PAST TENSE

The  past tense is used to talk about a completed action in a time before now. The simple past is the basic form of past tense in English. 

Past Indefinite or Simple Past Tense

The simple past (also called past simple, past indefinite ) is a verb tense which is used to show that a completed action took place at a specific time in the past. The simple past is also frequently used to talk about past habits and generalizations. Read on for detailed descriptions, examples, and simple past exercises.

Structure of the simple past tense is ----- Subject + V2 + object

For example

a. Ram played a match.

b. They cooked food.

c. I went there.

Structure of the  negative  simple past tense is ----- Subject + did +not+ V1 + object

Examples

a. Ram did not play a match.

b. They did not cook food.

c. I did not go there.

Structure of the  interogative simple past tense is ----- did + subject +  V1 + object ?

Examples

Past continuous Tense

The past continuous (also called past progressive) is a verb tense which is used to show that an ongoing past action was happening at a specific moment of interruption, or that two ongoing actions were happening at the same time. Read on for detailed descriptions, examples, and past continuous exercises.

Structure of the past continuous tense is ----- Subject + was/were+ v1+ing + object

Was is used with singular subjects.

Were is used with plural subjects.

For Example

a. She was cooking food.

b. They were playing cricket.

c. I was writing a letter.

Structure of the negative past continuous tense is ----- Subject + was/were + not+ v1+ing + object

Examples

a. She was not cooking food.

b. They were not playing cricket.

c. I was not writing a letter.

Structure of the interogative past continuous tense is ----- Subject + was/were + not+ v1+ing + object ?

Examples

a. Was she cooking food?

b. Were they  playing cricket ?

c. Was I writing a letter ?

Past Perfect Tense 

The past perfect is a verb tense which is used to show that an action took place once or many times before another point in the past. Read on for detailed descriptions, examples, and present perfect exercises.

Structure of the past perfect tense is  Subject + had + V3 + object             ( Always use V3 with has/ have/ had.)

For example

a. She had cooked food.

b. They had played a match.

c. I had left the job.

Structure of the negative past perfect tense is  Subject + had + not + V3 + object   

Examples

a. She had not cooked food.

b. They had not played a match.

c. I had not left the job

Structure of the interogative  past perfect tense is  Had + subject + V3 + object    ?

Examples

a. Had she cooked food?

b. Had they played a match?

c. Had I left the job?

Past Perfect Continuous

The past perfect continuous (also called past perfect progressive) is a verb tense which is used to show that an action started in the past and continued up to another point in the past. Read on for detailed descriptions, examples, and present perfect continuous exercises.

Structure of the Past Perfect Continuous Tense Subject + had been + V1 + ing + object

For example

a. It had been raining since Monday.

b. They had been playing cricket since 2002.

c. I had been living in India for three years.

Structure of the negative Past Perfect Continuous Tense Subject + had +not+been + V1 + ing + object

Examples

a. It had not been raining since Monday.

b. They had not  been playing cricket since 2002.

c. I had not been living in India for three years.

Structure of the interogative Past Perfect Continuous Tense  Had +Subject + been + V1 + ing + object?

Examples

a. Had it been raining since Monday?

b. Had they been playing cricket since 2002?

c. Had I been living in India for three years?