PAST TENSE

Past Tense

A verb that refers to past time is said to be the past tense. The past tense is a grammatical tense used to describe actions or events that have already occurred. It indicates that the action is completed and typically involves the use of specific verb forms.

Forms Of Past Tense

There are four forms of past tense:

1. Simple Past Tense
2. Past Progressive or Past Continuous Tense
3. Past Perfect Tense
4. Past perfect Progressive Or Past perfect Continuous Tense

Each form conveys different aspects of time and completion related to the action.

Simple Past Tense

Simple past tense is used to to describe actions or events that were completed at a specific time in the past..

FORMULA:
Subject + verb (2^nd form) + Object
USES:

1. Completed Actions: To describe actions that were completed in the past, often with a specific time reference.
   e.g., "She visited Paris last year".
2. Sequential Actions: To narrate a series of events that occurred one after the other.
   e.g., "He woke up, got dressed, and left the house".
3. Past Habits or Routines: To indicate habits or routines that were true in the past but are no longer the case.
   e.g., "They played soccer every Saturday".
4. Past Facts or Generalizations: To state facts or general truths that were true in the past.
   e.g., "The company was founded in 1990".
5. Reported Speech: To report what someone said in the past.
   e.g., "She said she was tired".

SIGNAL WORDS:

• Yesterday
• Last week/month/year
• In 2010 (or any specific year)
• Ago (e.g., "two days ago")
• Earlier
• When (in the context of a completed action)
• At that time

EXAMPLES:

• Affirmative: He spoke.
• Negative: He did not speak.
• Question: Did he speak?

Past Progressive (Continuous) Tense

The past continuous tense, also known as the past progressive tense, is used to describe actions or events that were ongoing sometime in the past.

FORMULA:

• Subject + auxiliary verbs (was, were) + verb (1^st form) ing + Object
• Subject (singular) + was + verb (1^st form) ing + Object
• Subject (Plural) + were + verb (1^st form) ing + Object

USES:

• Describing Ongoing Actions in the Past: It indicates that an action was in progress at a specific moment in the past.
  For example, "I was reading a book at 8 PM last night."
• Setting the Scene: It helps to provide background information or context in storytelling.
  For example, "The sun was setting, and the birds were singing."
• Simultaneous Actions: It can describe two or more actions happening at the same time in the past.
  For example, "While I was cooking, my friend was setting the table."
• Interrupted Actions: It is used to show that a longer action was interrupted by a shorter another action.
  For example, "I was watching TV when the phone rang."
• Repeated Actions: It can express actions that were happening repeatedly in the past, often with a sense of annoyance or habit.
  For example, "He was always borrowing my books without asking."

SIGNAL WORDS:

• While
• When
• As
• At that moment
• During
• All day
• At that time

EXAMPLES:

• Affirmative:
  * He was speaking.
  * They were speaking.
  
  
• Negative:
  * He was not speaking.
  * They were not speaking.
  
  
• Question:
  * Was he speaking?
  * Were they speaking?

Past Perfect (Simple) Tense

To describe one action that happened before another action in the past. It establishes a clear sequence of events, indicating that one past action was completed prior to another past action.

FORMULA:
Subject + had + verb (3^rd form) + Object

USES:

• Action taking place before a certain time in the past.
• Sometimes interchangeable with past perfect progressive.
• Putting emphasis only on the fact (not the duration).

SIGNAL WORDS:

• already
• never
• just
• not yet
• once
• until that day
• If (sentence type III - e.g. If I had talked......)

EXAMPLES:

• Affirmative: He had spoken.
• Negative: He had not spoken.
• Question: Had he spoken?

Past Perfect Progressive (Continuous)

To describe an action that started in the past and was still in progress when a second action started.

FORMULA:
Subject + had + been + verb(1^st form) ing + Object

USES:

• Action taking place before a certain time in the past.
• Sometime interchangeable with past perfect simple.
• Putting emphasis during or the course of an action.

SIGNAL WORDS:

• for
• since
• the whole day
• all day

EXAMPLES:

• Affirmative: He had been speaking.
• Negative: He had not been speaking.
• Question: Had he been speaking?