In the last article we tried to understand how tense forms are formed in English and looked at the present tense of the English language in all four of its manifestations.
If this is learned, then it will be easier to deal with the past tense. So, let's move on.
The Past Tenses: Past Tenses
1.The Past Indefinite (Simple): Past indefinite (simple)
Use Past Indefinite when you want to tell:
- about some event or about the constant quality of an object or subject in the past
- about a chain of successive events
- about what happened periodically, but constantly
For example:
- I wrote an article - I wrote an article (the event happened in the past).
- Wasn't a good writer. -He was a good writer (a constant quality is a good writer)
- He woke up and washed. — He woke up and washed himself (chain of events)
- I and my friends went to the mountains every summer.- My friends and I went to the mountains every summer (that is, periodically)
The same sentence can be remade using the phrase - used to:
- I and my friends used to go to the mountains every summer. My friends and I used to go to the mountains every summer (literally: we used to go)
The verb in this case is in the 1st f.
Rules for the formation of Past Indefinite:
If the verb is regular, the ending -ed is added to it; if it is irregular, the second form from the table of irregular verbs is used.
In interrogative and negative sentences we use -did and -didn"t (past form -to do)
Let's summarize all the rules for the formation of this tense form in the table: Rules for the formation of Past Indefinite If you ask something or deny, then the main verb must be used in the 1st form (infinitive without -to), and not in the 2nd.
In an interrogative sentence was/were is placed at the beginning before the subject, and in the negative - after, in the form - was not (wasn't) or were not (weren't).
- Were you beautiful in that dress? -Were you beautiful in this dress?
- He wasn’t sure or correctly he writes. He wasn't sure if he was writing correctly.
Auxiliary verb conjugation - to be in the past time: 
verb to be in the past tense By what other characteristics, besides - did, was/were, can we determine that the sentence is Past Indefinite? Of course, according to the presence of a time circumstance that answers the question “when”. For example:
- When did you write an article? — When did you write the article?
- I wrote an article last year. — I wrote an article last year.
The circumstance of time is here last year. More options:
- today - today
- a few hours ago - a few hours ago
- on Tuesday - on Tuesday
- on January 7 - January 7th, etc.
Question words are always placed at the beginning of a sentence.
- For whom did you do it? - For whom (whom) did he do this?
- What were you in that dress? -What did you look like in that dress?
2.The Past Continuous
Like the Present Continuous, Past Continuous used in English if you need to talk about a certain period of action, not in the present, but in the past.
Let us also summarize all the rules for the formation of this tense and the construction of all forms of sentences in a table: Past continuous The range of application of this temporary form of English is very wide. There are at least three time ranges for its use.
- The duration of action is specifically indicated:
- temporary circumstance
- another event in the simple past
- event of the long past
- certain situation
Let's look at the examples one by one, corresponding to each case.
- I was correcting an article yesterday -I corrected the article yesterday (time circumstance)
- When we found him, he was sitting on the beach. — When we found him, he was sitting on the seashore (simple past event)
- While he was doing lessons, friends were waiting near the house. -While he was doing his homework, his friends were waiting for him near the house (an event in the long past)
- I returned home. He was writing still. - I returned home. He was still writing (certain situation)
- If the action is prolonged, perhaps intermittent, the approximate period of the event is indicated, but not at the moment, then time circumstances are also used here:
- She was putting things in order in the house for a month after repair - She put things in order in the house after renovation for a month.
- But if you need to talk about sequentially occurring events, then Past Indefinite is used:
- I came home from the school, ate and sat down at the computer. — I came home from school, ate and sat down at the computer.
If you want to talk about the very fact of an event in the past, use Past Indefinite; if you want to emphasize the duration of the action, its process - Past Continuous.
The use of one tense or another in the English language often depends on an elusive semantic difference, the sound load or intonation with which each word of the sentence is pronounced.
- Informal usage:
The time of the event is used in meaning as the future, but it was pronounced or projected from the past, so we also write in the past continuous. You can understand it with an example:- I wrote that I was coming next week.- I wrote that I would arrive next week.
