Simple Past, Past Cont, Past Perfect

8/19/2019 Simple Past, Past Cont, Past Perfect

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Simple Past

FORM

[VERB+ed] or irregular verbs

Examples:

• You called Debbie.

• Did you call Debbie?

• You did not call Debbie.

Complete ist o! "imple #ast $orms

USE 1 Completed Action in the Past

%se t&e "imple #ast to express t&e idea t&at a' a(tio' started a'd !i'is&ed at aspe(i!i( time i' t&e past. "ometimes) t&e spea*er may 'ot a(tually me'tio' t&e

spe(i!i( time) but t&ey do &ave o'e spe(i!i( time i' mi'd.

Examples:

• saw a movie yesterday.

• didn't see a play yesterday.

• ast year) traveled to ,apa'.

• ast year) didn't travel to -orea.

• Did you have di''er last 'ig&t?

• "&e washed &er (ar.

• e didn't wash &is (ar.

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USE 2 A Series o Completed Actions

/e use t&e "imple #ast to list a series o! (ompleted a(tio's i' t&e past. 0&ese

a(tio's &appe' 1st) 2'd) 3rd) 4t&) a'd so o'.

Examples:

• inished 5or*) wal!ed to t&e bea(&) a'd o"nd a 'i(e pla(e to s5im.

• e arrived !rom t&e airport at 6:77) chec!ed i'to t&e &otel at 8:77)

a'd met t&e ot&ers at 17:77.

• Did you add !lour) po"r i' t&e mil*) a'd t&e' add t&e eggs?

USE # D"ration in Past

0&e "imple #ast (a' be used 5it& a duratio' 5&i(& starts a'd stops i' t&e past. 9

duratio' is a lo'ger a(tio' o!te' i'di(ated by expressio's su(& as: !or t5o years) !or

!ive mi'utes) all day) all year) et(.

Examples:

• lived i' Brail !or t5o years.

• "&au'a st"died ,apa'ese !or !ive years.

• 0&ey sat at t&e bea(& all day.

• 0&ey did not sta$ at t&e party t&e e'tire time.

• /e tal!ed o' t&e p&o'e !or t&irty mi'utes.

• 9: o5 lo'g did you wait !or t&em?

B: /e waited !or o'e &our.


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USE % &aits in the Past

0&e "imple #ast (a' also be used to des(ribe a &abit 5&i(& stopped i' t&e past. t

(a' &ave t&e same mea'i'g as ;used to.; 0o ma*e it (lear t&at 5e are tal*i'g about a

&abit) 5e o!te' add expressio's su(& as: al5ays) o!te') usually) 'ever) 5&e' 5as a

(&ild) 5&e' 5as you'ger) et(.

Examples:

• st"died $re'(& 5&e' 5as a (&ild.

• e pla$ed t&e violi'.

• e didn't pla$ t&e pia'o.

• Did you pla$ a musi(al i'strume't 5&e' you 5ere a *id?

• "&e wor!ed at t&e movie t&eater a!ter s(&ool.

• 0&ey 'ever went to s(&ool) t&ey al5ays s!ipped (lass.

USE ( Past Facts or )enerali*ations

0&e "imple #ast (a' also be used to des(ribe past !a(ts or ge'eraliatio's 5&i(& are

'o lo'ger true. 9s i' %"E 4 above) t&is use o! t&e "imple #ast is


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• #eople paid mu(& more to ma*e (ell p&o'e (alls i' t&e past.

+MPOR,A-, .hen/Cla"ses &appen First

Clauses are groups o! 5ords 5&i(& &ave mea'i'g but are o!te' 'ot (ompletese'te'(es. "ome (lauses begi' 5it& t&e 5ord ;5&e'; su(& as ;5&e' dropped my

pe'...; or ;5&e' (lass bega'...; 0&ese (lauses are (alled 5&e'=(lauses) a'd t&ey are

very importa't. 0&e examples belo5 (o'tai' 5&e'=(lauses.

Examples:

• .hen + paid her one dollar ) s&e a's5ered my


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• 0om repaired t&e (ar. Active

• 0&e (ar was repaired by 0om. Passive


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#ast Co'ti'uous

$R@

[5asA5ere + prese't parti(iple]

Examples:

• You were st"d$in6 5&e' s&e (alled.

• .ere you st"d$in6 5&e' s&e (alled?

• You were not st"d$in6 5&e' s&e (alled.

Complete ist o! #ast Co'ti'uous $orms

%"E 1 'terrupted 9(tio' i' t&e #ast

%se t&e #ast Co'ti'uous to i'di(ate t&at a lo'ger a(tio' i' t&e past 5as i'terrupted.

0&e i'terruptio' is usually a s&orter a(tio' i' t&e "imple #ast. Remember t&is (a' be

a real i'terruptio' or >ust a' i'terruptio' i' time.

