Past Tense

revision
 Past Simple Tense

We use the Past simple when we talk about :

•finished actions, states or habits in the past when we have a finished time word.

Example: I went to the cinema yesterday.

We spent a lot of time Japan in 2007.

•finished actions, states or habits in the past when we know from general
knowledge that the time period has finished.

Example: Leonardo painted the Mona Lisa.

The Vikings invaded Britain.
 Past Simple Tense

We use the Past Simple when we talk about :

•finished actions, states or habits in the past that we have introduced
with the present perfect or another tense.

Example: I've hurt my leg. I fell off a ladder when I was painting my bedroom.
I've been on holiday. I went to Spain and Portugal.

•stories or lists of events.

Example: He went to a café.

He sat down and ordered a coffee.
 Past Simple Tense

And Finally….. We use the past simple when we talk about :

•second conditional and after words like 'wish’. (things that are not
real in the present or future)

Example: If I won the lottery, I would buy a house.

I wish I had more time!
 Past Simple Tense
So, how do we form the Past Simple Tense

For Regular verbs:

Subject + Verb + ED

For Irregular verbs:

Subject Irregular Verb

+
 Past Simple Tense negative

So, how do we form the Past Simple Tense

For All verbs: Both regular and Irregular

Subject + did + NOT + Verb

Example: I didn’t go to work today.

 Past Simple Tense
So, how do we form the Past Simple Tense
For All verbs: Both regular and Irregular

Did + Subject + Verb ?

Example: Did you go to work today ?

 Past Simple Tense
There are certain adverbs that we use with the Past
Simple Tense

at 2 o'clock
yesterday in 2003
ago
last week last month
 Past Continuous Tense
We use the past continuous tense when we talk about :
•An action in the past which overlaps another action or a time. The
first action takes the past continuous tense and the second action
takes the past simple tense.

Example: I was walking to the station when I met John. (I started

walking before I met John, and maybe I continued
afterwards.)

At three o'clock, I was working. (I started before three

o'clock and finished after three o'clock.)
.
•the present continuous for the background of a story.
Example: The birds were singing, the sun was shining and in the cafés
people were laughing and chatting.
 Past Continuous Tense
We use the past continuous tense when we talk about :
•Temporary habits or habits that happen more often than we
expect in the past.

Example: He was always leaving the tap running.

She was constantly singing.

•something that lasted for a while.

Example: I was working in the garden all day.
He was reading all evening.
 Past Continuous Tense
So, how do we form the Past Continuous Tense
BE + Verb + ING – Was/ Were
For subject: I, He, She and It

Subject + was + Verb + ing

For subjects: You, We and They

Subject + were + Verb + ing
 Past Continuous Tense negative

So, how do we form the Past Continuous Tense

BE + NOT + Verb + ING – Was/ Were
For subject: I, He, She and It

Subject + was + NOT + Verb + ing

For subjects: You, We and They

Subject + were + NOT + Verb + ing

 Past Continuous Tense
So, how do we form the Past Continuous Tense
BE + Subject + Verb + ING – was/were
For subject: I, He, She and It
Was + Subject + Verb + ing

For subjects: You, We and They

Were + Subject + Verb + ing

Past Continuous Tense
There are certain adverbs that we use with the Past
Continuous Tense

This time yesterday

always When
all day
Last week constantly
While
 As, While and When
Why do we use as, when and while:
We use as, when and while to mean ‘during the time that’

To connect two events happening at the same time.

After as, we can use a simple or continuous form of the verb

We can use when to introduce a single completed event that takes

place in the middle of a longer activity or event.

We can use while or as to talk about two longer events or activities

happening at the same time.
 As, While and When
Lets look at some examples:
Another coach-load of people arrived as we were leaving.

As she was leaving the court, a crowd of photographers gathered around her.

As she walked to the door, she thanked them for a lovely dinner.

Steven was very unhappy when things weren’t going well for him.
He was walking back to his flat when he heard an explosion.

Lucy came into the room while he was waiting.