By the way, this sentence can be remade by using the phrase to be going to, which is often used in this tense form to express the intention of an action:
- I was going to come next week. — I was going to come next week
3.The Past Perfect
This tense of the English language, based on the translation, is, as it were, “past in the past.” Is it difficult to digest right away? Let’s now imagine this: something happened (happened) before some moment, which is also already in the past, and you need to tell about it. You definitely need to report that you did it by five o’clock, or before the boss came, or you did it, and then she said... etc. In short, if you are talkative or a writer, then this time is for you. In simple English dialogue, it is better to use the simple past.
Formed Past Perfect just like the Present Perfect, only the verb have, the auxiliary, takes the past form had. The main verb is in the third form, as in all Perfect tenses.
Table with sentence formulas: Past perfect In what cases is the Past Perfect used in English:
- Basically, when the time of action is indicated:
- temporary circumstance: here they usually indicate the approximate time at which this happened (by Monday - by Monday, by five o'clock - by five o'clock, by midnight - by midnight, etc.);
- subsequent, later event
- situation
- He had finished this thing only by midnight. -He finished this thing only by midnight.
- When he awoke, everyone had gone already. — When he woke up, everyone had already left.
- Mary said, that her dog had been ill. — Mary said that her dog was sick
If there are two past tenses in a sentence, then the Past Perfect is always used in the earlier past
- Instead of other times:
where it is impossible to use the Past Perfect Continuous (with verbs to be, think, hope, want, etc.):- I had hoped you’d be happy my arrival. - I hoped you would be happy about my arrival
- As a future for earlier events, in the subordinate clause of a complex sentence:
- Claire said that we would go to the theater, as soon as her favorite premiere had been held there. — Claire said that we would go to the theater as soon as her favorite premiere took place there.
4.The Past Perfect Continuous
Past Perfect Continuous The formula for the formation of this tense in the English language and sentence patterns are in the table below:
Past Perfect Continuous used in English if it is necessary to express exactly the duration of a completed action that began earlier than some event of the simple past and:
- Still lasts when this event occurs
- Ended shortly before some point in the past
In the first case, the time period of what is happening must be indicated.:
- Jean had been working since the morning, when friends went to help him. — Jean had been working since the morning when his friends came to help him
In the second case, the duration of action is not always indicated:
- At last he finished the picture all had been waiting. — Finally, he finished the picture that everyone was waiting for
This tense is often used in language to talk about the causes and consequences of events in the past. Such offers are marked - because, —as(because, since):
- Lena failed the exam, because she had been missing a lot of lessons. — Lena failed the exam because she missed a lot of classes
The reason (in this case, missed lessons) is always in the Past Perfect Continuous.
Sentences of the English language that do not have temporal circumstances, but in meaning belong to the Past Perfect Continuous, are often mistakenly used in the Past Continuous form. Below are examples of sentences that have the same Russian translation, but different in meaning:
- He decided to rest, because he was writing this book so hard - He decided to take a break because he wrote this book so hard (what is emphasized here is that he decided to take a break from the hard work he had been doing up to that point, that is, the usual statement of fact).
- He decided to rest, because he had writing this book so hard. - He decided to rest because he was writing this book so hard (here the emphasis is on the reason why he decided to rest - he wrote hard - and this process could have already ended either at the moment or at some point in the past ).
However, there are cases when the Past Perfect Continuous tense form cannot be used.
Remember.
The Past Indefinite Tense form expresses an action that lies entirely in the region of the past. This differs from the Present Perfect Tense form, which expresses an action that relates to both the past and the present (see rules 8-11). The difference between the Present Perfect Tense and the Past Indefinite Tense can be illustrated with the following example:
The Present Perfect Tense
He has studied English for two years. - He has been studying English for two years (and continues to study it)
The Past Indefinite Tense
He studied English for two years. - He studied English for two years (and no longer studies it)
Since the form the Past Indefinite Tense expresses an action that lies entirely in the area of the past, it is combined with words indicating the relationship of the action to the past - such as yesterday (yesterday), last year (last year), a long time ago (long ago) etc., as well as with question words when? (When?) And what time? (at what time?). For example:
Yesterday I took my driving test. - Yesterday I took my driving test.
Last year we went to Sweden. - Last year we went to Sweden.
- - All this happened a long time ago.
- - When did you arrive in Moscow? What time did the meeting start?
It all happened a long time ago.
When did you come to Moscow?