Examples:

• was watchin6 0V 5&e' s&e (alled.

• /&e' t&e p&o'e ra'g) s&e was writin6 a letter.

• /&ile 5e were havin6 t&e pi('i() it started to rai'.

• /&at were you doin6 5&e' t&e eart&


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• "ammy was waitin6 !or us 5&e' 5e got o!! t&e pla'e.

• /&ile was writin6 t&e email) t&e (omputer sudde'ly 5e't o!!.

• 9: /&at were you doin6 5&e' you bro*e your leg?

B: was snowoardin6.

%"E 2 "pe(i!i( 0ime as a' 'terruptio'

' %"E 1) des(ribed above) t&e #ast Co'ti'uous is i'terrupted by a s&orter a(tio' i'

t&e "imple #ast. o5ever) you (a' also use a spe(i!i( time as a' i'terruptio'.

Examples:

• ast 'ig&t at #@) was eatin6 di''er.

• 9t mid'ig&t) 5e were still drivin6 t&roug& t&e desert.

• Yesterday at t&is time) was sittin6 at my des* at 5or*.

IMPORTANT

' t&e "imple #ast) a spe(i!i( time is used to s&o5 5&e' a' a(tio' bega' or !i'is&ed.

' t&e #ast Co'ti'uous) a spe(i!i( time o'ly i'terrupts t&e a(tio'.

Examples:

• ast 'ig&t at #@) ate di''er.

I started eating at 6 PM.

• ast 'ig&t at #@) was eatin6 di''er.

I started earlier; and at 6 PM, I was in the process of eating dinner.

%"E 3 #arallel 9(tio's


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Examples:

• "&e was alwa$s comin6 to (lass late.

• e was constantl$ tal!in6. e a''oyed everyo'e.

• did't li*e t&em be(ause t&ey were alwa$s complainin6.

/&ile vs. /&e'

Clauses are groups o! 5ords 5&i(& &ave mea'i'g) but are o!te' 'ot (omplete

se'te'(es. "ome (lauses begi' 5it& t&e 5ord ;5&e'; su(& as ;5&e' s&e (alled; or

;5&e' it bit me.; t&er (lauses begi' 5it& ;5&ile; su(& as ;5&ile s&e 5as sleepi'g;

a'd ;5&ile &e 5as sur!i'g.; /&e' you tal* about t&i'gs i' t&e past) ;5&e'; is most

o!te' !ollo5ed by t&e verb te'se "imple #ast) 5&ereas ;5&ile; is usually !ollo5ed by

#ast Co'ti'uous. ;/&ile; expresses t&e idea o! ;duri'g t&at time.; "tudy t&e

examples belo5. 0&ey &ave similar mea'i'gs) but t&ey emp&asie di!!ere't parts o!

t&e se'te'(e.

Examples:

• 5as studyi'g when she called.

• .hile + was st"d$in6) s&e (alled.

RE@E@BER o'=Co'ti'uous Verbs A @ixed Verbs

t is importa't to remember t&at o'=Co'ti'uous Verbs (a''ot be used i' a'y

(o'ti'uous te'ses. 9lso) (ertai' 'o'=(o'ti'uous mea'i'gs !or @ixed Verbs (a''ot be

used i' (o'ti'uous te'ses. 'stead o! usi'g #ast Co'ti'uous 5it& t&ese verbs) you

must use "imple #ast.

Examples:

• ,a'e was ein6 at my &ouse 5&e' you arrived. Not Correct

• ,a'e was at my &ouse 5&e' you arrived. Correct

9DVERB #9CE@E0

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0&e examples belo5 s&o5 t&e pla(eme't !or grammar adverbs su(& as: al5ays)

o'ly) 'ever) ever) still) >ust) et(.

Examples:

• You 5ere 4"st studyi'g 5&e' s&e (alled.

• /ere you 4"st studyi'g 5&e' s&e (alled?

9C0VE A #9""VE

Examples:

• 0&e salesma' was helpin6 t&e (ustomer 5&e' t&e t&ie! (ame i'to t&e store. Active

• 0&e (ustomer was ein6 helped by t&e salesma' 5&e' t&e t&ie! (ame i'to t&e

store. Passive


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#ast #er!e(t

$R@

[&ad + past parti(iple]

Examples:

• You had st"died E'glis& be!ore you moved to e5 Yor*.

• &ad you st"died E'glis& be!ore you moved to e5 Yor*?

• You had 'ot st"died E'glis& be!ore you moved to e5 Yor*.

