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Past Simple - Continuous-Past Perfect Simple - Continuous

This document provides information on past tense verb forms and uses in English. It discusses: 1. The forms of the past simple (regular and irregular verbs) and past continuous tenses. 2. The uses of the past simple for completed past actions and narrative, and past continuous for interrupted or simultaneous past actions. 3. The forms and uses of the past perfect simple and past perfect continuous tenses to refer to past actions that occurred before other past actions.

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Laura Croitoru
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23 views3 pages

Past Simple - Continuous-Past Perfect Simple - Continuous

This document provides information on past tense verb forms and uses in English. It discusses: 1. The forms of the past simple (regular and irregular verbs) and past continuous tenses. 2. The uses of the past simple for completed past actions and narrative, and past continuous for interrupted or simultaneous past actions. 3. The forms and uses of the past perfect simple and past perfect continuous tenses to refer to past actions that occurred before other past actions.

Uploaded by

Laura Croitoru
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Past Simple

Forms:
+ Sb + 2nd form of the vb (irregular): I ate an apple yesterday.
- ed (reg) regular: I asked a question an hour ago.

- Sb + didn’t + 1st form of the vb: I didn’t eat an apple yesterday.


I didn’t ask a question an hour ago.

? Did + Sb + 1st form of the vb? Did I eat an apple yesterday? Yes, I did. / No, I didn’t.
Did I ask a question an hour ago?

Uses

1. Past, determined, finished action


I went to Spain last year.

2. Narrative tense, actions described in chronological order


Yesterday I woke up, I took a shower, I had breakfast and I went to work.

Spelling of -ed forms

1. Vb + -ed:
help – helped, work – worked

2. Vb ending in -e + -d:
love- loved, hope- hoped

3. Vb ending in 1 consonant + y + -ed. = -ied


study- studied, carry – carried, try- tried

4. Vb ending in 1 vowel + 1 consonant + -ed = double the consonant +ed:


stop- stopped, plan-planned

Pronunciation of -ed

/d/ - no obstacle for the tongue: listened,


/t/ - with an obstacle: stopped
/id/ - vb ends in t or d sound: demanded, started
Past Continuous – (imperfect)

Forms:

+ Sb + was/were + vb-ing: I was sleeping when you called.


We were eating when you called.
- Sb + wasn’t/weren’t + vb-ing: We weren’t speaking when he entered.
We weren’t eating when you called.
? Was/Were + Sb + vb-ing? Was I sleeping? Yes. I was./ No, I wasn’t.
Were you reading when I called?
Were you eating when you called?
Yes, we were.
No, we weren’t.

Uses:
1. Past continuous action interrupted by another past action:
I was writing an e-mail when you entered.

2. Past simultaneous continuous actions:


I was teaching while you were taking notes.

3. Natural phenomena:
The wind was blowing, the sun was shining…

Past Perfect Simple (mmcp-)

Forms:
+ Sb + had + 3rd form of the vb (irregular): I had eaten when you brought dinner.
+ -ed (regular): I had already asked her when you entered the room.

-Sb + hadn’t + 3rd form of the vb (irregulat): I hadn’t eaten when you brought dinner.
+ -ed (regular): I hadn’t asked yet her when you entered the room.

? Had + Sb + 3rd form of the vb (irregulat): Had you eaten when I brought dinner?
+ -ed (regular): Had you already asked her when I entered the room?
Yes, I had. / No, I hadn’t.

Use:
Past action happening before another past action:
I had already seen the movie when you told me about it.

‘d – had + 3rd form/-ed: ‘d eaten, ‘d asked


- would + 1st form: ‘d eat, ‘d ask
Past Perfect Continuous (mmcp-)

Forms:
+ Sb + had + been + vb-ing: I had been working for 2 months on this project.

- Sb + hadn’t + been + vb-ing: I hadn’t been working for 2 months on this project.

? Had + Sb + been + vb-ing?: Had you been working for 2 months on this project?
Yes, I had. / No, I hadn’t.

Uses:
Past Perfect Simple Past Perfect Continuous
1. quantity 1. duration
I had written 5 pages when you called me. I had been writing all morning when you called.

2. finished action 3. unfinished action


I had washed the windows. I had been washing the windows.

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