What time did the meeting start? -
Unlike the Past Indefinite Tense form, the Present Perfect Tense form cannot be combined with words indicating that the action belongs to the past. As already noted (see rule 9), the Present Perfect Tense is combined with words covering the period from the past to the present (since when? - since what time?, yet - already, so far - until now and etc.). Sentences in which the Present Perfect Tense is combined with words indicating that the action belongs to the area of the past are impossible in English. For example, sentence * is incorrect. You can say either - I have left that notebook at home (I forgot my notebook at home), using the Present Perfect Tense form, or - Yesterday I left my notebook at home (Yesterday I forgot my notebook at home), using the form the Past Indefinite Tense.
Thus, to one Russian sentence - I forgot my notebook at home- two English sentences match at once: / have left notebook at home(with the Present Perfect Tense form) and I left my notebook at home(with the form the Past Indefinite Tense). If a sentence contains a tense adverbial indicating that the action belongs to the past (yesterday etc.), then you should use the Past Indefinite Tense; but if there is no time adverbial in the sentence, then how do you decide which form to use?
It depends on the context. A proposal in itself I forgot my notebook at home does not contain an indication that the action belongs to the area of the present or past. But the context always clearly indicates what action we are talking about. For example:
The Present Perfect Tense The Past Indefinite Tense
Where is your notebook? - I have What happened yesterday? -
left it at home. I left my notebook at home.
Where is your notebook? - I forgot it at home.
So I didn't go to a class.
What happened yesterday? - I forgot my notebook at home. That's why I didn't go to class.
In the first case ( Where is your notebook? - I have left it at home) we are dealing with a present tense context: this is indicated by the form of the verb is. In the second case, the action lies entirely in the area of the past, since the context contains the word yesterday. So the choice between the Present Perfect Tense and the Past Indefinite Tense, in cases where the sentence does not contain time adverbials, is not really a problem.
In conclusion, we emphasize once again that the Present Perfect Tense is never used with words indicating that the action is related to the past. And this is natural. Offers like * Yesterday I have left that notebook at home are incorrect because they contain the word yesterday, indicating that an action is related to the past, used with the present tense form I have(and it was already said above that it is the verb have determines the temporal affiliation of the form the Present Perfect Tense, which, being a form of the present-past tense, is, first of all, a form of the present tense - see rule 8).
Thus, in this case we are dealing with the combination * Yesterday I have..., which, of course, is an absolutely impossible, incorrect combination (this is the same as if in Russian we said * Yesterday I have...).
According to the method of forming the Past Indefinite Tense form, English verbs are divided into regular and irregular. From regular verbs, the Past Indefinite Tense form is formed by adding the ending to the dictionary form of the verb -ed, For example:
call - call (on the phone)
I called - I called, -a. We called - We called.
You called - You called, -a. You called - You called.
Not called - He called. They called - They called.
She called - She called.
Irregular verbs form the Past Indefinite Tense according to individual patterns, for example:
see - to see
I saw - I saw, -a. We saw - We saw.
You saw - You saw, -a. You saw - You saw.
Not saw - He saw. They saw - They saw.
She saw - She saw.
I knew - I knew, ah.
You knew - You knew, ah.
Didn't know - He knew.
She knew - She knew.
We knew - We knew. You knew - You knew. They knew - They knew.
As you can see, English verbs have a single form, the Past Indefinite Tense, for all persons, genders and numbers. The only exception in this regard is the verb be - to be:
I was - I was, -a. We were - We were.
You were - You were, -a. You were - You were.
Wasn't - He was. They were - They were.
She was - She was.
It was - It was.
The Past Indefinite Tense forms of all verbs found in this manual are given in the dictionary attached to the manual.
The interrogative and negative forms of the Past Indefinite Tense are formed in the same way as the corresponding forms of the Present Indefinite Tense, but with an auxiliary verb do has the shape did, For example:
Did you play soccer yesterday? - Did you play football yesterday? - Yes, I did. (No, I didn’t.) - Yes, I played. (No, I didn't play.)
I didn't go to the doctor last week. - I didn’t go to the doctor last week.
Special mention should be made about the form of the Past Indefinite Tense verbs must (must) And ought (follow, must). Instead of a verb must in the form the Past Indefinite Tense the combination is used had to; what about the verb ought then it is in the form the Past Indefinite Tense used together with the combination to have, For example:
You had to go to the dentist’s yesterday. - You should have gone to the dentist yesterday.
You ought to have seen that movie. - You should have watched this film.
Exercise 151. Read the sentences, translate them into Russian and explain why they use the Past Indefinite Tense form.
