1) The document explains different tenses in English grammar, focusing on past tenses. It uses visual graphics like timelines to illustrate the differences between simple past, past progressive, and past perfect tenses. 2) Simple past tense refers to single occurrences in the past, represented as points on a timeline. Past progressive describes actions that spanned a period of time in the past. 3) Past perfect tense is used to show that one past action had already occurred when another past action took place, with the earlier action in past perfect and the later in simple past.

1. Easy Elite English
Grammar : TENSE_2
Past Tense
Tense need not make you tense!

2. In grammar, TENSE is regarded by many as the most
challenging topic for a teacher to teach and the most
difficult lesson for a student to learn.
We have tried to explain tense using
visual graphics to make the chapter on tense
easier to explain and comprehend.
Part_2 deals with Past Indefinite, Progressive, and Per
Tense forms.

3. Past Present Future
Timeline
The above rectangular bar represents the timeline with the various color
shades representing the past, the present and the future.
We have chosen a gradient rather than three distinct solid colors because
the terms past, present, etc. are relative and context-dependent. In some
contexts, today’s happenings are to be expressed in the present tense; in
some other contexts, what happened this morning or even what
happened a few minutes ago may be reported in the past tense. Similarly,
what is going to happen in the future is always uncertain.

4. Past Indefinite or Simple Past Tense
Past Present Future
1 2 3 4
1. I was born on 13th June 2000.
2. He came to the city five years ago.
3. We went to London last year.
4. I just finished my homework.
Each of the statement is
represented as a single point of
time on the timeline.
All are in the past and they do not
extend across the timeline to any
lengths either way.

5. Past Indefinite or Simple Past Tense
Recall that sentences in simple present tense should be represented by
multiple points and stretch both ways along the timeline from the
present. They are general truths.
By contrast, sentences in simple past tense refer to a single occurrence
of an event / one-time fact and are represented by a single point in the
past only.
The idea is further reinforced in the next three graphics.

6. Past Indefinite or Simple Past Tense
&
Present Indefinite or Simple Present Tense
This leaf was green yesterday.Leaf is green.
Past Present Future
Timeli
ne
Past Present Future
Timeli
ne
Simple Present Simple Past

7. Past Indefinite or Simple Past Tense
&
Present Indefinite or Simple Present Tense
I play cricket every Sunday. I played cricket last Sunday.
Past Present Future
Timeli
ne
Past Present Future
Timeli
ne
Simple Present Simple Past

8. Past Indefinite or Simple Past Tense
&
Present Indefinite or Simple Present Tense
Past Present Future
Timeli
ne
Past Present Future
Timeli
ne
Simple Present Simple Past
I usually do my homework in the evening. I finished my homework last evening.

9. Past Indefinite or Simple Past Tense
[caveat]
A sentence like I played cricket yesterday refers to a one-time fact or a
single event / occurrence; however, it does not imply that I have never
played cricket before or that I will never play cricket again. All it
implies is that the sentence is about the one game I played yesterday,
and the games I might have played earlier or will play in the future is
not covered within the scope of this particular sentence.

10. Past Continuous or Past Progressive Tense
I was working on my project from 3 am to 4 am yesterday.
Past Present Future
Timeli
ne
A c t i o n s p a n s a s t r e t c h o f t i m e i n t h e p a

11. Two actions span the same stretch of time in the past…
Past Present Future
Timelin
e
The boy was playing while the girl was skipping.
Past Continuous or Past Progressive Tense

12. Past Continuous or Past Progressive Tense
In many cases, a past progressive tense is used along with a simple past as
illustrated below:
It was raining heavily when someone knocked on the door.
Past Present Future
Timeline
A single point of time … simple past
A period / extent of time / duration … past continuous

13. Another example of a simple past used with a past continuous….
Past Present Future
Timeline
A single point of time … simple past
A period / extent of time / duration … past continuous
He was studying seriously when the lights went off.

14. Past Perfect Tense
In most cases, a past perfect (had + a participle-form verb, like had arrived) is used
with a simple past to indicate that one action had preceded the other.
In other words, a past perfect verb shows that the action was already completed at a
point of time when the second action took place in the past.
If one action X had taken place 5 hours ago, and another action Y took place 3 hours
ago, we write the earlier (more remote past) action X in the past perfect and the other
action Y in the simple past.
Past Present Future
Timeline
5 hours ago
Past perfect
3 hours ago
Simple past
X had happened when / before Y happened.

15. Past Perfect Tense & Simple Past Tense
P a s t : 2 h o u r s a g o # # P a s t : 1 h o u r a g o
10.15 am 11.15 am Now: 12.15 pm
Past Present Future
Timeline
I’m home, Mom!
Meal is waiting, child.
Mother had finished cooking when the child came back home.

16. Past Perfect Tense & Simple Past Tense
10. 10 am 10.25 am
The fire had completely gutted the building before the fire engine arrived.
We could not save the building yesterday.
We arrived 15 minutes late!
10.00 am 10.15 am

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