PAST TENSE - PAST SIMPLE / PAST CONTINUOUS / PRESENT PERFECT / PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS Flashcards
Understand the different types of past tense and when to use them. SIMPLE PAST PAST CONTINUOUS PRESENT PERFECT
DEFINE SIMPLE PAST TENSE (preterite)
Used to talk about a completed action in a time before now.
The time of the action can be in the recent past or the distant past and action duration is not important.
- John Cabot sailed to America in 1498.*
- My father died last year. He lived in Fiji in 1976.*
- We crossed the Channel yesterday.*
FORM THE SIMPLE PAST TENSE
Affirmative
Negative +
Interrogative
Affirmative
Subject + verb + ed
I skip (p) ed.
Negative
Subject + did not + infinitive
They didn’t go.
Interrogative
Did + subject + infinitive
Did she arrive?
SIMPLE PAST TENSE OF TO BE
I was
You were
He/She/It was
We were
They were
SIMPLE PAST TENSE OF TO HAVE
I had
You had
He/She/It had
We had
They had
SIMPLE PAST TENSE OF TO DO
I did
You did
He/She/It did
We did
They did
SIMPLE PAST TENSE OF TO GO
Interrogative + Negative
I went
You went
He/She/It went
We went
They went
- He went to a club last night.*
- He didn’t go to bed early last night. (Negative)*
- Did he go to the cinema last night? (Interrogative)*
SIMPLE PAST TENSE OF TO GIVE
Interrogative + Negative
I gave
You gave
He/She/It gave
We gave
They gave
- We gave her a doll for her birthday.*
- They didn’t give John their new address. (Negative)*
- Did Barry give you my passport? (Interrogative)*
SIMPLE PAST TENSE OF TO COME
Interrogative + Negative
I came
You came
He/She/It came
We came
They came
- My parents came to visit me last July.*
- We didn’t come because it was raining. (Negative)*
- Did he come to your party last week? (Interrogative)*
DEFINE PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE
The past continuous describes actions or events which began in the past and is still going on at the time of speaking.
It expresses an unfinished or incomplete action in the past.
- They were waiting for the bus when the accident happened.*
- Caroline was skiing when she broke her leg. When we arrived he was having a bath.*
- When the fire started I was watching television.*
FORM THE PAST CONTINUOUS
Affirmative
Negative +
Interrogative
Subject + was/were + base + ing
Affirmative
She was reading
Negative
She wasn’t reading
Interrogative
Was she reading?
Interrogative negative
Wasn’t she reading?
DEFINE PRESENT PERFECT
The present perfect is used to indicate a link between the present and the past.
The time of the action is before now but not specified, and we are often more interested in the result than in the action itself.
FORM THE PRESENT PERFECT
The present perfect = To have (present tense) + past participle of the main verb.
The past participle of a regular verb is base+ed, e.g. played, arrived, looked.
We have to memorize the irregular ones…
THE PRESENT PERFECT IS USED TO DESCRIBE # 1 - CONTINUATION OF TIME
ACTIONS STARTED IN THE PAST AND CONTINUING IN THE PRESENT (Always with since or for)
- I have lived in Bristol SINCE 1984* (= and I still do).
- I have lived in Bristol FOR 35 years* (= and I still do).
THE PRESENT PERFECT IS USED TO DESCRIBE # 2 - UNFINISHED TIME
WHEN THE TIME PERIOD REFERRED TO HAS NOT FINISHED
I have worked hard THIS WEEK.
It has rained a lot THIS YEAR.
We haven’t seen her TODAY. (= and the day/week/year isn’t over yet.)
THE PRESENT PERFECT IS USED TO DESCRIBE # 3 - REPETITION
ACTIONS REPEATED IN AN UNSPECIFIED PERIOD BETWEEN THE PAST AND NOW.
- They have seen that film six times.*
- It has happened several times already.*
- She has visited them frequently.*
- We have eaten at that restaurant many times.*
THE PRESENT PERFECT IS USED TO DESCRIBE # 4 - JUST
ACTIONS COMPLETED IN THE VERY RECENT PAST (+JUST)
Have you just finished work?
I have just eaten.
We have just seen her.
Has he just left?
THE PRESENT PERFECT IS USED TO DESCRIBE # 5 - LIFE EXPERIENCE
WHEN THE PRECISE TIME OF THE ACTION IS NOT IMPORTANT OR NOT KNOWN
- Someone has eaten my soup!*
- Have you seen ‘Gone with the Wind’?*
- She’s studied Japanese, Russian, and English.*
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
The present perfect continuous is used to refer to an unspecified time between ‘before now’ and ‘now’.
The speaker is thinking about something that started but perhaps did not finish in that period of time. He/she is interested in the process as well as the result, and this process may still be going on, or may have just finished.
FORM THE PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
The present perfect continuous is made up of two elements: the present perfect of the verb ‘to be’ (have/has been), and the present participle of the main verb (base+ing)
Subject - She
has/have been - has been
base+ing - swimming
- *Affirmative**: She has been / She’s been running.
- *Negative**: She hasn’t been running.
- *Interrogative** : Has she been running?
- *Interrogative negative**: Hasn’t she been running?
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS (RULE 1 OF 2)
ACTIONS THAT STARTED IN THE PAST AND CONTINUE IN THE PRESENT
- She has been waiting for you all day (= and she’s still waiting now).
- *I’ve been working** on this report since eight o’clock this morning (= and I still haven’t finished it).
- They have been travelling** since last October (= and they’re not home yet).
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS (RULE 2 OF 2)
ACTIONS THAT HAVE JUST FINISHED, BUT WE ARE INTERESTED IN THE RESULTS
- She has been cooking since last night (= and the food on the table looks delicious).
- *It’s been raining** (= and the streets are still wet).
- Someone’s been eating** my chips (= half of them have gone).
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS - VERBS WITHOUT CONTINUOUS FORMS
With verbs not normally used in the continuous form, use the simple present perfect instead (verbs such as: know, hate, hear, understand, want).
- *I’ve wanted** to visit China for years.
- *She’s known** Robert since she was a child.
- *I’ve hated** that music since I first heard it.
- *I’ve heard** a lot about you recently.
- *We’ve understood** everything.
