1. PAST TENSES ( unit 2)
PAST SIMPLE AND PAST CONTINUOUS
PAST SIMPLE
STRUCTURE: -ED REGULAR VERBS / 2ND COLUMN IRREGULAR VERBS
AUXILIARY: DID
USES:
PAST ACTION AT A DEFINITE TIME IN THE
PAST
MY SISTER VISITED LONDON IN 2010 / LAST
YEAR.
PAST ACTIONS AFTER ONE ANOTHER PETER BOUGHT A BOOK AND A WENT TO
THE LIBRARY TO READ IT.
HABITS OR STATES IN THE PAST ( NOW
FINISHED)
MR. SMITH WORKED IN A BANK WHEN HE
WAS YOUNGER.
USED TO / WOULD
HABITS OR STATES IN THE PAST ( NOW
FINISHED)
I USED TO PLAY CHESS WITH MY FATHER
WHEN I WAS 5 ( ACTIONS )
I USED TO HAVE A PET FISH WHEN I WAS 2. (
STATE)
I WOULD PLAY CHESS WITH MY FATER
WHEN I WAS 5 ( ACTIONS)
USED TO
USED TO + INFINITIVE for Past Habits or states
WHEN I WAS YOUNG I USED TO VISIT MY GRANDMOTHER EVERY FRIDAY
WHEN I WAS YOUNB I USED TO BE HEALTHIER
WHEN I WAS YOUNG I VISITED MY GRANDMOTHER EVERY FRIDAY ( Past Simple)
WOULD ( For habits)
WHEN I WAS YOUNG I WOULD PLAY CHESS WITH MY FATHER
PAST CONTINUOUS
STRUCTURE: WAS/WERE + ING
USES:
ACTION IN PROGRESS AND INTERRUPTED BY
ANOTHER ACTION
I WAS TAKING A SHOWER WHEN MY
FATHER CALLED
TWO SIMULTANEOUS ACTIONS IN THE PAST I WAS READING A BOOK WHILE MY SISTER
WAS WATCHING TV
A PAST ACTION IN PROGRESS ( WE DON’T
KNOW EXACTLY WHEN IT STARTED OR
FINISHED)
YESTERDAY AFTERNOON I WAS TIDYING UP
MY ROOM.
FOR BACKGROUND INFORMATION (
SETTING, ETC).
IT WAS A HOT SUMMER. THE SUN WAS
SHINING AND THE CHILDREN WERE
PLAYING.
Time expressions common in the past continuous: WHILE, WHEN, AS, ALL MORNING/ EVENING…
2. PAST PERFECT SIMPLE + PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
PAST PERFECT SIMPLE
STRUCTURE:
HAD + PAST PARTICIPLE ( 3rd
column)
USES:
AN ACTION BEFORE ANOTHER ACTION IN
THE PAST OR BEFORE A SPECIFIC TIME
- I HAD BOUGHT A NEW BOOK BY
NOON. ( specific time)
- I HAD HEARD THE NEW SONG
BEFORE THEY RELEASED IT ( action
before another action. The first
action is in Past Perfect + the second
action in Past simple – in real time)
A PAST ACTION FINISHED WITH A VISIBLE
RESULT LATER ON IN THE PAST.
- HE HAD SPRAINED HER ANKLE A
FEW DAYS EARLIER AND IT WAS
STILL HURTING.
A GENERAL SITUATION IN THE PAST - EVERYTHING HAD BEEN FINE AT
FIRST
Time expressions common: BEFORE, AFTER, ALREADY, JUST, FOR, SINCE, TILL/ UNTIL, WHEN, BY THE TIME, NEVER,
etc.
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EL SIGUIENTE TIEMPO NO ESTÁ EN EL TEMA 2, PERO LO PONGO POR SI QUERÉIS SABERLO Y SALE MÁS ADELANTE.
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
STRUCTURE:
HAD BEEN + ING
USES:
TO EMPHASIZE THE DURATION OF A PAST ACTION
BEFORE ANOTHER ACTION. USUALLY WITH FOR AND
SINCE
HE HAD BEEN RUNNING FOR 2 HOURS WHEN HE
REALISED HE WAS LOST.
FOR A PROGRESSIVE ACTION IN THE PAST WITH VISIBLE
RESULTS.
SHE HAD BEEN SWIMMING AND SHE WAS STILL ALL
WET.
Time expressions: FOR, SINCE, HOW LONG, BEFORE, UNTIL, etc