Sample: In the year 1492 Columbus discovered America. - In 1492, Columbus discovered America.
Form the Past Indefinite Tense discovered used because the sentence contains a tense adverbial in the year 1492.
1. Don’t left for Texas yesterday. 2. I saw him this morning. 3. They got a letter from her a short time ago. 4. The accident took place at nine o’clock in the evening. 5. Last November they went to Spain. 6. What time did you get up? 7. She recently joined the tennis club.
Exercise 152. Read the sentences and translate them into Russian.
1. Didn't come to see me last Tuesday. 2. They left for Boston the day before yesterday. 3. A few days ago I bought a very good dictionary. 4. What time did the movie start? 5. Last summer they went to Turkey. 6. She woke up at four in the morning. 7.1 saw him five minutes ago.
Exercise 153. Read the sentences and translate them into Russian.
1. Who won the hockey match yesterday? 2. Last Sunday they went on a picnic. 3. What time did the movie end? 4. She came for lunch yesterday afternoon. 5. They checked in at 10 p.m. 6. Last April we moved to Vancouver. 7. Only yesterday he got a postcard from her.
Exercise 154. Read the sentences and translate them into Russian.
1. Our team played badly last Saturday. 2. They went to the zoo on Sunday afternoon. 3.1 saw her yesterday evening. 4. He left a little while ago. 5. What time did you go to bed? 6. We went to Quebec last weekend. 7. The movie finished at 10:30.
Exercise 155. Read the sentences and translate them into Russian.
1. I went to the doctor yesterday morning. 2. He left home two years ago. 3. I saw her a second ago. 4. When did you see him last? 5. He only came back home at 10 o’clock. 6. This TV film is worse than the one I watched last night. 7. When did you first go to France?
Exercise 156. Read the sentences and translate them into Russian.
1. I saw her at a party last Saturday. 2. When did she get married? 3. They went to Germany last February. 4. The plane arrived in Toronto at nine o’clock. 5. He entered the college in 1980. 6. The train to Chicago left at ten o’clock. 7. She graduated from the university in 2000.
Exercise 157. Translate the sentences into English.
1. In 1492, Columbus discovered America. 2. Recently he received a letter from her. 3. They came to us last Tuesday. 4. What time did the film start? 5. She got up at five o'clock in the morning. 6. Who won the hockey match yesterday? 7. Last May they moved to Moscow.
Exercise 158. Translate the sentences into English.
- 1. We saw them recently. 2. She entered college in 1995.
- 3. This film is worse than the one we watched last night.
- 4. A few days ago she bought a very good dictionary. 5. Last Sunday they went on a picnic. 6. When was the last time you saw him? 7. Last summer they went to England.
Exercise 159. Translate the sentences into English.
1. He left for Kyiv the day before yesterday. 2. She recently joined the tennis club. 3. What time did the film end? 4. I saw her this morning. 5. Last Tuesday our team played poorly. 6. Yesterday morning I went to the doctor. 7. When did you first see her?
Exercise 160. Translate the sentences into English.
- 1. The plane arrived in New York at seven o'clock. 2. She graduated from the university in 2005. 3. He left recently. 4. When did you go to bed?
- 5. He left for London the day before yesterday. 6. We saw them five minutes ago. 7. He received a postcard from her only yesterday.
Exercise 161. Translate the sentences into English.
1. The film ended at twelve o'clock. 2. They went to the zoo on Sunday morning. 3. I saw you at the party last Saturday. 4. The train to Ryazan left at eleven o’clock. 5. When did she get married? 6. When did you first go to Sweden? 7. He came home only at ten o’clock in the morning.
Exercise 162. Read the sentences and translate them into Russian.
1. We have already had a party. We had it last Saturday. 2. They already had a picnic. They had it yesterday. 3.1 hear 1 you have already had a party. You had it three days ago. 4. We have already had a picnic. We had it last month. 5. They already had a party. They had it the day before yesterday. 6. 1 hear you have already had a picnic. You had it last week. 7. We have already had a party. We had it a month ago.
Exercise 163. Translate the sentences into English.
1. We already had a party. She was there last week. 2. They already had a picnic. He was there three days ago. 3. I heard you already had a party. She was there last Saturday. 4. We already had a picnic. He was there last month. 5. They already had a party. She was there the day before yesterday. 6. I heard you already had a picnic. He was there last year. 7. We already had a party. She was there two weeks ago.
