tense

The past perfect tense is very similar to the past perfect continuous tense. We
use it to talk about actions that started in the past, continued for a while
and ended in the past because of some other event.

We can also use this tense if we do not know whether the event ended or not.
The important thing to note is that the event is happening – we do not care to
know whether it ended or not.

In this tense we generally use three verbs. The first one is the verb „had“ in
its past participle form, the second one is the verb „been“ in its past participle
form, and the third verb is the main verb in its base form with the suffix –ing,
which describes a progressive aspect.
The structure of the sentence is:

Subject + had + been + verb (-ing) + object.

Example:

 I had been doing my homework when you came in.

Negative

Negative sentences are similar in construction to affirmative ones. The only

thing we need to change is to add the auxiliary verb „not“ after the verb
„had“. The rest of the sentence is the same. The structure of the sentence is:

Subject + had + not + been + verb (-ing) + object.

Example:

 I had not been watering our garden since Tuesday.

Questions

To construct a question in the past perfect continuous, we just need to change

the order of the words. We put the verb „had“ in front of the whole sentence,
leaving the rest of the sentence the same. The structure of the sentence is:

Had + subject + been + main verb (-ing) + object?

Example:

 Had you been playing football when it started to rain?

Past tenses are very important to know. We need to remember all the irregular
verbs to be able to speak in English. If we do not know them, we won’t be able
to construct sentences in any past or other tenses.