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Past Tenses

The document discusses various past tenses in English: 1. The Past Simple tense is used to talk about completed actions in a definite time in the past. It can be used with time expressions like "yesterday" or "last week." 2. The Past Continuous tense is used for actions that were in progress at a specific time in the past or interrupted by another past action. Time expressions include "while" and "when." 3. The Past Perfect tense is used for actions that occurred before other past actions or times. Time expressions include "before" and "after."

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Катя Ващенко
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11 views31 pages

Past Tenses

The document discusses various past tenses in English: 1. The Past Simple tense is used to talk about completed actions in a definite time in the past. It can be used with time expressions like "yesterday" or "last week." 2. The Past Continuous tense is used for actions that were in progress at a specific time in the past or interrupted by another past action. Time expressions include "while" and "when." 3. The Past Perfect tense is used for actions that occurred before other past actions or times. Time expressions include "before" and "after."

Uploaded by

Катя Ващенко
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Past Simple Tense (basic tense)

We use the PS:


• for an action which happened at a definite time in the past. The time is
stated , already known or implied.
E.g. They went camping by the lake last month .
When did they go?-Last month. The time is stated.

• for actions which happened immediately one after the other in the past .
E.g. First she paid the driver , then she got up out of the taxi.

• for past habits or states which are now finished . In such cases we can also
use the expression used to .
E.g. Kitchens were /used to be very different a hundred years ago .
Past Simple Tense
• Time expressions:

Yesterday,then,when,How long ago…?,last


night/week/month/year/Tuesday, etc.,three
days/weeks,etc. ago, in 1995,etc.
Past Simple Tense
Formula
Past Simple

VERB TO BE
Regular Irregular Was Were
-ed V2/Column2
+ She worked yesterday. We ate sushi 2 days ago. I was happy.
They were scared.

- She didn’t work


yesterday.
We didn’t eat sushi 2 days
ago.
I wasn’t happy.
They weren’t scared.

? Did she work


yesterday?
Did we eat sushi 2 days ago? Was I happy?
Were they scared?
Past Simple Tense
Irregular verbs
Past Simple Tense
Irregular verbs
Past Simple Tense
Irregular verbs
Past Continuous Tense (basic tense)
• We use the PC:

• For an action which was in progress at a stated time in the past .We do not
mention when the action started or finished .
E.g. At seven o’clock yesterday evening they were having dinner .
(We do not know when they started or finished their dinner)

• For an action which was in progress when another action interrupted it .We
use the PC for the action in progress (longer action) and the Past Simple
for the action which interrupted it(shorter action) .
E.g. He was walking down the street when he ran into an old friend .
Past Continuous Tense
• We use the PC:
• For two or more simultaneous past actions .
E.g. She was talking on her mobile phone while she was driving .

• To describe the atmosphere , setting ,etc. in the introduction to a story


before we describe the main events .
E.g. One beautiful autumn afternoon ,Ben was strolling down a quiet country
lane. The birds were singing and the leaves were rustling in the breeze .

• Shows action that started in the past , but doesn’t show a result .
Past Continuous Tense
• Time expressions:

• While , when , as , all


morning/evening/day/night etc.
Past Continuous Tense
Formula
Verbs

Action Non-action
(Dynamic) (Stative)

• Verbs which describe actions can be used in all


tenses .

• Verbs which describe states or feelings (not actions)