Exercise 164. Come up with and write down a pair of sentences similar to the pairs given in Exercise 162.
Exercise 165. Read the sentences and translate them into Russian.
1.1 have learned to swim. I learned last summer. 2. He has learned how to cook shashlik. He learned yesterday. 3. She has learned to drive. She learned last year. 4. I have learned how to cook lulia kebab. I learned five years ago. 5. She has learned to ride a bicycle. She learned last week. 6. He has learned how to cook pizza. He learned ten years ago. 7.1 have learned to ride a motorcycle. I learned last month.
Exercise 166. Translate the sentences into English.
1. I learned to drive a car. I learned three years ago. 2. He learned how to cook lula kebab. I learned it yesterday. 3. She learned to ride a bicycle. I learned last Saturday. 4. I learned how to cook shish kebab. I learned five years ago. 5. She learned to swim. I learned last year. 6. He learned how to cook pizza. I learned ten years ago. 7. I learned to ride a motorcycle. I learned last summer.
Exercise 167. Come up with and write down a pair of sentences similar to the pairs given in Exercise 165.
Exercise 168. Convert sentences containing the Present Perfect Tense form into sentences containing the Past Indefinite Tense form.
Sample: I have bought some oranges. - > Yesterday I bought some oranges.
In sentences with the Past Indefinite Tense form you can use the following words: yesterday, the day before yesterday, this morning, last week, last month, last year, last January, last Monday, a week ago, a month ago, recently etc.
1. He has given her a new car. 2. We have invited them to our party. 3. She has gotten married. 4. They have come to see us. 5. She has eaten fifteen candies. 6. He has drunk two bottles of wine. 7. We have moved to St. Petersburg.
Exercise 169. Convert sentences containing the Present Perfect Tense form into sentences containing the Past Indefinite Tense form according to the pattern given in the previous exercise.
1. She has left for Tokyo. 2. Have you seen her? 3. She has received a letter from him. 4. We have joined the tennis club. 5. They have won the hockey match. 6. She has gone to Switzerland. 7. He has entered the college.
Exercise 170. Come up with and write down one sentence containing the form the Present Perfect Tense, and transform it into a sentence with the form the Past Indefinite Tense and a time adverbial indicating the relation of the action to the past, according to the following pattern:
I have bought some oranges. -» Yesterday I bought some oranges.
Exercise 171. Convert sentences containing the Past Indefinite Tense form into sentences containing the Present Perfect Tense form.
Sample: Yesterday I bought some oranges. -> I have bought some oranges.
1. I saw her a second ago. 2. He left for Paris last week. 3. Yesterday she invited me to her birthday party. 4. They moved to Omsk two years ago. 5. He recently joined the tennis club. 6. The plane arrived in Stockholm at ten o’clock. 7. She graduated from the university in 2002.
Exercise 172. Convert sentences containing the Past Indefinite Tense form into sentences containing the Present Perfect Tense form according to the model given in the previous exercise.
1. Didn't get a letter from her last month. 2. She left a little while ago. 3. They won the hockey match last Tuesday. 4. He drank ten cans of beer yesterday evening. 5. The train left at eight o’clock. 6. They recently went to Pskov. 7. She got married ten years ago.
Exercise 173. Come up with and write down one sentence containing the Past Indefinite Tense form and a time adverbial indicating that the action belongs to the past, and transform it into a sentence with the Present Perfect Tense form.
Sample: Yesterday I bought some oranges. -> I have bought some oranges.
Exercise 174. Answer the questions using the words just recently, last week (month, year), a week (a month, a year) ago, two weeks (months, years) ago, etc.
Sample: Have you ever been to Denmark? - I was there just recently.
Have you ever been to Algeria? - I was there two years ago.
- 1. Have you ever been to China? 2. Has he ever been to Belgium?
- 3. Have they ever been to Iran? 4. Has she ever been to Japan? 5. Have you ever been to India? 6. Has he ever been to Cameroon? 7. Has she ever been to the Netherlands?
Exercise 175. Translate the mini-dialogues into English.
1. Has he ever been to Norway? - He was there last year. 2. Have you ever been to Austria? - I was there just recently. 3. Have you ever been to Iceland? - We were there two years ago. 4. Has she ever been to Brazil? - She was there last summer. 5. Have you ever been to Morocco? - I was there five years ago. 6. Have they ever been to Nepal? - They were there last spring. 7. Has he ever been to Argentina? - He was there just recently.
