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In this unit, the past tense was discussed. As with the present tense, there are four categories for the past tense. These are: past simple, pas continuous, past perfect, and past perfect continuous. Each form follows a similar process in formation of the present tense with a few differences in certain key words.
The past simple tense adds the letter “d” or the letters “ed” to the end of regular verbs to create the positive past simple form. For the negative form, the words “did not” or “didn’t” are added before the regular or irregular verb. Questions use the word “did” before the base form. The past simple tense is used for a past action when a time is given, when the time is asked, when the action took place at a definite time despite the time not being mentioned, or if the time becomes definite during the course of a question and answer series. Because there are quite a few irregular verbs that do not follow this general rule, they must be studied and memorized by students. One notable variation is the verb “to be” which becomes “was” when used with “I,” “he,” “she,” or “it” but is changed to “were” when used with “you,” “we,” or “they.”
The past continuous tense is formed using the past simple tense of the verb “to be” in which is changes to “was” or “were” depending on the subject and then adding the present participle of the verb to the end. For example, “the water level was rising.” This category is used when no time expression is included or a gradual development took place, an action which began previously to a time and is expected to continue afterward, or when writing a description.
For the past perfect tense, the word “had” or “had not” (for the negative form) are added prior to the verb in the past participle format. This can be shown in such sentences as “I hadn’t realized she was so pretty” or “when I arrived, I hadn’t understood I was late.” This format has been described as the past equivalent of the present perfect tense. The past perfect tense describes things in the past that occurred in the past.
In the past perfect continuous tense, the words “had been” or “had not been” are included. Slight variations on placement of these words occur based on whether the forms are positive, negative, or question formats. Additionally, the “ing” suffix is added to the end of the verb. The unit noted that this tense is not the most frequently used tense and not often taught, but it is primarily used to talk about longer actions in the past that had been going on continuously up to the past moment being talked about.
