The Past Simple Tense

Use
The Past Simple is used to express: 1. A finished action in the past. We met in 2007. I went to Manchester last week. John left two minutes ago. 2. Actions that follow each other in a story. Mary walked into the room and stopped. She listened carefully. She heard a noise coming from behind the curtain... 3. A past situation or habit. When I was a child, we lived in a small house by the sea. Every day I walked for miles on the beach with my dog. This use if often expressed with used to. We used to live in a small house... I used to walk for miles...

Spelling of the verb + -ed

1. 2. 3. Most verbs add ed to the base form of the verb: helped, wanted, worked, washed When the verb ends in e, add d: liked, used, cared, hated If the verb has only one syllable, with one vowel + one consonant, double the consonant before adding ed: stopped, planned, robbed The consonant is not doubled if it is y or w: played, showed In most two-syllable verbs, the end consonant is doubled if the stress is on the second syllable: preferred, admitted (But we write entered and visited because the stress is on the first syllable). Verbs that end in a consonant + -y change the y to ied: carried, hurried, buried (But we write enjoyed because it ends in a vowel + y)

4. 5.

6.

Time Expressions that are Common with the Past Simple

last night two days ago yesterday morning in 2001 in summer when I was young

The Past Continuous Tense

Use
We often use the Past Continuous with the Past Simple. The Past Continuous refers to longer, background activities, while the Past Simple refers to shorter, completed actions.

We use the Past Continuous 1. to express activities in progress before, and probably after, a particular time in the past: At 7 oclock this morning I was having my breakfast. 2. for descriptions: Jan looked beautiful. She was wearing a dress. Her eyes were shining in the light of the candles that were burning nearby. 3. to express an interrupted activity in the past: When the phone rang, I was having a shower. 4. to express an incomplete activity in the past in order to contrast with the Past Simple that expresses a completed activity: I was reading a book during the flight (I didnt finish it) vs. I read a book during the flight (I finished it).

The Past Perfect Tense

Use
1. The Past Perfect is used to make clear that one action in the past happened before another action in the past. When I got home, I found that someone had broken into my apartment and had stolen my DVD player, so I called the police. Action 1: Someone broke into my apartment and stole my DVD player. Action 2: I got home and called the police.

Notice the difference between the following sentences: When I got to the party, Peter went home. (First I arrived, then Peter left.) When I got to the party, Peter had gone home. (First Peter left, then I arrived.)

What is the difference in meaning between these sentences?

1. When Carol arrived home, Mark cooked dinner. 2. When Carol arrived home, Mark was cooking dinner. 3. When Carol arrived home, Mark had cooked dinner.

1. Mark started to cook dinner when Carol arrived home. 2. Mark was cooking dinner when Carol arrived home. 3. Mark had already finished cooking dinner when Carol arrived home.

Complete the sentences. Check your answers with a partner. Discuss the difference in meaning.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. When I arrived at the barbecue, they ______ eating sausages. When I arrived at the barbecue, they ______ eaten all the sausages. We thanked our teacher for everything she ______ doing to help us pass the test. We thanked our teacher for everything she ______ done to help us pass the test. He told me that they ______ staying at the Carlton Hotel. He told me that they ______ stayed at the Carlton Hotel before. ______ you learn Italian before you went to Italy? ______ you already learned Italian when you went to Italy? ______ Shakespeare write Hamlet?

1. 2. 3. 4.

5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

When I arrived at the barbecue, they were eating sausages. When I arrived at the barbecue, they had eaten all the sausages. We thanked our teacher for everything she was doing to help us pass the test. We thanked our teacher for everything she had done to help us pass the test. He told me that they were staying at the Carlton Hotel. He told me that they had stayed at the Carlton Hotel before. Did you learn Italian before you went to Italy? Had you already learned Italian when you went to Italy? Did Shakespeare write Hamlet?

Past Simple or Past Continous? Choose the correct form of the verb.
1. 2. 3. 4. They fell/were falling in love when they worked/were working in Rome. She read/was reading quietly in her room when suddenly the lights went/were going out and she heard/was hearing a scream. He stood/was standing up, walked/was walking across the room, and closed/was closing the window. A young woman walked/was walking into the office. She carried/was carrying a baby. Didnt you meet/werent you meeting your wife while you lived/were living in Italy? I saw/was seeing you in the park yesterday. You sat/were sitting with your arm around Tom. As soon as I walked/was walking into the room, she handed/was handing me a letter. What did you write/were you writing when your computer crashed this morning?