Exercise 176. Read the mini-dialogues and translate them into Russian.
1. Have you been to London? - Yes, I have. 2. Has she been to Oslo? - No, she hasn’t. 3. Have they been to Berlin? - They were there just recently. 4. Has he been to Madrid? - Yes, he has. 5. Have you been to Rome? - No, we haven’t. 6. Has she been to Prague? - She was there last winter. 7. Have they been to Manchester? - No, they haven’t.
Exercise 177. Translate the mini-dialogues into English.
- 1. Was he in Algeria? - Yes, I was. 2. Have you been to France? - I was there last winter. 3. Have they been to Iceland? - No, they weren’t.
- 4. Have you been to Slovakia? - I was there three years ago. 5. Has she been to Sweden? - Yes, I was. 6. Has he been to Norway? - No wasn `t. 7. Have you been to Spain? - I was there just recently.
Exercise 178. Come up with and write down one mini-dialogue, using the Present Perfect Tense form in the question, and the Past Indefinite Tense form in the answer, according to the following pattern:
Have you been to Denmark? - I was there just recently(or: I was there last summer etc.).
Exercise 179. Read the sentences and translate them into Russian.
Sample: a) Has not studied English for two years. - He has been studying English for two years;
b) Not studied English for two years. - He studied English for two years.
- 1. a) Not lived for five years on a desert island; b) He has lived for five years on a desert island. 2. a) It has rained for three days without stopping; b) It rained for three days without stopping. 3. a) She drove a car for a month; b) She has driven a car for a month. 4. a) He has spoken for two hours without a break; b) He spoke for two hours without a break. 5. a) They went to Canada for a week; b) They have gone to Canada for a week.
- 6. a) He has served in the Police Force for twenty years; b) He served in the police force for twenty years. 7. a) We worked for an hour; b) We have worked for an hour.
Exercise 180. Translate the sentences into English.
1a) He served in the police for fifteen years; b) He has been serving in the police for fifteen years. 2a) She has been driving the car for two weeks; b) She drove the car for two weeks. For) He lives for four years on a desert island; b) He lived for four years on a desert island. 4a) It rained for three days without a break; b) It has been raining for three days without a break. 5a) We work for eight hours; b) We worked for eight hours. 6a) They went to Australia for a month; b) They went to Australia for a month. 7a) He talks for two hours without stopping; b) He spoke for two hours without stopping.
Examples will help you plunge into the world of the past, understand all the specific nuances of its reflection in English. After all, the rule you read is like having a snack: it will satisfy your hunger, but it will not solve the main problem. That's why we suggest you study examples that will help you see all the details.
The use of the Past Simple does not have many cases that are easy to understand and remember. If you have already studied the rule of Past Simple and want to expand your horizons in order to clearly understand what, where and when, then the examples of Past Simple (Indefinite) will help you. So, let's remember that this is a simple, indefinite tense, which helps convey ordinary actions in the past. We are not interested in how long it lasted, how it lasted, only the fact.
Example sentences in Past Simple (Indefinite)
First, let's look at education, all forms and cases.
1. In an affirmative sentence, the verb takes either ending ed, or the second form, which can be found in the table of irregular verbs. But, when adding ed, some things happen features in writing, which can be found in more detail in the article “Rules of Past Simple (Indefinite)”. So let's analyze it.
Jim throw out the ball to Lisa. — Jim threw the ball to Lisa (second form).
Last year Tom worked for a company in England. — Last year Tom worked for a company in England (end ed).
2. Negative and interrogative sentences require an auxiliary verb did , which in the first case is placed before the subject, and in the second - after, but with the particle not: didn't/didn't. I would also like to note that if there are special question words: when, what, where, etc., then they come first, and then did + subject and everything else. If a sentence contains did (it doesn’t matter whether it’s a question or a negation), then verb unchanged— its first form is used, as in a dictionary.
How did you give up smoking? - How do you quit smoking?
I didn'tvisit Europe last month. — I didn’t go to Europe last month.
3. Let’s highlight as a separate point verb to be , which is a little different from all the others. In an affirmative sentence it takes the second form - was/were. But the question and negation are constructed without did, but according to its principle: Was/ were + S + minor members? S + was/ were + not + minor members. So, let us note that although this verb is semantic, there should not be auxiliary verbs next to it.
