Past Time

Monica Caruntu

The Past Simple Tense The Past Continuous Tense The Past Perfect Simple The Past Perfect Continuous Used to + infinitive Would + infinitive

The Past Simple Tense

Regular verbs

Infinitive + -ed/-d

move + d = moved

study (yi) + ed = studied

play + ed= played

stop + p + ed = stopped

prefer + r + ed = preferred

try

live

enjoy

permit

happen

cancel

rub

need

travel

plan

tried

lived

enjoyed

permitted

happened

cancelled AmE: canceled

rubbed

needed

travelled AmE: traveled

planned

Irregular verbs

bet – bet – bet

catch – caught – caught

bleed – bled – bled

cost – cost – cost

creep – crept – crept

fight – fought – fought

pay – paid – paid

quit – quit - quit

ride – rode - ridden

awake Bite feed hide light rise see wet

awoke – awoke bit – bitten fed – fed hid – hidden lit – lit rose – risen saw – seen wet – wet

The Past Continuous Tense

I / He / She / It was working …

We / You / They were working …

Was she working …?

Were they working …?

I wasn’t working …

We weren’t working …

The Past Perfect Simple Tense

had + past participle

He had left…

Had they left …?

She hadn’t left …

Narrative

1. Main events

The Past Simple is used to describe finished events in the past.

Susan went into the station and bought a ticket.

2. Background description

The Past Continuous is used to describe actions still in progress, and is used for background description.

There were a lot of people waiting in the station. Some were sleeping on the benches, and others were walking up and down. Susan was looking for Graham, so she didn’t sit down.

3. Past before pastThe Past Perfect is used to describe a past event which took place before another past event.

By the time the train arrived, Susan had managed to push her way to the front of the crowd.

It is not always necessary if a time expression makes the order of events clear.

Before the train arrived, Susan managed to push her way to the front of the crowd.

4. Interrupted past continuous

We often contrast an action still in progress with a sudden event which interrupts it.

While Susan was trying to get onto the platform, a man grabbed her handbag.

5. Participle clauses- are introduced by the time expressions before, after and while. They have the same subject as the following clause.

After struggling with him, Susan pulled the bag from his hands.

Compare these sentences

1. When the police arrived, the robbers left the bank.

2. When the police arrived, the robbers were leaving the bank.

3. When the police arrived, the robbers had left the bank.

Put the verbs in brackets into a suitable tense. All sentences refer to past time.

1. We (tour) _____ Canada at this time last year.

2. I couldn’t concentrate because the people upstairs (talk) _______ very loudly.

3. I (sleep) _______ when the front door rang.

4. I wasn’t hungry. I (just eat) _________.

Answers

1. We were touring Canada at this time last year.

2. I couldn’t concentrate because the people upstairs were talking very loudly.

3. I was sleeping when the front door rang.

4. I wasn’t hungry. I had just eaten.

5. He was broke. He (spend) _____ all his money.

6. It was pouring with rain as she (wonder) _____ what to do.

7. Long ago, they (build) _____ most houses out of wood.

8. I am writing in connection with the advertisement which (appear) ______ on 3 October.

9. We went to London last week and (stay) ______ in a huge hotel.

Answers

5. He was broke. He had spent all his money.

6. It was pouring with rain as she was wondering what to do.

7. Long ago, they built most houses out of wood.

8. I am writing in connection with the advertisement which appeared on 3 October.

9. We went to London last week and stayed in a huge hotel.

The Past Perfect Continuous

had been + …ing

It is used for a continuous or repeated activity that began before another action in the past and continued until the other action began. The emphasis is on the activity itself and its duration.

Yesterday the police arrested someone they had been trying to catch for ten years.

He had been playing football for a year when he was asked to join the school team.

The Past Perfect Continuous is used for a past activity that stopped recently or just before a second past action began.

I knew they had been swimming because their swimming costumes were still wet.

Put the verbs in brackets into a suitable tense.

1. Barry was hot. He (jog) __________.

2. Sammy said that he (see) ______ that film before.

3. We were so busy talking when we (leave) _____ the restaurant, that we forgot to pay for our meal.

4. When we looked at the timetable, we saw that the last bus (go) _______.

Answers

1. Barry was hot. He had been jogging.

2. Sammy said that he had seen that film before.

3. We were so busy talking when we left the restaurant, that we forgot to pay for our meal.

4. When we looked at the timetable, we saw that the last bus had gone.

Habits in the past

1. The Past Simple is used to describe past habits or states. A time expression is usually necessary.

I always got up at six in those days. (habit)

I lived in Austria for several years. (state)

2. Used to is used to describe past habits, usually in contrast with the present. A time expression is not necessary.I used to get up at six, but now I get up at eight.Used to can also describe past states.I used to own a horse. (I owned a horse once.)

Note these forms:I didn’t use to like beer.Did you use to swim every day?

3. Would is used to describe a person’s typical activities in the past. It can only be used to describe repeated actions.

Every evening was the same. Jack would turn on the radio, light his pipe and fall asleep.

4. The Past Continuous can be used to describe a repeated action in the past, often an annoying habit. A frequency adverb is necessary.

When Peter was younger, he was always getting into trouble.

Politeness and uncertainty

The Past Continuous with the verb wonder has a polite meaning.

I was wondering if you could help me.

With the verb think the Past Continuous suggests uncertainty.

I was thinking of having a party next week.

Choose the most suitable tense.

1. I suddenly remembered that I forgot / had forgotten my keys.

2. While Diana watched /was watching her favourite television programme, there was a power-cut.

3. Tom used to live / would live in the house at the end of the street.

4. Who was driving / drove the car at the time of the accident?

5. By the time Sheila got back, Chris went / had gone.

6. David ate / had eaten Japanese food before, so he knew what to order.

7. I did / was doing some shopping yesterday, when I saw that Dutch friend of yours.

8. I used to like / was liking sweets much more than I do now.

9. Tanya would / used to be a doctor.

The perfect detective

Connectors and the past simple

A. Some connectors arelogical and so show sequence clearly. Read the testimonies and list these seven connectors.

1._______ 2. _______ 3. _______

4. _______ 5. _______ 6. _______

7. _______

Answers

1. after 2. because 3. before

4. although 5.as soon as 6. so 7. once

After these connectors:

a) both the past perfect simple and the past simple can be used.

b) the past perfect simple changes the sequence.

c) the past perfect simple emphasises which action happened first.

B. Some connectors do not show sequence clearly. Read the testimonies and list these connectors.

1. ________ 2. ________ 3. ________1.when 2. but 3. andAfter these connectors:a) both the past perfect simple and the past

simple can be usedb) the past perfect simple changes the

sequence