Simple Past
Simple past tense is used to reveal the events that have occurred at specific times in the past. events can be short or long. Means can also be several events taking place one after one. In general, there are two important facts to remember in this English tenses:
- Irregular verbs (Irregular Verbs)
- Negative sentences and questions are not as positive sentence but retain the basic form of the verb
Usage :
1. Events in the past that has been completed (for example: I went to school)
2. The situation in the past (They lived a normal life until They won a lottery)
3. A series of actions in the past
Formula :
Positive (+)
Subject + to be (was / were the resource persons) + complement
Subject + verb + object 2
Negative (-)
Subject + to be (was / were the resource persons) + notes + complement
Subject + did not + verb 1 + object
Tanya (?)
Did + subject + verb 1 + object?
Examples of Simple Past Tense :
He was a businessman in 1999 (+)
She did not visit me yesterday (-)
My parents were the resource persons not home this afternoon (-)
Did you play football yesterday? (?)
Description of time (adverb of time) are commonly used in the simple past tense:
Yesterday (yesterday, the other day (another day), just now (now), the day before yesterday (the day before yesterday), etc
Past Continuous
Past Continuous Tense reveal past actions in progress. Sometimes actions can also be interrupted by something. forms of English tenses are also called Past Progressive Tense
Usage:
1. Actions in progress
2. Sidelines of the ongoing activities [Past Continuous] + When + [Past Simple]
3. Ongoing activities at the same time in the past
4. Questions conditional / polite For, example: I was wondering if you could carry my bag.
Formula :
Positive (+)
Subject + to be (was / were the resource persons) + object + verb-ing
Negative (-)
Subject + was / were the resource persons not + verb + object +-ing
Tanya (?)
Was / were the resource persons subject + verb + object +-ing?
Example - Past Continuous Tense :
He was sleeping when I came(+)
He was not sleeping when I came (-)
Was he sleeping when I came?(?)
I was working all night yesterday (+)
I was not working all night yesterday (-)
Were you working all night yesterday?(?)
Past Perfect
We use the Past Pefect (simple) tense to indicate an action in the past related to other actions earlier in the past.
Usage :
1. Tells an action already completed before another action in the past
2. Conditionals (Conditional Sentence) Type III
If + Past perfect + subject + verb + III would have
If We had known the answer, We would have toll you
If we already know the answer, we would have told you
3. Sentence Indirect (reported speech)
Ann: I have searched all the rooms.
George: Ann said She had searched all the rooms.
George: Ann said that she had been looking for all rooms
for more discussion about the reported speech in a variety of tenses here
Formulas Past Perfect Tense :
Positive (+)
Subject + Had + verb III (past participle) + object
Negative (-)
Subject + Had + not + verb III + object
Tanya (?)
Had + subject + verb III + object?
Example - Past Perfect Tense :
They Had been here before 1945 (+)
They Had not been here before 1945 (-)
They Had been here before 1945? (?)
Description of time (Adverb of time) are commonly used in the past tense is Perfect :
after, before, already, as soon as, just, yet, until, till, by the time That.
Past Perfect tense is also used for expressions like: "I wish", "as if / though" and "if only".
I wish I hadn't gone there.
Jono looked as if he had done something terrible
Past Perfect Continuous
Past Perfect Continuous Tense is used to express an action that began in the past and lasts until another action in the past.
Usage :
1. The duration of action of the past until a certain time point in the past also
2. conditionals (Conditional Sentence) Type III
If It hadn't been raining, We would have played football
3. sentence indirect (reported speech)
Ann: I was crying
George: Ann said She Had been crying
George: Ann said that she had been crying
Formula :
Positive (+)
Subject + Had + been + verb-ing + object
Negative (-)
Subject + Had + not + been + verb-ing + object
Tanya (?)
Had + Subject + been + verb-ing + object?
Examples of Past Perfect Continuous Tense:
Had he been living in Jakarta about ten years (+)
Had he not been living in Jakarta about ten years (-)
Had He been living in Jakarta about ten years? (?)
The difference between the Present Perfect Continuous and Past Perfect Continuous:
Present Perfect Continuous express action continues today while Past Perfect Continuous are not.
He has been playing for two hours
He has been playing for 2 hours (he is still playing or recently completed)
He had been playing for two hours when I arrived
He had been playing for 2 hours when I arrived (now not playing)