Pete was so difficult as a child. “Pete was a very difficult child.
Unfortunetly, she wasn’t at home. — Unfortunately, she was not at home.
There were so many soap operas on television five years ago. — Five years ago there were a lot of soap operas on television.
Using the Past Simple
There are only three uses of this tense in English, although they are more common than other tenses.
- The action took place in the past, there is no connection with the present, reports just a fact of accomplishment. Signal words are: ago (back), last year/month/week (last year, month, week), yesterday (yesterday), the other day (the other day), in 1998, in questions with when.
I felt very happy last year. — I felt happy last year.
My brother quickly adapted to his new job. — My brother quickly adapted to the new job.
My brother worked as a taxi-driver the other day. — The other day my brother worked as a taxi driver.
- Actions that happened in the past one after another, sequentially, following chronological order:
Liza sang a song and quickly went out. — Lisa sang a song and quickly left.
I opened the book, found the right page and started reading aloud. — I opened the book, found the right page and began to read aloud.
She came home and laid down on the sofa. — She came home and lay down on the sofa.
- Actions that usually happened in the past, regularly :
Every Sunday last year I was in church. — Last year I went to church every Sunday.
When she was young she usually went to work on foot. — When she was young, she walked to work.
When I was a teenager I visited a lot of dances. — When I was a teenager, I went to dances a lot.
Sentences in the Past Simple are a common occurrence in English grammar, everyday speech, and literary language.
Having worked with the Past Simple (Indefinite) examples, it’s time to move on to the exercises. Practice makes it easier to understand, you learn to compare, use and think independently. On our website you can test and improve your knowledge.
Past Indefinite Tense
English Grammar > VerbPast indefinite tense in English (THE PAST INDEFINITE TENSE)
1. Depending on the ways in which the main forms of verbs in English are formed (past indefinite tense and past participle), all verbs are divided into two categories: regular verbs and irregular verbs.
2. Regular verbs in the past indefinite tense and affirmative form are created by adding a suffix -ed to the infinitive, without a particle to:
2.1. After voiceless consonants, this suffix is read [t]:
to talk - talk - talked - spoke
to place - place - placed - placed
2.2. After voiced consonants, as well as vowels - [d]:
to live - live - lived - lived
to stay - stay - stayed - remained
2.3. After the letters t And d - :
to correct - correct - corrected - corrected
to translate - translate - translated - translated
to decide - decide - decided - decided
2.4. If there is a short stressed vowel before the last consonant, then before the suffix -ed, such a consonant is doubled. Consonant " L" doubles before the suffix -ed Always:
to stop - stop - stopped - stopped
to control - to control -controlled - controlled
to travel - to travel - traveled - traveled
2.5. In cases where the last letter is -y and it comes after the consonant, then before the suffix -ed it changes to -i:
to try - try - tried - tried
to supply - supply - supplied - supplied
2.6. If -y stands after a vowel, then it does not change before the suffix -ed:
to play play - played - played
to employ -employed - applied
2.7. Final letter -e before the suffix -ed omitted:
to recite - recite -recited - recited
to recognize - recognize - recognized - learned
3. Irregular verbs form the affirmative form of the past indefinite tense by changing the entire stem of the verb, or the root vowel:
to run - run - ran - ran
to write - write - wrote - wrote
to be - to be -was, were - was
to have - have -had - had
to go - go -went - walked
In dictionaries and tables of irregular verbs, along with the main form, two more main forms of the verb are usually given - the past indefinite tense and the past participle:
to begin - began - begun - To begin
to choose - chose - chosen - Choose
to draw - drew - drawn - Draw, drag
4. All verbs (regular and irregular) in the past indefinite tense form the interrogative form as follows: auxiliary verb to do in the past tense form ( did) is placed before the subject, and the infinitive of the semantic verb without a particle to- after the subject:
Did you play a football yesterday? - Did you play football yesterday?
Did he serve in the national army last year? - Did he serve in the national army last year?
5. To form the negative form of the past indefinite tense for all regular and irregular verbs, an auxiliary verb is also used to do in the past time ( did), and a negative particle not. Both of these components are placed after the subject:
I did not play a football yesterday. - I didn't play football yesterday.
