Past Tenses

Past Tenses

In general the past tenses are used to talk about something that started and finished at a definite time in the past

Past Simple

The past Simple is the most common of all four, we use simple past to express the idea than an action started and finished at a specific time in the past.

We form the Simple past with regular verbs, and using their infinite forms and adding "ed"

Examples:

Want ---> Wanted

Watch ---> Watched

Stay ---> Stayed

Exceptions

With verbs that finish with "e" we just add and "d" at the end.

Example

Change --->Changed

If the verb finish with a short vowel and a consonant(except "y" and "w") we add another consonant and the "ed"

Example

Stop ---> Stopped

Commit ---> Commited

With that finish with a consonant and a "y", must be changed with and "i".

Study ---> Studied

Structure

Affirmative sentences

subject + verb

She wanted to dance

Negative sentences

Subject + To be + Not

She wasn't a good actress.

Interrogative Sentences

To be + Subject...?

Was he a doctor?

Uses

Past simple is used to talk about an action that started and ended in the past

Larry worked last night

Is used to a series of actions in the past

He studied for an hour in the morning and then he went to school for his mid-term.

Used with habits

She walked 5 kilometers everyday.

Actions of long duration

She worked in the hospital for many years.

Past events

I played piano when i was a child.

Past Continous

Past continous is used when we refer to action that happened in a specific moment in the past.

To form the past continous we use the verb "to be" and the verb finish with "ing".

Example

I, He, She, It ----> Was

You, Were, They ----> Were

Structure

Affirmative sentences

Subject + auxiliar verb (to be) + gerund

I was talking

Negative Sentences

Subject + auxiliar verb (to be) + not + gerund

He was not(wasn´t) eating

Interrogative sentences

Auxiliar verb(to be) + Subject + gerund?

Were you talking?

Uses

Past continous is used for a long action that was already interrupted. The action that is interrupted it is in past continous and the action that interrupt the other one is in past simple. "When" and "while" indicate the use of past simple and continous. In general we use past simple after "when" and past continous after "while"

My father called me while i was watching T.V

He was walking to work when he fell

We use past continous to talk about actions in a specific period of time in the past

Paula was studying at 10 o'clock last night

Past continous is used when two actions were happening at the same moment in the past

My dad was fixing his car while i was cleaning my room.

Past Perfect

The past perfect is used when we talk about action that happened before others actions in the past.

To form the past perfect we use the auxiliar verb "To have" and the past participle, the auxiliar verb is going to be in past form.

Example

I, You, We, They , She , He , It ----> Had

Structure

Affirmative sentences

Subject + Had + past participle

I had studied before i went to school.

Negative sentences

Subject + Had + Not + past participle

She had not(hadn't) eaten before the lunch.

Interrogative Sentences

Had + Subject + past participle?

Had you studied before the exam?

Uses

We use Past Perfect to refer an action that started in the past previous to another action that started in the past.(The action that happened first is in past perfect and the second action is in past simple)

I had read the book before i saw the movie

For action that happened in a specific period of time

 

I had already woken up when the alarm clock rang

We use Past perfect for actions that started in the past and continue to an specific point in the past

 

She had only owned one car before she bought a new one.