Verbs: Past tenses

Verbs: Past tenses

1. PAST SIMPLE

   • At a particular time
     • This indicates a completed action in the past with a fixed time phrase
     • The Titanic sank in 1912
   • Happened regularly
     • Remember that "would" and "used to" are also used to talk about the past in this way
     • Matthew spent most weekends at tennis tournaments

2. PAST CONTINOUS

   • Longer duration than another action
     • I was cutting up vegetables in the kitchen when I heard it on the six o´clok news
   • When the event was temporary
     • Norwich were losing two-nil, with only five minutes to go

3. PRESENT PERFECT

   • Started in the past but are still true or are still continuing
     • We´ve lived here for eight years
   • Happened in the past but have an effect in the present
     • They´ve cancelled tonight´s concert so we´ll have to do something

4. PAST PERFECT

   • Happened earlier than something else
     • Needs to be used when it is important to show a time difference
     • Ken sat in the dark miserably and thought about what he had said to his girlfriend