Did not serve in the national army last year. - He did not serve in the national army last year.
In colloquial speech the phrase did not, as a rule, is reduced to didn't:
6. So, let’s summarize the word formation of verbs in THE PAST INDEFINITE TENSE.
6.1. Regular verbs (consider the verb to work):
Affirmative form:
I worked - I worked
He worked - He worked
She worked - She worked
It worked - He, she, it, it worked (about inanimate objects)
We worked - We worked
You worked - You worked, you worked
They worked - They worked
Interrogative form:
Did I work? - I worked?
Did he work? - He worked?
Did she work? - She worked?
Did it work? - He, she, it, did it work? (about inanimate objects)
Did we work? - We worked?
Did you work? - Did you work? You worked?
Did they work? - They worked?
Negative form:
I did not work - I didn’t work
He did not work - He didn’t work
She did not work - She didn’t work
It did not work - He, she, it, it didn’t work (about inanimate objects)
We did not work - We did not work
You did not work - You didn’t work, You didn’t work
They did not work - They didn’t work
6.2. Irregular verbs (consider the verb to speak):
Affirmative form:
I spoke - I spoke
He spoke - He spoke
She spoke - She spoke
It spoke - He, she, it, it spoke (about inanimate objects)
We spoke - We talked
You spoke - You talked, you talked
They spoke - They talked
Interrogative form:
Did I speak? - I was talking?
Did he speak? - Was he talking?
Did she speak? - Was she talking?
Did it speak? - Was he, she, it, talking? (about inanimate objects)
Did we speak? - We talked?
Did you speak? - Did you talk? Have you talked?
Did they speak? - They were talking?
Negative form:
I did not speak - I didn’t talk
He did not speak - He didn’t speak
She did not speak - She didn’t speak
It did not speak - He, she, it, it did not speak (about inanimate objects)
We did not speak - We didn’t talk
You did not speak - You didn’t talk, You didn’t talk
They did not speak - They didn’t talk
6.3. Verb to be:
Affirmative form:
I was - I was
He was - He was
She was - She was
It was - He, she, it, it was (about inanimate objects)
We were - We were
You were - You were, you were
They were - They were
Interrogative form:
Was I? - I was?
Was he? - He was?
Was she? - She was?
Was it? - He, she, it, was it? (about inanimate objects)
Were we? - We were?
Were you? - You was? You were?
Were they? - They were?
Negative form (+ shortened negative form)
I was not - I wasn’t - I wasn’t
He was not - He wasn’t - He wasn’t
She was not - She wasn’t - She wasn't
It was not - He, she, it, it wasn’t (about inanimate objects) - It wasn’t
We weren't - We weren't - We weren't
You were not - You weren't, You weren't - You weren't
They weren't - They weren't - They weren't
6.4. Verb to have:
Affirmative form:
I had - I had
He had - He had
She had - She had
It had - He, she, it, it had (about inanimate objects)
We had- We had
You had- You had, you had
They had- They had
Interrogative form:
Had I? - I had?
Had he? - He had?
Had she? - She had?
Had it? - He, she, it, it had? (about inanimate objects)
Had we? - We had?
Had you? - Did you have, did you have?
Had they? - They had?
Negative form:
I had no (not) - I didn’t have
He had no (not) - He didn’t have
She had no (not) - She didn’t have
It had no (not) - He, she, it, it didn’t have (about inanimate objects)
We had no (not) - We didn’t have
You had no (not) - You didn’t have, you didn’t have
They had no (not) - They didn’t have
Use of THE PAST INDEFINITE TENSE
7. As a rule, the past indefinite tense is used in the following cases:
7.1. When expressing an action that has passed and the time of its action is expressed in words like: “yesterday”, “the other day”, “last week”(month, etc.) last week (month etc.) and so on:
Arthur Smith joined the army when World War I broke out. - When the First World War began, Arthur Smith enlisted in the army.
7.2. When expressing several sequential actions that have already happened in the past:
Didn't take the telephone, dialed the number and waited for an answer. - He took the phone, dialed the number and waited for an answer.
7.3. When expressing common actions often repeated in the past:
It was the habit of Arthur Smith to leave nothing untested. - Arthur Smith had a habit of leaving nothing untested.
7.4. When expressing a truism (well-known facts) that took place in the past:
The World War I broke out on the August, 1914. - The First World War began in August 1914.
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