PAST TENSES

➢Past Simple
➢Past Continuous

➢Past Perfect
PAST SIMPLE: USES

 To describe actions and states in a completed

period of time. We know when the action
happened, so a definite time expression can be

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used (see ex. 1)
 To describe habitual actions in the past (see ex. 2)
 Examples:
 I enjoyed the film we saw last night.
 Every day we got up early and went to the beach.
PAST SIMPLE: FORMS
 Regular verbs add -ed to the bare infinitive.
Verbs ending in -e simply add -d.
 All persons have the same form.

 Examples:

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 I enjoyed the film.
 They loved the music.

➢ Spelling problems:
 Verbs ending in consonant + -y change -y to -ie.
try → tried ; cry → cried
 Verbs ending with one vowel and one consonant
double the final consonant.
regret → regretted ; stop → stopped.
PAST SIMPLE: FORMS
 Irregular verbs are verbs that do not follow
normal rules for conjugation. It is necessary to
learn these forms. Ex. drink → drank

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 Negatives are formed with did not (didn’t) and
the bare infinitive.
 The coat didn’t fit me.
 Carol didn’t eat very much.
 Questions are formed with the auxiliary did and
the bare infinitive.
 Did you enjoy the film?
 Why did she leave?
TO SUM UP…
 Affirmative:
SUBJECT + VERB (in its past form) (+ complement)

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 Negative:
SUBJ. + AUX. DID + NOT + VERB (inf.) (+compl.)

 Questions:
 Yes/No > AUX. DID + SUBJECT + VERB (inf.) (+compl.)
 Wh- > Wh- + AUX. DID + SUBJ. + VERB (inf.) (+compl.)
PAST CONTINUOUS: USES
 To describe a situation in progress in the past. This
is often contrasted with a sudden event in the past
simple.

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 While I was waiting for the bus, I met Karen.
(background situation) (sudden event)
 To describe several situations in progress,
happening at the same time.
 While James was cooking, David was phoning a friend.
PAST CONTINUOUS: FORMS

 It is formed with the past of the auxiliary verb be

and the -ing form of the main verb.
I, he, she, it → was

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You, we, they → were
• I was sitting by the door.
• You were laughing.
• He/she was driving.
• We were crying.
• They were eating.
PAST CONTINUOUS: FORMS
 Negatives are formed with the auxiliary verb be +
not. It can be contracted into wasn’t/weren’t.
 I wasn’t listening.
 They weren’t looking.

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 Questions: Yes/No questions are formed by
inverting the subject and the auxiliary verb be.
Wh- questions follow the same pattern.
 Were you waiting?
 Were they leaving?
 What were you writing?
TO SUM UP…
 Affirmative:
SUBJECT + BE (was/were) + VERB (-ing)(+compl.)

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 Negative:
SUBJ. + WAS/WERE + NOT + VERB (-ing)(+compl.)

 Questions:
 Yes/No > WAS/WERE + SUBJ. + VERB (-ing)(+compl.)
 Wh- > Wh- + WAS/WERE + SUBJ. + VERB (-
ing)(+compl.)
PAST PERFECT: USES
 To show clearly that one past event happened before
another past event. We use the past perfect for the
earlier event.
E1: Sue left at 7.00. – E2: We arrived at her house at 8.30.

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→ When we arrived at Sue’s house, she had already left.

 Often used with verbs of thinking like think, know,

be sure, realize, remember, suspect, understand, etc.
 I thought I’d seen the film before, but I hadn’t.
 When I got home, I realized I had lost my wallet.
PAST PERFECT: FORMS
 It is formed with the auxiliary had and the past
participle of the main verb.
 She had decided to write a book.
 We had eaten.

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 Negatives are formed with the auxiliary verb had +
not (hadn’t).
 She had not left. → She hadn’t left.
 Questions are formed by inverting the subject and
the auxiliary.
 Had she closed the door before going out?
TO SUM UP…
 Affirmative:
SUBJECT + AUX. HAD + VERB (participle)(+compl.)

 Negative:

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SUBJ. + AUX. HAD + NOT + VERB (part.)(+compl.)

 Questions:
 Yes/No > AUX. HAD + SUBJ. + VERB (part.)(+compl.)
 Wh- > Wh- + AUX. HAD + SUBJ. + VERB (part.)(+compl.)
LET’S PRACTICE!
 Put each verb in brackets into either the past
simple or past continuous.
 When Harry (wake up) …., we (tell) .… him the news.

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 Everyone (wait) …. for the concert to begin, when a
message (arrive) …. .
 Charlotte (want) …. a relaxing holiday, so she (choose)
…. to stay in a small island.
 What (you eat) …. when you (go) …. to the new Chinese
restaurant?
 Ann (watch) …. a film on television, when Julie (arrive)
…. .
 Peter (not buy) …. a new car.
KEYS
 When Harry woke up, we told him the news.
 Everyone was waiting for the concert to begin, when
a message arrived.

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 Charlotte wanted a relaxing holiday, so she chose to
stay in a small island.
 What did you eat when you went to the new Chinese
restaurant?
 Ann was watching a film on television, when Julie
arrived.
 Peter didn’t buy a new car.
MORE PRACTICE
 Underline the correct word or phrase in each
sentence.

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 Whilе l had waited/was waiting/waited at the bus stop, I
had noticed/was noticing/noticed a new shop which
wasn’t/hadn’t been in the street the day before.
 I had gone/went out into the garden to fetch my bike, but
found/was finding that someone stole/had stolen it.
 After I was buying/had bought my new computer, I
discovered that it wasn’t having/didn’t have enough
memory.
 I went into the post office to ask about my package, but
they had said/said that it still hadn’t arrived/didn’t arrive.
KEYS
 Whilе l had waited/was waiting/waited at the bus
stop, I had noticed/was noticing/noticed a new shop
which wasn’t/hadn’t been in the street the day before.

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 I had gone/went out into the garden to fetch my bike,
but found/was finding that someone stole/had stolen
it.
 After I was buying/had bought my new computer, I
discovered that it wasn’t having/didn’t have enough
memory.
 I went into the post office to ask about my package,
but they had said/said that it still hadn’t
arrived/didn’t arrive.