6th Class English Tenses Past Tense

     Past Tense

When a verb indicates an action in the past, it is known as the Past Tense.  

     Look at the following sentences:

• He wrote a beautiful poem.
• Steve was playing is the court yesterday.
• They had come on time.
• She had been going to English class for two months.

In the sentence given above the verbs wrote, was playing, had come and had been going show an action of past time. These verbs are said to be in the Past Tense.  

        Simple Past / Past Indefinite Tense

Formation: Subject +  + Object.  

Look at the following sentences:

He sang a beautiful song.

The speaker delivered the speech.

Use of Simple Past Tense

1.       We use the simple past tense to talk about an action or a situation – an event - in the past.

He went to Singapore with his parents last week.

2.       Past Indefinite Tense is used to show an action completed in the past.  

Maria left the town.

3.       Past Tense is used to show a habitual action in the past.  

I used to play chess here.  

      Types of Simple Past Tense  

1.     Affirmative

       You wrote a poem.

2.    Negative

        You did not write a poem.

3.     Interrogative

         Did you write a poem?

4.       Interrogative with "WH" family

           What did you write?

Note: Use first form of verb with did.

        Past Continuous Tense

The Past Continuous Tense is used to express the continuity of some past actions and to put questions. This Tense shows an action going on in the Past and not completed.  

       Look at the following sentences:

•   Roger was celebrating his victory.
•   Mary was looking at the stars.

In the sentence given above the verbs was celebrating and was looking show an action going on in the past. Here the action is incomplete. The time of action may or may not be indicated. These verbs are in Past Continuous Tense.  

       Use of Past Continuous Tense

1.       Past Continuous Tense is used to show an action started and continuing in the past time.  

She was watching the television.  

2.       Past Continuous Tense is used to show a persistent habit in the past.  

The leader was always sleeping.  

        Past Perfect Tense

The Past Perfect Tense is used to express two earlier actions, completion of past actions and to put questions. It shows an action which had been completed before another action took place.  

        Look at the following sentences:

•   Steve had taken his meal before I arrived.
•   Serena had cooked food before her daughter awoke.

In the sentence given above the verbs had taken and had cooked show that the action had been completed before another action took place. Here the earlier action takes Past Perfect Tense. These verbs are in Past Perfect Tense.  

       Use of Past Perfect Tense  

1.       Past Perfect Tense is used to show an action completed before another action took place.  

The patient had died before the doctor came.  

2.       Past Perfect Tense is used to describe an action completed in the past.  

Steve met Smith in London in 2010. He had seen him five years ago.  

         Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Past Perfect Continuous Tense shows an action starting in the past and continuing up to that time.  

       Look at the following sentences:

•   Martina had been reading since morning when Serena called her.
•   James had been singing for two hours before Zacob stopped him.

In the sentence given above the verbs "had been reading" and "had been singing" show an action that began in the past and continuing up to that time. These verbs are in Past Perfect Continuous Tense.  

      Use of Past Perfect Continuous

1.   Past Perfect Continuous Tense is used to show that the action has been continuous and is still going on.  

Mark had already been teaching in this college when he applied for another job.