Transcript Simple past tense

By AJ Brown
English Verb Review
The foundation for English
sentences.
There are three verb tenses you learned
about in Level 1.
• The simple tenses
Simple present tense (He walks to school.)
Simple past tense (He walked to school.)
• The progressive tenses
Present progressive (He is walking to school.)
Past progressive (He was walking to school.)
• The future tenses
Future will (He will walk to school.)
Future going to (He is going to walk to school.)
There are two simple tenses:
1. Simple present = the tense of facts
• Used to describe what usually happens
Judy works in the IELP.
• Used to talk about scientific facts
Water boils at 212°F (100°C).
• Used with adverbs of frequency
Judy usually arrives early to PSU.
• Used with non-action verbs
Right now, Judy wants a donut!
2. Simple past = the tense of finished facts
• Used to describe things that are finished.
Judy worked in California.
• Used with the past progressive to talk about one
action interrupted by another (complex sentences)
She was reading when the police arrived.
• Used when the focus of the action is on its
completion
Judy worked as a secretary.
Pay Attention!
A complex sentence with both verbs in the simple
past has a different meaning from one with a
verb in the simple past and the other in the past
progressive.
• Both past = the 2 actions were at different times.
2nd
When1stshe saw the storm clouds, she drove home.
• One past and one progressive = one action was in
progress when the other action occurred
When2nd
she saw the storm clouds, she was driving
home.
1st
Remember…
• The affirmative simple tenses are just one verb
eateat breakfast every morning.
They are
ateate breakfast every morning.
They did
• The negative simple tenses use the helping DO + not
I do not
nothear
hear the music.
notheard
hear the music.
I didnot
• Simple tense questions also use the helping DO
has a dog?
Does he He
have
Did he have
He had a dog?
Simple tense clues…
Simple present
• Adverbs of frequency (Judy always drinks tea.)
• Every + noun (Judy teaches every day.)
• [scientific fact or truth] (Water boils at 100°C.)
•
•
•
•
Simple past
Yesterday
(Judy fell down yesterday.)
Last + noun
(Last week, Judy saw her sister.)
Amount + ago
(26 years ago, Erin was born.)
In + time
(In 1988, Erin was born.)
You also learned about the
progressive tenses in Level 1
1. Present progressive = the tense of NOW
• Used to describe what is happening right now
Judy is talking to us.
• Used to describe something happening in the
extended present time
You are taking Grammar/Writing 2.
• Used to show that the action is temporary
I’m taking IELP classes before I take regular
university classes.
2. Past progressive = the tense of duration
• Used to describe an action in progress at a time in
the past
Judy was living in Texas in 1990.
• Used with the simple past to talk about one
action interrupted by another (complex
sentences)
She was reading when the police arrived.
• Used with while to show 2 actions at the same
time in the past
I was studying while Gabe was making dinner.
Remember…
• The affirmative progressive tenses are two verbs
eating
They areare
eat breakfast right now.
They were
dideating
ate breakfast at 7 am yesterday.
• The negative progressive tenses just add not after BE
notlistening
listening to
I amam
to the music.
I was
was
listening
to the music.
not
listening to
• Progressive tense Y/N questions just move helping BE
He
iswalking
walking his dog?
Is he
He
was
walking his dog?
Was
he walking
Progressive tense clues…
Present progressive
• (right) now (Judy is drinking her tea right now.)
• While (While Judy is teaching, her daughter is in school, too.)
• [extended present time] (Judy’s students are living in Portland.)
Past progressive
• Time clause sentences
(Before Judy moved here, she was living in
California.)
• While
(Judy saw her sister while she was visiting.)
• In progress in past (Last week, Erin was walking to school.)
(Eighteen years ago, Judy was living in CA.)
Finally, you learned about the future
tenses in Level 1
1. Future will = the tense of the future
• Used to talk about the future
We will have a party next week.
• Used to talk about future intentions or plans,
especially when decided at the moment of
speaking
I will bring the cookies and plates.
2. Future be going to = the tense of the future
• Used to talk about the future
We are going to have a party next week.
• Used to talk about predictions or guesses,
especially when something in the present
helps you predict the future
Look at those clouds! It is going to rain soon.
3. Future present progressive = the tense of the
arranged future
• Used to talk about future plans that are
already arranged
We are having a party in May.
I’m visiting my sister in San Francisco next
month.
4. Future simple present= the tense of the
scheduled future
• Used to talk about scheduled future events,
especially timetables, programs, and
schedules
My plane leaves next Friday at noon.
Summer school starts in mid-June.
Comma rules for simple
sentences
• Usually they don’t require a comma I live in southwest Portland.
The man behind the case of flowers is my father.
There are four Saudis and six Koreans in my class.
• Do not write a comma between two words or
phrases
I like ice cream and candy.
The ball went behind the sofa and under the desk.
She is the top student and my best friend.
Comma rules for compound
sentences
• Always write a comma before the conjunction
I live in Portland, and I work in Beaverton.
He is sleeping right now, but he’ll call you later.
I lost my purse, so I called the police.
• Do not write a comma between two words or
phrases
I like ice cream and candy.
The ball went behind the sofa and under the desk.
She is the top student and my best friend.
Comma rules for complex
sentences
• YES! write a comma if the dependent clause is 1st.
Although I live in Portland, I work in Beaverton.
Because he is sleeping right now, he’ll call you later.
Since I lost my purse, I called the police.
• NO! do not write a comma if the dependent clause is 2nd.
I work in Beaverton although I live in Portland.
No comma when
in the middle of
He’ll call you later because he is sleeping right now.
the sentence!
I called the police since I lost my purse.