5.
6. 7. 8.

1. 2. 3. 4.

5.
6. 7. 8.

They fell/were falling in love when they worked/were working in Rome. She read/was reading quietly in her room when suddenly the lights went/were going out and she heard/was hearing a scream. He stood/was standing up, walked/was walking across the room, and closed/was closing the window. A young woman walked/was walking into the office. She carried/was carrying a baby. Didnt you meet/werent you meeting your wife while you lived/were living in Italy? I saw/was seeing you in the park yesterday. You sat/were sitting with your arm around Tom. As soon as I walked/was walking into the room, she handed/was handing me a letter. What did you write/were you writing when your computer crashed this morning?

Regular and Irregular Verbs

Complete the chart with the missing verb forms.

Complete the sentences with the words in brackets. Use the Past Perfect.
Example: I was broke because I had spent all my money on clothes. (spend/money/clothes) 1. Jane was furious because she _______________. (oversleep and miss the bus) 2. Mary was very disappointed with her son. He______________. (not study enough and fail exams) 3. Before his accident, Peter _________________. (be/best player/team) 4. I was very nervous as I waited in the departure lounge. I ____________________. (never/fly/before)

1. Jane was furious because she had overslept and (had) missed the bus. (oversleep and miss the bus) 2. Mary was very disappointed with her son. He hadnt studied enough and had failed his exams. (not study enough and fail exams) 3. Before his accident, Peter had been the best player in the team. (be/best player/team) 4. I was very nervous as I waited in the departure lounge. I had never flown before. (never/fly/before)

Had or would?
Read the sentences. Does d mean had or would? 1. You must try snowboarding! Youd love it. ____ 2. She said shed given him everything. ____ 3. She said shed give him everything.____ 4. I was tired because Id been up since six.____ 5. I told you wed arrive on time! _____ 6. Id give him a ring if I were you. _____

1. You must try snowboarding! Youd love it. would 2. She said shed given him everything. had 3. She said shed give him everything.would 4. I was tired because Id been up since six.had 5. I told you wed arrive on time! would 6. Id give him a ring if I were you. would

Past Tenses in the Passive

The uses are the same in the passive as in the active. The bridge was built in 1876. (Finished action in the past) The bomb was being defused when it exploded. (Interrupted action in the past) The letter didnt arrive because it had been sent to my old address. (One action before another action in the past)

Form
Past Simple Passive: was/were + past participle Past Continuous Passive: was/were being + past participle Past Perfect Passive: had been + past participle

Rewrite the sentences using the passive:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Somebody broke my glasses. Nobody asked him to come. Somebody left the lights on. Somebody told me about it yesterday. Nobody invited her to the party. Somebody took us to the hospital. Nobody gave them any information. Did anybody find the missing child?

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

My glasses were broken. He wasnt asked to come. The lights were left on. I was told about it yesterday. She wasnt invited to the party. We were taken to the hospital. They werent given any information. Was the missing child found?

In, at, on for time

We use at for times and certain expressions: At 08:00 At lunchtime At Christmas At midnight At the weekend At the same time We use on for dates and days: On Friday On Saturday morning On 12 September We use in for longer periods such as months, years, and seasons: In April In summer In 2002

Complete the sentences with at, on, in or

What did you do ___ the weekend? ____ Friday evening we went to a party. We slept in late ____ Sunday morning, and then ____ the afternoon we went shopping. ____ 07:00, some friends came around for a drink. We didnt do anything ____ Sunday.

What did you do at the weekend? On Friday evening we went to a party. We slept in late on Sunday morning, and then in the afternoon we went shopping. At 07:00, some friends came around for a drink. We didnt do anything on Sunday.

Who are they?

Discuss these questions.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Why are they famous? What nationality were they? Which century were they born in? Do you know the names of any of their works? Do you know anything about their lives?

1. 2. 3. 4.

When and where was he born? Did he have a happy family life? How did his parents play a part in his career? When did he move to Paris? Who did he meet there? 5. How did war play a part in his life? 6. How many times was he married?

What tenses are these verbs? Guernica was painted by Picasso. A Farewell to Arms and For Whom the Bell Tolls were written by Ernest Hemingway.