While he was working, he often listened to music

 Past Perfect Simple Tense
We use the Past Perfect Simple tense when we talk about :

•A finished action before a second point in the past.

Example: When we arrived, the film had started (= first the
film started, then we arrived).

It had snowed in the night, so the bus didn't arrive this

morning.
•Something that started in the past and continued up to
another action or time in the past.
Example: When he graduated, he had been in London for six years.
(= He arrived in London six years before he graduated and lived
there until he graduated, or even longer.)
 Past Perfect Simple Tense
We use the Past Perfect Simple tense when we talk about :

•To talk about unreal or imaginary things in the past. This is

common in the third conditional and after 'wish'. .

Example: If I had known you were ill, I would have visited you.
She would have passed the exam if she had studied harder.
I wish I hadn't gone to bed so late!
 Past Perfect Simple Tense
So, how do we form the Past Perfect Simple Tense
Subject + Had + Past Participle

For all subjects:

Subject + Had Past Participle

+

Example: I had met him before you introduced us.

They had lived in Italy for twelve years before they moved to
England.

•Note: The first action takes the Past Perfect simple tense and the second
action takes the past simple
 negative
Past Perfect Simple Tense
So, how do we form the Past Perfect Simple Tense
Subject + Had + NOT + Past Participle

For all subjects:

Subject + had + NOT + Past Participle

Example: I had not met him before you introduced us.

They had not lived in Italy before they moved to England.

•Note: The first action takes the Past Perfect simple tense and the second
action takes the past simple
 Past Perfect Simple Tense
So, how do we form the Past Perfect Simple Tense
Had + Subject + Past Participle

For all subjects:

Had + Subject + Past Participle ?

Example: Had she gone to China before?

Had he studied before his exams started?
Had they left before you arrived?

•Note: The first action takes the Past Perfect simple tense and the second
action takes the past simple
 Past Perfect Simple Tense
There are certain adverbs that we use with the Past
Simple Tense

for ever
never
just
before
since
 Past Perfect Continuous Tense
We use the Past Perfect continuous tense when we talk about :

•Something that started in the past and continued up to another action

or time in the past. It talks about 'how long‘ the action lasted

Example: She had been working at that company for a year when she
met James.
I'd been walking for hours when I finally found the house.
We'd been living in Berlin for three months when we had to
leave.

•Note: The first action takes the Past Perfect continuous tense and the second
action takes the past simple
 Past Perfect Continuous Tense
We use the past Perfect Continuous tense when we talk about :

•Something that finished just before another event in the past

Example: The children had been playing and so the room was a mess!
I'd been working before I saw you and that's why I was really
tired.

•Note: The first action takes the Past Perfect continuous tense and the second
action takes the past simple
 Past Perfect Continuous Tense
So, how do we form the Past Perfect Continuous Tense
Had + Been + Verb + ING
For all subject:

Subject + had + been + Verb + ing

Example: I was so tired, I had been studying all morning.

I had been running all morning, so I was really hot.
It had been raining all night so the pavement was wet.

•Note: The first action takes the Past Perfect continuous tense and the second
action takes the past simple
 negative
Past Perfect Continuous Tense
So, how do we form the Past Perfect Continuous Tense
Had + NOT + Been + Verb + Ing
For all subject:

Subject + had + NOT + been + Verb + ing

Example: I wasn’t tired, I hadn’t been studying all morning.

It had not been raining all night, so the pavement
is not that wet.
Past Perfect Continuous Tense
So, how do we form the Past Perfect Continuous Tense
Had + Subject + Been + Verb + Ing
For all subject:

Had + Subject + been + Verb + ing

Example: Had you been sleeping?

Had she been reading?
Had he been watching TV?
Had it been raining?
She _________ the ocean before she moved to Vancouver.
a) had never seen b) never seen c) have never seen

Alex is such a whiner –he __________ about his boss for half an hour when
we last talked.
a) has complained b) complained c) was complaining
b) d) had been complaining

I ______ my document before the power went out in the computer lab.
a) had save b) have saved c) had saved d) save

When they arrived we ________ the test.

b) had already started b) have already started
c) already starting d) starts
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