Past tense

The past tense is a grammatical tense whose principal function is to place an action or situation in past time. Examples of verbs in the past tense include sang, went and cried.

There are four past tense forms in English: 1. Simple past: I worked 2. Past continuous: I was working. 3. Past perfect: I had worked. 4. Past perfect continuous: I had been working We use these forms to talk about the past: 1. He worked at McDonalds. He had worked there since July.. 2. He was working at McDonalds. He had been working since July.

Simple past tense

The simple past tense refers to the past time.
Now Past Future

Event

POSITIVE SENTENCES
SUBJECT I You We They He She It AUXILIARY VERB
-

MAIN VERB listened listened listened listened listened listened listened

NEGATIVE SENTENCES
SUBJECT I You We They He She It AUXILIARY VERB did did did did did did did VERB not not not not not not not listen listen listen listen listen listen listen

INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES
AUXILIARY VERB Did SUBJECT MAIN VERB

I, you , we , they He , she , it

listen

Did

listen

To refer to an action that took place at a definite time in the past.

Example : 1. I played the piano yesterday.

2. We went to the zoo last Sunday.

To refer to a past habit.

Example : 1. My grandmother smoked heavily before she had a stroke 2. My father played golf very often before he fell ill.

To replace the simple present tense in reported speech.

Example : 1. Direct : She said, I am not naughty. Reported : She said that she was not naughty.

2. Direct : Mother said , There are some biscuits in tin. Reported : Mother said there were some biscuits in the tin.

To express a wish or a desire ( usually with a if clause )

Example : 1. If I were a bird I would be free. 2. If you were the Prime Minister you could change the policies.

To refer to a present or future event using expressions like it s time or I wish or had better, etc.
Example : 1. Boys, its time you had a bath. 2. I wish I had studied harder.

Past continuous tense

The past continuous tense is made up of : was / were + verb + ing
Now Past Future

Action Action begins ends

POSITIVE SENTENCES
SUBJECT I You We They He She It AUXILIARY VERB
was were

MAIN VERB listening listening listening listening listening listening listening

were
were was was was

NEGATIVE SENTENCES
SUBJECT I You We They He She It AUXILIARY VERB was were were were was was was VERB not not not not not not not listening listening listening listening listening listening listening

INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES
AUXILIARY VERB Was SUBJECT MAIN VERB

I you , we , they He , she , it

listening listening

Were

Was

listening

To refer to an action taking place at a particular time in the past.

Example : 1. We were baking cookies yesterday evening.

2. Jenna was working hard all night.

To refer to two or more actions taking place at the same time in the past.
Example : 1. Mother was listening to music while the baby was sleeping.

2. The teacher was teaching while the students were playing.

To refer to a past action that was in progress when something else happend.

Example:
1. I was walking to my friend when the door bell rang. 2. The boys were playing in class when

the headmaster walked in.

To refer to a temporary past situation

Example : 1. We were boarding in the Convent school while my parents were in holiday.

2. Mrs Danny was looking after Tommy while his parents were overseas.

To replace the present continuous tense in reported speech

Example : 1. Direct : Jack said, I am going to Japan. Reported : Jack said that he was going to Japan. 2. Direct : Rajit said, We are visiting Johan this evening. Reported : Ranjit said that they were visiting Johan that evening.

Past perfect tense

The past perfect tense is made up of : 1. had + past participle (active)
2. had + been + past participle (passive)
Now Past Future

Earlier actoin

Later action

Past perfect tense must have two past action

1. Fadhil had already eaten when I arrived.

1. Must use auxiliary verb in a sentence - had

2. Auxiliary verb no changed , still using had whether the subject is singular or plural. Eg : It ( singular ) + had + eaten They ( singular ) + had + eaten 3. Main verb keep in past participle.

POSITIVE SENTENCES
SUBJECT I You We They He She It AUXILIARY VERB had had had had had had had MAIN VERB eaten eaten eaten eaten eaten eaten eaten

NEGATIVE SENTENCES
SUBJECT I You We They He She It AUXILIARY VERB had had had had had had had MAIN VERB eaten eaten eaten eaten eaten eaten eaten

not not not not not not not

INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES
AUXILIARY SUBJECT VERB Had I MAIN VERB

eaten eaten

Had

You , we , they He , she , it

Had

eaten

To show that an action place at a particular time in the past

example : 1. She had completed her homework by the time her mother came back. 2. Father had swept the garden by 6 oclock yesterday.

To express a wish, a desire or regret about a past event . This is expressed with a conditional clause that contains if.
Example : 1. If we had trained hard , we would have won the game. 2. If the headmaster had spoken , the pupils would not have made so mush noise.

To show that one past action had Taken place before another past action took place.
Example : 1.After Mr. tan had watched television , he had his dinner.

2. After Pn. Zainon had marked her books , she went home.

To replace the present perfect tense in reported speech

Example : 1. Direct : Everyone has left the room, said Mr. Wong. Reported : Mr. Wong said that everyone had left the room. 2. Direct :Mary has won a prize, said Janet. Reported : Janet said that Mary had won a prize.