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UNIT 6 PAST TENSES
This unit covers the main kinds, forms and usages of past tenses; the same rules apply as the ones used with the present tenses but only past tenses relates to past time periods.
I. Past Simple are used for actions completed at a definite time in the past.
Forms:
a. Affirmative (add -ed or -d to the base form of the verb)
b. Negative ( add did not or didn't before the base form)
c. Question ( add did + subject before the base form)
Usages:
a. Past action when the time is given.
ex. I I cried last night before I went to bed.
b. When the time is asked about.
ex. When did you have that tattoo on your left shoulder?
c. Action took place at a definite time even though this time is not mentioned.
ex. I was in love once.
d. Sometimes the time becomes definite as a result of a question and answer in the present perfect.
ex. Where did you study? - I studied in Trinity University of Asia. - How was the experience?
II. Past Continuous uses the past simple of 'be' and these: was and were plus verb+ing.
Forms:
a. Affirmative (Subject + was/were + verb+ing)
b. Negative (was/were + subject + verb+ing)
c. Question (Subject + was/were + not + verb+ing)
Usages:
a. Used without a time expression. It can indicate gradual development that took place in the past.
ex. She was getting angrier as we wait for the train that took forever to arrive.
b. It can express an action which began before that time and probably continued after it.
ex. At ten I was cooking for lunch.
c. We also use the continuous tense in descriptions.
ex. When I slept, the moon was shining dimly and all the boys were singing their heartfelt song for me outside my window. I knew it in my dreams.
III. Past Perfect uses auxiliary verb 'had' and a past participle.
Form:
a. Affirmative (Subject + had + past participle)
b. Negative (Subject + had + not + past participle)
c. Question (had + subject + past participle)
Usages:
a. The past equivalent of present perfect.
ex. When I arrived at the event dinner had already been served.
IV. Past Perfect Continuous uses the auxiliary verbs 'had' and 'been' and verb+ing.
Form:
a. Affirmative (sub + had + been + verb+ing)
b. Negative (sub + had + not + been + verb+ing)
c. Question (had + subject + been + verb+ing)
Usage:
a. To talk about longer actions or situations in the past that had been going on continuously up to to the past moment.
ex. She finally finished a project that she had been working on religiously for the past few months.
