4HG Past Tenses

Question 1

Past Tenses

Simple Past

Answer 1

• Usage: Describes completed actions that happened at a specific time in the past.
• Structure: Subject + past form of the verb
• Examples:
  1. I visited Paris last year.
  2. She cooked dinner yesterday.

Question 2

Past Tenses

Past Continuous

Answer 2

• Usage: Describes actions that were in progress at a specific moment in the past or actions that were interrupted by another action.
• Structure: Subject + was/were + verb-ing
• Examples:
  1. I was reading a book at 8 PM.
  2. They were watching TV when the phone rang.

Question 3

Past Tenses

Past Perfect

Answer 3

• Usage: Describes actions that were completed before another action or specific time in the past.
• Structure: Subject + had + past participle
• Examples:
  1. I had finished my homework before dinner.
  2. She had already left when he arrived.

Question 4

Past Tenses

Past Perfect Continuous

Answer 4

• Usage: Describes actions that started in the past and continued up to another point in the past, emphasizing the duration.
• Structure: Subject + had + been + verb-ing
• Examples:
  1. I had been studying for two hours when she called.
  2. They had been living in London for five years before they moved to New York.

Question 5

Past Tenses

IF ONLY / WISH + Past Simple

Answer 5

• Usage: To express wishes or regrets about present situations that are not true or that you would like to change.
• Structure:
  1. If Only: If only + subject + past simple.
  2. Wish: Subject + wish + subject + past simple.
• Examples:
  If Only:
  1. If only I knew her name. (I don’t know her name, but I want to know it.)
  2. If only it weren’t raining. (It is raining, but I wish it wasn’t.)

Wish:
1. I wish I had a car. (I don’t have a car, but I want one.)
2. She wishes she were taller. (She is not tall, but she wants to be taller.)

Question 6

Past Tenses

IF ONLY / WISH + Past Perfect

Answer 6

• Usage: To express regrets about past situations or actions that did not happen or happened differently than desired.
• Structure:
  1. If Only: If only + subject + past perfect.
  2. Wish: Subject + wish + subject + past perfect.
• Examples:
  If Only:
  1. If only I had studied harder. (I didn’t study hard, and now I regret it.)
  2. If only they had arrived earlier. (They didn’t arrive early, and now I regret it.)

Wish:
1. I wish I had gone to the party. (I didn’t go to the party, but now I wish I had.)
2. He wishes he had told the truth. (He didn’t tell the truth, but now he regrets it.)