Transcript Example

Let’s talk about past tenses,
we have three forms:
- PAST SIMPLE
- PAST CONTINUOUS
- PAST PERFECT
The simple past tense is the most common
verb form in English.
USE: We use it when we want to talk about a
started and finished action in a specific time in
the past.
The specific time has always to be mentioned in
the sentence or in the context.
Examples:
I spent my last holidays with my best friends.
I got up very late yesterday.
CONSTRUCTION:
Regular verbs:
To form the most regular verbs add the form
–ed at the base form.
-if the verb ends in -e, add –d. es.livelived
-if the verb ends in a consonant followed by –y,
change “y” in “i” and then add –ed.
es.crycried
-if the verb ends in a consonant preceded by a
vowel, double the final consonant ad then add
–ed.
es.stopstopped
Irregular verbs:
The irregular verbs have instead their
personal paradigm that you find in the
dictionary and you have to memorize.
WAS/WERE + VERB + -ING
Example: We were going…
USE
1) We use the past continuos to
talk about an action in progress at a
specific time in the past.
Example: At one o’clock in the
morning George was still studying.
2) We use the past continuos to describe a
past action in progress which was
interrupted by another action (exspressed
in the past simple).
Example: I was having a bath when the
phone rang.
3) We use the past continuos with while
for two actions happening at the same
time.
Example: While we were having a
breakfast, Sue was still sleeping.
4) We often use the past continuos to
describe a scene.
Example:
There was a full moon and a light breeze
was blowing. Edith was sipping her tea
on the terrace.
HAD + PAST PARTICIPLE
USE
1) We use the past perfect when we are
talking about the past and we want to
talk about an earlier past action.
Examples: A) When we got to the station,
the train had already left.
B) Malcom decided not to go on the
excursion, beacuse he had been sick the
nigth before.
2)We use the past perfect with how long, since,
for to show when something started in the
past.
Examples: A) How long had they been married
when they had their first child?
B) Sandy had had the car for only a month when
they stole it.
3) We use the past perfect after these
expressions:it was the first/second time….
Example: It was the third time I had visited that
country.
In some sentences we can use both the
simple past and the past perfect,
anyhow the meaning is the same.
Example: After she read/had read the
letter, she tore it to pieces.
Complete the sentences with the correct form of the
verbs in brackets.Use the Past simple,continuos or
perfect.
1) I __________ (see) an accident while I _____________
(walk) home.
2) How long ________ (he have) a temperature when he
__________ (finally call) a doctor?
3) By the time we _________ (arrive) ,the party
__________ (finish).
4) I ___________ (not study) very much ,so I
__________ (not pass) the exam.
5) I _________ (cook) dinner when you ________ (phone)
6) They ___both busy __________ (work) in the
garden. Julia _________ (plant) some bulbs while Walt
____________ (cut) the grass.
7)We ___________ (not eat) anything since the day
before,and _____________ (be) very hungry.
Hello! I’m
ready
Let’s try!
1) I SAW an accident while I WAS WALKING
home.
2) How long HAD he HAD a temperature
when he finally CALLED a doctor?
3) By the time we ARRIVED ,the party HAD
FINISHED.
4) I HADN’T STUDIED very much ,so I
DIDN’T PASS the exam.
5) I WAS COOKING dinner when you
PHONED.
6) They WERE both busy WORKING in the
garden. Julia WAS PLANTING some bulbs
while Walt WAS CUTTING the grass.
7)We HAD NOT EATEN anything since the
day before, and WERE very hungry.