PAST TENSE

 

Past tense

Past Indefinite Tense

This tense is used to express an action that happened are finished in the past. 

Structure 

For singular

✓sub+V1+obj(Affirmative)

• She wrote a book

✓sub+did not+v1+obj(Negative)

• She did not write a book

✓Did+sub+V1+obj+?(Interrogative)

• Did she write a book?

✓Did+sub+not+v1+Obj+? (Interrogative -Negative)

• Did she not write a book?

Uses
1.To show a past action. 

• I wrote a letter yesterday 
• She came last week 

Note :following words are used in past indefinite tense
 "yesterday ,ago, last ,the other day, the day before ,etc."
2.To show a past habit 

• I played cricket in my childhood 
• She always prayed to God

3.This tensee is used in conditional sentences to indicate a condition which is unlikely to occur 

• I wish I knew singing
• If Ravi came we would congratulate him

 4.With the phrases 
"it is time, it is high time, it is about time" 

• It is time you repeat the A/C 
• It is about time you got a haircut

Past continuous tense 

This tense is used to express an action which was in progress for some time in the past 

Structure 

For singular

Sub+was+V1 ing+obj(Affirmative)

• She was calling me

sub+was not+V1 ing+obj(Negative)

• She was not calling me

Was+sub+V1 ing+obj+?(Interrogative)

• Was she calling me?

Was+sub+not+V1 ing+obj+?(Interrogative-Negative)

• Was she not calling me?

For Plural

Sub+were+V1 ing+obj(Affirmative)

• They were watching a movie

Sub+were not+V1 ing+obj(Negative)

• Did were not watching a movie

Were+sub+V1 ing+obj+?(Interrogative)

• Were they watching a movie?

Were+sub+not+V1 ing+?(Interrogative-Negative)

• Were they not watching a movie?

Uses

1.This tense is used when to actions were simultaneously in progress in the past

• While she was preparing lunch ,I was talking shower 
• While I was reading ,my wife was watching TV 

2.This tense is also used in combination with simple past 

• While I was working in the fields, I found a mobile phone 
• When I was going to school, a dog with me

Past perfect tense

This tense expresses and action which has been completed( a long time ago) in the past

Structure 

The structure of sentences with singular/ plural subject remains same in past perfect tense

For singular
For Plural

Sub+had+V3+obj(Affirmative)

• He had left for London

Sub+had not+V3+obj(Negative)

• He had not left for London

Had+sub+V3+obj+?(Interrogative)

• Had he left for London?

Had+sub+not+V3+obj+?(Interrogative-Negative)

• Had he not left for London?

Uses

1.When when two actions occur in the past one after the other then the first action is expressed in past perfect tense and the second action is expressed in simple past tense 

• The patient had died before the doctor came 
• He came after she had gone 

2.To express some unfulfilled wish in the past 

• I had hopped that have would pass 
• She had expected his arrival but he did not come

Past perfect continuous tense 

This tense is used to express an action that started in past continued for a period of time and then finished in past 

Structure 

The structure of sentences with singular plural subject remains same in past perfect continuous tense 

For singular 
For plural

Sub+had been V1 ing+obj+since/for+time being (Affirmative)

• She had been watching TV for two hour 
• She had been watching TV since 2:00 p.m.

Sub+had not been+V1 ing+obj+since/for+time being (Negative)

• She had not been watching TV for 2 hours
• She had not been watching TV since 2:00 p.m.

Had+sub+been+V1 ing+since/for+time being+?(Interrogative)

• Had se been watching TV for 2 hours 
• Had he been watching TV since 2:00 p.m.

Had+sub+not been+V1 ing+obj+since/for+time being+?(Interrogative-Negative)

• Had see not been watching TV for 2 hours
• Had see not been watching TV since 2:00 p.m. 

Uses 
1.It is used to express a repeated action in past 

• I had been trying to contact you 
• He had been trying to get a good job 

2.It is used to express an action that had happened in the past and its effects where still visible in the past 

• She had been playing tennis when the news of her selection came in 
• I had been reading novel for 2 hours when she asked me about it's plot