are not usually used in Continuous tense .
Non-action (state )verbs
1. Verbs express likes and dislikes :
love,like,dislike,hate,enjoy,prefer,adore,etc.
2. Verbs of the senses :
see,hear,smell,taste,feel,look,sound .
We often use can or could with these verbs when we refer to what we
see , hear ,etc. at the moment of speaking .
3. Verbs of perception :
know, believe, understand , realise ,remember , forget , notice ,
recognise ,think ,seem , see (=understand) , expect (=think) ,etc.
4. Some other verbs such as :
be , contain , include , belong , fit , need , matter , cost , mean , own ,
want , owe , have (=possess) , require , weigh ,wish , keep (=continue) ,
etc.
Non-action (state )verbs
Some of the above verbs are used in continuous
tenses when they describe actions and not
states.
1. I think he’s lying. (= believe)
I’m thinking about the plan. (= am considering)
2. The food tastes delicious . (=has a delicious flavour)
He is tasting the food . (=is testing the flavour of)
3. I can see some people . (=perceive with my eyes)
I see what you mean . (=understand)
I’m seeing my doctor tomorrow . (=am meeting)
4. It looks as if they’ve finished the job . (=appears)
Mike is looking out of the window . (=is directing his eyes)
5. This perfume smells nice . (=has a nice smell)
He is smelling the milk . (=is sniffing)
6. The baby’s hair feels like silk . (=has the texture of)
She is feeling the baby’s forehead . (=is touching)
7. Bob has a Porsche. (= posesses)
He’s having a shower at the moment . (= is taking a shower )
8. The chicken weights 2 kilos . (=has a weight of )
The butcher is weighing the meat . (=is measuring how heavy it is)
9. The dress fits you perfectly . (=it is the right size )
We are fitting new locks . (=are putting in)
10. He appears to be nervous . (=seems)
He is appearing in a new play . (=is taking part )
11. He is a rude person . (=character – permanent state )
He is being rude . (= behaviour – temporary situation /usually with
adjectives such as careful , silly ,(im)polite , lazy , etc.)
Non-action (state )verbs
Note :
The verb enjoy can be used in continuous tenses to express
specific preference .
E.g. I’m enjoying this party a lot .(specific preference)
But :
I enjoy going to parties .(I enjoy parties in general)

The verbs look (when refer to a person’s appearance ) , feel


(=experience a particular emotion ),hurt and ache can be used
in either the continuous or simple tenses with no difference in
meaning .
Past Perfect Simple Tense (advanced tense)
• We use the PP:
• For an action which happened before another past action or before a
stated time in the past.
E.g. She had finished work when she met her friends for coffee .
(She finished work first and then she met her friends.)

• For an action which finished in the past and whose result was visible in the
past.
E.g. He was happy. He had signed an important contract .
(The action finished in the past and its result was visible in the past too)
Past Perfect Simple Tense
• Note:
The Past Perfect is the equivalent of the Present Perfect.
E.g. a) He had fixed the old armchair . It looked brand
new. ( The action – had fixed – happened in the past .
The result – looked brand new – was also visible in the
past.)

b)He has fixed the old armchair . It looks brand new .


(The action – has fixed – happened in the past .The
result – looks brand new – is still visible in the present. )
Past Perfect Simple Tense
• Time expressions :
• Before, after, already , just , for , since ,
till/until ,when , by , by the time, never ,etc.
Past Perfect Simple Tense
Formula
Past Perfect Continuous (advanced tense)
• We use the PPC :
• To put emphasis on the duration of an action which started and finished in
the past before another past action or a stated time in the past , usually
with since or for.
E.g. They had been looking for a house for six months before they found one
they liked .
• For an action which lasted for some time in the past and whose result was
visible in the past .
E.g. Last Friday Ron had to fly to New York . His flight was delayed . He was
annoyed . He had been waiting at the airport for three hours . (He waited
at the airport for three hours and the result of the action was visible in the
past too.)
Past Perfect Continuous
• Note :
The past perfect continuous is the past equivalent of the
present perfect continuous .
E.g. 1) I had been driving for ten hours , so I felt exhausted . (The action – had
been driving – lasted for some time in the past . The result – felt
exhausted – was also visible in the past .)

2)I have been driving for ten hours ,so I feel exhausted . (The action –
have been driving – started in the past . The result – feel exhausted – is
still visible in the present .)
Past Perfect Continuous
• Time expressions :
• Before, for , since , until ,when ,how long ,etc.
Past Perfect Continuous
Formula
Past tenses timeline

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