Past

Tenses
Contents
01 02
Past Simple Past Progressive

03 04
Past Future Past Perfect
 something that happened once in the past;
to talk about past events in chronological order:
I met my wife in 1983.
The cat was found last night.

01 When she opened the door, she pretended we weren’t there and went to her
room.
He called me and told me to go, but he wasn’t there when I arrived.
Past Simple
most verbs, the past tense is
formed by adding –ed: something that happened several times in the past;
to talk about past habits or past states:
called liked wanted etc.
When I was a boy, I walked a mile to school every day.
We swam a lot while we were on holiday.
But there are a lot of irregular They were always happy to visit their grandparents.
past tense forms.

went did bought etc.

something that was true for some time in the past:
I lived abroad for ten years.
He enjoyed being a student.
She played a lot of tennis when she was younger.
 we often use expressions with ago with the past simple:
I met my wife a long time ago.
01 The car was washed two days ago.

Past Simple
most verbs, the past tense is We use did to make questions with the past simple:
formed by adding –ed:
Did she play tennis when she was younger?
Did you live abroad?
called liked wanted etc.
When did you meet your wife?
Where did you go for your holidays?
But there are a lot of irregular
past tense forms.

We use didn't (did not) to make negatives with the past

went did bought etc.
simple:
They didn't go to Spain this year.
We didn't get home until very late last night.
 Patterns:

Positive Negative Introgative

S + V2 + O S + didn’t + V1 + O Did + S + V1 + O?
S + was/were + adj/adv S + wasn’t/weren’t + adj/adv Was/were + S + adj/adv?

Passive: Passive: Passive:

S+ was/were + V3 + O S + wasn’t/weren’t + V3 + O Was/were + S + V3?
 Exercises

Past Simple 1 Past Simple 2


02
Past Progressive
The past continuous is made from
the past tense of the verb be and
the –ing form of a verb:
walking studying etc.
the set the scene in a story:
Last night I was walking home and listening to my iPod when …
The sun was shining and lots of tourists were lying on the beach. Suddenly …
for actions in progress in the past or longer actions interrupted
by shorter actions in past simple
After dinner, I went into the living room and saw that she was crying.
When she opened the door, we were talking about her.
The thief was being arrested when the shopkeeper arrived
for something that happening at a specific past time:
I was writing a letter at 8 o’clock last night.
She was having breakfast at 6.15 this morning.
 to show that something continued for some time:
My head was aching.
Everyone was shouting.

02

Past Progressive with verbs which show change or growth:

The children were growing up quickly.
The past continuous is made from Her English was improving.
the past tense of the verb be and The town was changing quickly.
the –ing form of a verb:

walking studying etc.

We do not normally use the past continuous with stative verbs.

We use the past simple instead:

When I got home, I really needed (NOT was needing) a shower.

 Patterns:

Positive Negative Introgative

S + was/were + Ving + O
S + was/were + being adj/adv
Passive:
S+ was/were + being + V3 + O
S + wasn’t/weren’t + Ving + O
S + wasn’t/weren’t + being +
adj/adv
Passive:
S + wasn’t/weren’t + being + V3 +
O
Was/Were + S + Ving + O?
Was/Were + S + being +
adj/adv?
Passive:
Was/were + S + being + V3?
 Exercises

Past Simple vs Past Simple vs Past

Past progressive Progressive 2