Complete ist o! #ast #er!e(t $orms

%"E 1 Completed 9(tio' Be!ore "omet&i'g i' t&e #ast

0&e #ast #er!e(t expresses t&e idea t&at somet&i'g o((urred be!ore a'ot&er a(tio'

i' t&e past. t (a' also s&o5 t&at somet&i'g &appe'ed be!ore a spe(i!i( time i' t&e

past.

Examples:

• had 'ever seen su(& a beauti!ul bea(& be!ore 5e't to -auai.

• did 'ot &ave a'y mo'ey be(ause had lost my 5allet.

• 0o'y *'e5 sta'bul so 5ell be(ause &e had visited t&e (ity several times.

• &ad "usa' ever st"died 0&ai be!ore s&e moved to 0&aila'd?

• "&e o'ly u'derstood t&e movie be(ause s&e had read t&e boo*.

•

-risti'e had 'ever een to a' opera be!ore last 'ig&t.

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• /e 5ere 'ot able to get a &otel room be(ause 5e had not oo!ed i' adva'(e.

• 9: &ad you ever visited t&e %.". be!ore your trip i' 277?

B: Yes) had een to t&e %.". o'(e be!ore.

%"E 2 Duratio' Be!ore "omet&i'g i' t&e #ast Fo'=Co'ti'uous VerbsG

/it& o'=Co'ti'uous Verbs a'd some 'o'=(o'ti'uous uses o! @ixed Verbs) 5e use

t&e #ast #er!e(t to s&o5 t&at somet&i'g started i' t&e past a'd (o'ti'ued up u'til

a'ot&er a(tio' i' t&e past.

Examples:

• /e had had t&at (ar !or te' years be!ore it bro*e do5'.

• By t&e time 9lex !i'is&ed &is studies) &e had een i' o'do' !or over eig&t years.

• 0&ey !elt bad about selli'g t&e &ouse be(ause t&ey had owned it !or more t&a' !orty

years.

9lt&oug& t&e above use o! #ast #er!e(t is 'ormally limited to o'=Co'ti'uous Verbs

a'd 'o'=(o'ti'uous uses o! @ixed Verbs) t&e 5ords ;live); ;5or*); ;tea(&); a'd

;study; are sometimes used i' t&is 5ay eve' t&oug& t&ey are 0 o'=Co'ti'uous

Verbs.

@#R090 "pe(i!i( 0imes 5it& t&e #ast #er!e(t

%'li*e 5it& t&e #rese't #er!e(t) it is possible to use spe(i!i( time 5ords or p&rases

5it& t&e #ast #er!e(t. 9lt&oug& t&is is possible) it is usually 'ot 'e(essary.

Example:

• "&e had visited &er ,apa'ese relatives o'(e i' 1883 be!ore s&e moved i' 5it& t&em

i' 188.

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MOREOER

! t&e #ast #er!e(t a(tio' did o((ur at a spe(i!i( time) t&e "imple #ast (a' be used

i'stead o! t&e #ast #er!e(t 5&e' ;be!ore; or ;a!ter; is used i' t&e se'te'(e. 0&e

5ords ;be!ore; a'd ;a!ter; a(tually tell you 5&at &appe's !irst) so t&e #ast #er!e(t is

optio'al. $or t&is reaso') bot& se'te'(es belo5 are (orre(t.

Examples:

• "&e had visited &er ,apa'ese relatives o'(e i' 1883 be!ore s&e moved i' 5it& t&em

i' 188.

• "&e visited &er ,apa'ese relatives o'(e i' 1883 be!ore s&e moved i' 5it& t&em i'

188.

!O"EER

! t&e #ast #er!e(t is 'ot re!erri'g to a' a(tio' at a spe(i!i( time) #ast #er!e(t is 'ot

optio'al. Compare t&e examples belo5. ere #ast #er!e(t is re!erri'g to a la(* o!

experie'(e rat&er t&a' a' a(tio' at a spe(i!i( time. $or t&is reaso') "imple #ast(a''ot be used.

Examples:

• "&e 'ever saw a bear be!ore s&e moved to 9las*a. Not Correct

• "&e had 'ever seen a bear be!ore s&e moved to 9las*a. Correct

9DVERB #9CE@E0

0&e examples belo5 s&o5 t&e pla(eme't !or grammar adverbs su(& as: al5ays)

o'ly) 'ever) ever) still) >ust) et(.

Examples:

• You &ad previo"sl$ studied E'glis& be!ore you moved to e5 Yor*.

•

ad you previo"sl$ studied E'glis& be!ore you moved to e5 Yor*?


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9C0VE A #9""VE

Examples:

•

Heorge had repaired ma'y (ars be!ore &e re(eived &is me(&a'i(s li(e'se. Active

• @a'y (ars had een repaired by Heorge be!ore &e re(eived &is me(&a'i(s

li(e'se. Passive

Documents

Simple Past, Past Cont, Past Perfect