The past tenses
The past simple
Definition
The form of a verb used to describe an action that happened before the present time and is no longer happening. It is usually made by adding -ed.
Formation
Use
1. Actions completed in the past
When actions are completely over, you use the simple past.
Examples:
- I brushed my teeth this morning.
- Yesterday, I ate an apple.
2. Successive actions
When actions from the past follow one another, you use the past simple.
Example:
- It seemed almost in slow motion the way they piled onto the honker's car. Within seconds they shattered the glass and pulled him through the windshield.
3. Past habits
You use the past simple when talking about your past habits.
Example:
- When I was a little girl, I swam every Saturday.
4. Past facts
When talking about facts that happened in the past, you use the past simple.
Example:
- Leonardo Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa.
Exercises on the past simple
The past continuous
Definition
The past continuous tense refers to a continuing action or state that was happening at some point in the past.
Examples:
- The telephone was ringing, when I got home.
- When I entered the parking lot, music was playing.
Formation
Use
The past continuous is used to talk about the past:
1. For something that continued before and after another action.
Example:
- The children were making their homework, when their mom got home.
2. for something happening again and again
Example:
- They were meeting before and after school.
3. with verbs which show change or growth
Example:
- They were growing up quickly.
- They were changing fast.
4. to give background information
Example:
- When I entered the store, music was playing.