Past tenses Flashcards
(35 cards)
Which past tenses do we know?
past simple
past continuous
past perfect simple
past perfect continuous
past simple-form
the auxiliary verb : to do (did)
the inflection: -ed
past simple - use
to express:
-a finished action in the past
-actions that follow eachother in a story
-a past situation or habit
-USED TO-a state of habit in the past that is now finished
-WOULD-typical behaviour in the past that is now finished
exmp. a finished action in the past
Tina left an hour ago.
(last night, in 2001, when she was young)
exmp. actions that follow eachother in a story
Mary walked into the room and stopped.She listened very carefully.
exmp. a past situation or habit
When I was a child, we lived in a small house by the sea.
exmp. USED TO/WOULD
We USED TO live in a small house by the sea. As a child I WOULD walk by the beach.
The difference between USED TO and WOULD
USED TO - past habit, doesn’t focus on frequency, can refer to other states as well
WOULD - routine, typical behaviour, frequently repeated activity, cannot refer to other states, only action and activities
exmp. used to
I used to go swimming every Thursday when I was at school
exmp. would
We would go to the beach after school.
past simple - spelling
- -ed to the base form
- add -d if the verb ends in -e
- if the verb has one syllable with one vowel + one consonant, double the consonant before -ed
- in most two-syllable verbs, the end consonant is doubled if the stress is on the second syllable
- verbs that end in a consonant ‘+ -y change the -y to -ies
exmp. -ed to the base form
talked
exmp. add -d if the verb ends in -e
like - liked
exmp. if the verb has one syllable with one vowel + one consonant, double the consonant before -ed
stop - stopped
plan - planned
exmp. in most two-syllable verbs, the end consonant is doubled if the stress is on the second syllable
prefer - pre’ferred
admit - ad’mitted
exmp. verbs that end in a consonant ‘+ -y change the -y to -ies
carry - carried
past continuous-form
auxiliary verb : to be (was;were)
the inflection_ -ing
past continuous-use
-to express an activity in progress before, and probably after a particular in the past
-for descriptions
-to express an interupted activity
-to express an incomplete activity
exmp. to express an activity in progress before, and probably after a particular in the past
At seven o’clock this morning they were having breakfast.
(limited period of time)
exmp. for descriptions
She looked beautiful. She was wearing a silver dress. Her eyes were shining in the moonlight.
exmp.to express an interupted activity
When the phone rang she was having a shower.
exmp. to express an incomplete activity
I was reading a book during the flight. (didn’t finish it)
BUT : I watched a movie during the flight
(the whole film)
HOWEVER : both activities (reading, watching) - ended in the past
noun of incomplete?
incompleteness
difference between PS and PC
PS:focuses on past actions as complete facts
PC: focuses on the duration of past activities