The document discusses various English verb tenses used to talk about past events, including: - The past simple tense which is used for completed past actions and events. - The past continuous tense which is used for unfinished past actions that were ongoing or in progress at a certain time. - The present perfect tense which is used for actions or experiences that started in the past and continue in the present, or actions that occurred recently or at an unspecified time before now. - The past perfect tense which is used to talk about actions that occurred before other past actions.

1. PAST TENSES

2. PAST SIMPLE
Uses
•An specific event which took place in the past. It’s ended
I drove to the beach on 24th
April.
•Sequence of past complete events: We arrived at the airport and checked in.

3. Time expressions
YESTERDAY
LAST year
three days AGO
IN 1982
IN THE 19TH
CENTURY
WHEN
THEN

4. Structure
(+) VERB –ED (regular verbs) * // VERB in 2nd
column form (irregular verbs)
I played tennis / She drove her car.
* SPELLING OF –ED:
-Verb which ends in CONS + VOW + CONS (tonic syllable) Stop: stoPPed
- Verb finishes in consonant + y: cry / crIED
BUT ... if a verb finishes in vowel + y: play / playED
- Verb ends in silent –e : just add –D like / likeD
(-) DIDN’T + VERB
I didn’t play tennis / She didn’t drive her car.
(?) DID+ SUBJECT + VERB...?
Did you play tennis? Yes , I did / No, I didn’t
Did she drive her car ? Yes, she did / No, she didn’t.

5. Verb to be past form
WAS (1st & 3rd person singular ) / WERE (2nd person singular & 1st, 2nd and 3rd person plural)
She WAS my teacher
She WASN’T my teacher
WAS she my teacher? Yes, she was / No, she wasn’t.
They WERE her students / They WEREN’T their students /
WERE they their students? Yes, they were / No, they weren’t

6. PAST CONTINUOUS
Uses
•An incomplete action in progress (usually interrupted by another action)
I was having a shower when the phone rang
•Two incomplete actions taking place at the same time in the past.
I was having a shower while my sister was talking on the phone.

7. Time expressions
WHILE / AS + PAST CONTINUOUS
WHEN + PAST SIMPLE
WHILE / AS I was having a shower, the phone rang.
The phone rang WHILE / AS I was having a shower.
WHEN the phone rang , I was having a shower.
I was having a shower WHEN the phone rang.

8. Structure
VERB TO BE in the PAST+ VERB-ING Yo estaba cantando = I was singing
He was singing They were listening.
He wasn’t singing They weren’t listening
Was he singing? Yes , he was / No he wasn’t
Were they listening? Yes, they were / No, they weren’t.
SPELLING – ING:
1)Verbs which end in –e : the –e disappears
Write : writeing / writing
2) Verbs which end in –y
Play: playing
Cry: crying
3)Verbs which end in CONS + VOW + CONS (tonic syllable)
Stop: stoPPing Cut: cuTTing

9. PRESENT PERFECT TENSES
PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
VERB HAVE (HAVE / HAS)+ VERB in the past participle (-ed / 3rd
column)
Yo he conducido una moto = I have driven a motorbike
He has bought a car. They have bought a car.
He hasn’t bought a car. They haven’t bought a car.
Has he bought a car? Yes , he has / No he hasn’t
Have they bought a car? Yes, they have / No, they haven’t.
VERB HAVE (HAVE / HAS)+ BEEN + VERB-ing
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
VERB HAVE (HAVE / HAS)+ BEEN (vb. To be in the past participle) + vb-ing
Yo he estado conduciendo una moto = I have been driving a motorbike
He has been buying a car. They have been buying a car.
He hasn’t been buying a car. They haven’t been buying a car.
Has he been buying a car? Yes , he has / No he hasn’t
Have they been buying a car? Yes, they have / No, they haven’t.

10. Uses
1) Something that started in the past and continues in the present (or maybe its
consequences continue)
They’ve been married for nearly fifty years.
I’ve broken my leg.
2) When we are talking about our past experiences (don’t mention when they
happened)
Have you ever eaten snails?
I’ve never played badminton.
I ‘ve travelled to New York and London vs I travelled to Paris last summer.
!! “Where’s Maria?” “She’s gone to Paris for a week.” (She’ll be back tomorrow)
I’ve been to Italy on holiday. It was great. (I’m already back)
4) A recent action in the past
I’ve just had a sandwich.

11. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE vs CONTINUOUS
1)I’ve painted the living room blue. (focus on the finished result. The activity is
finished but we can see the results now).
I’ve been decorating the house this summer. (focus on the action and the
action is unfinished)
2) I’ve read that book you lent me. I finished it yesterday. (completion idea)
I’ve been reading that book you lent me. I’ve got another 50 pages to read.
(something is unfinished)
3)She’s written 10 messages. (How much / many…?)
She’s been writing emails for 3 hours. (How long…?)
4) !! I’ve worked here for 30 years.( How long…? BUT it’s a permanent situation)
I usually work in London but I’ve been working in Birmingham for the last 3
weeks.
( How long…? It’s a permanent situation)

12. Time expressions
•EVER (?): Have you ever driven a car?
•NEVER : I’ve never driven a car.
•HOW LONG (‘?): How long have you lived here?
•SINCE : I haven’t smoked since 2010.
•FOR : I haven’t smoke for four years.
•STILL (-) :’ I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.
• (ONLY) JUST : I’ve just bought a car.
•RECENTLY : I’ve seen Mamma Mia! recently.
•LATELY: She hasn’t posted any updates lately.
•ALREADY (+): I’ve already bought my new car.
•YET (-/?): I haven’t bought a car yet.

13. PAST PERFECT SIMPLE
Uses
1)An action that happened before another action in the past.
By the time he was 20, he had already done a world tour.
Structure
VERB HAD + VERB in the past participle (-ed / 3rd
column)
Yo había conducido una moto = I had driven a motorbike
He had bought a car.
They hadn’t bought a car.
Had she bought a car? Yes , she had. / No, she hadn’t.

14. Time expressions
•ALREADY
•YET
•BY THE TIME
•AFTER
•BEFORE
•UNTIL
•JUST
•WHEN
•AS SOON AS.