A Grammar and Usage Programme for GP (Students’ Version)

Module 4
Tenses 2: Talking about the past

1) When you want to talk about an event that occurred at a particular time in
the past, you use the past simple.
The Prime Minister flew into New York yesterday.
The new term started last week.

2) You also use the past simple to talk about a situation that existed over a
period of time in the past.
We spent most of our time at home last winter.
They earned their money quickly that year.

When you want to talk about something which took place regularly in the past,
you use the past simple.
They went for picnics most weekends.
We usually spent the winter at Aunt Maggie’s house.

(Note: The past simple always refers to a time in the past. A time reference is
necessary to say what time in the past you are referring to. The time
reference can be established in an earlier sentence, but it must be
established).

3) When you want to talk about something which continued to happen before
and after a given time in the past, you use the past continuous.
I hurt myself when I was mending my bike.
It was midnight. She was driving home.

You also use the past continuous to talk about a temporary state of affairs in
the past.
Our team was losing 2-1 at that time.
We were staying with friends in Italy.

4) When you are concerned with the present effects or future effects of
something which happened at an indefinite time in the past, you use the
present perfect.
I’m afraid I have forgotten my book, so I don’t know.
He has broken his leg, so he won’t be able to come.

You also use the present perfect when you are thinking of a time which started
in the past and still continues.
Have you stolen anything? (= at any time up to the present)
He has been here since six o’clock. (=and he is still here)

5) When you are looking back from a point in past time, and you are
concerned with the effects of something which happened at an earlier time in
the past, you use the past perfect.
I apologized because I had left my wallet at home.

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They would have come if we had invited them.

(Note: Students like to use the past perfect in their GP essays. This ‘past in
the past’ situation seldom occur when describing current affairs. If you are
describing something that happened in the past but is still relevant to the
present, the correct tense form is the present perfect.)

6) When you want to talk about the future from a point of view in past time,
you can use ‘would’, ‘was/ were going to’, or the past continuous.
He thought to himself how wonderful it would taste.
Mike was taking his test the week after.

Exercise 1
Complete the following sentences with one verb in the past simple and the
other in the past continuous.
1) I was reading the newspaper, when suddenly I heard a loud knock on
the door. (read) (hear)
2) I ______________ George an hour ago. He ____________ his
homework. (phone) (do)
3) I first ____________ Mary a couple of years ago. She ___________ at
the Royal Hospital at the time. (meet) (work)
4) We __________ Peter to come with us, but he ____________ the
football on TV. (ask) (watch)
5) While I ____________ to work in the morning, I almost _________ a
serious accident. (drive) (have)
6) When we ______________ the shopping last week, we ________ a
nice place to have coffee. (do) (find)

Exercise 2
Complete the following sentences, putting one verb in the present perfect and
one in the past simple.
1) We lived in Jurong from 1985 to 1990, but we have moved to Bedok
now. (live) (move)
2) A: There’s a great film at the Odeon this week ___________ it? (you
see) B: Not this week. I _____________in London last year. (see)
3) When we were kids, we ____________ to Muar for our holidays, but I
___________ back there for years. (go) (not be)
4) A: This is Mary. I don’t think you _________ (meet). B: Oh yes. We
know each other well. We __________ at school together (be).
5) A: I ____________ to phone John, but he’s not at home (try). B: He
should be. He ____________ work an hour ago (leave).

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Exercise 3
Use these verbs and verb groups to complete the paragraph below.

agreed offered did’n’t ask used to play had never played

asked felt used to go used to go would practice
had had wanted would spend was playing couldn’t play

When I was a boy, I wanted to be a jazz musician. I ___________ the drums.

I __________ for hours every evening, and I ___________ almost every
weekend practicing too. I ____________ to my local jazz club every week to
listen. One night a group called The Rollers ____________ there.
Unfortunately, their drummer ________________ a accident on his way to the
club, so he ___________ . They ___________ me to take his place, and of
course I ____________ . It was awful. I __________ that I __________ so
badly before. After that, I still ______________ to the club, but I never
__________ to play again, and they certainly __________ me.

(CKH/TJD 2008)