Past tenses Flashcards
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
exmp. of the difference between PS and PC
A: I didn’t see you at the party last night.
B(PS): No I stayed at home and watched football
B(PC): No I was watching football at home
Questions: What do PS and PC ask about
PS: what happened after
PC: activities before
exmp. questions
PS:
A: What did you do when the phone rang?
B I called out to my mum.
PC:
A: What were you doing when the phone rang?
B: I was having a shower.
past perfect simple - form
the auxiliary verb : to have (had)
the inflection: -ed or the 3rd form of an irregular verb
exmp. past perfect simple
I had been there before.
past perfect simple - use
to express an action in the past that was completed before another action in the past
what does what does past perfect countinuous refer to?
longer actions
repeated activities
What is the diference between this sentences and in what tense are they?
(1)When I arrived Peter had left.
(2)When I got to the party Peter left.
(3)When I got to the party Peter was leaving.
- he left, then I arrived PPS
2.first arrived, then he left PS
3.first arrived, I might have had a chat with him, then he left PC
exmp. PS passive
The museum WAS OPENED in 1977
exmp. PC passive
The bomb WAS BEING DIFUSED when it exploded.
exmp. PPS passive
The letter didn’t arrive because it HAD BEEN SENT to the wrong adress.
