2. Past tense
Definition- a tense expressing an action that has
happened or a state that previously existed.(Oxford
dictionary)
Past tense is used while referring to the actions in
the past.
3. The Simple Past Tense
The simple past tense is used to refer to an action,
activity or event that took place in the past.
In the simple past tense stem verb + ed is used.
Ex- He played tennis.
Rajani worked hard for her examination
Gopal talked to his friend.
Satish lived in Pune for many years.
4. The Past progressive tense
In the past progressive tense –ing form of verb is
used with ‘was’or ‘were’.
It is used to show that the action was in progress in
the past.
Ex- Manali was writing a letter.
Swati was working in a bank.
Karim was studying in Agra.
Abdul was reading a book.
5. The Past progressive Tense
It is used to show the overlap in the time of two or
more actions
Ex- Mother was cooking when father returned
home
Samir was playing when mother called him.
Sudha was writing when her friend telephoned her.
6. The Past Progressive Tense
Some times two verbs both in the past progressive
tense are used in a sentence.
Ex-
At 8.30 p.m. I was studying while my mother was
cooking
On Sunday Hari was reading and his cousin was
washing his clothes.
7. The Past Perfect Tense
The past perfect tense is a verb tense used to
express actions that occurred in the past that
finished before another action in the past started.
Ex- Subject + had + past participle of verb
8. The Past Perfect Tense Uses
The past perfect is used to express:
completed action before another begins (both in past) Ex-
After we had bought the vegetables, we were able to cook
them.
actions of duration before something in the past.
Ex- I had attended the meeting for years without ever
having any regrets
conditional statements.
Ex- If we had bought the vegetable we would have been
able to cook them.
reported speech.
Ex-The teacher asked if I had finished my assignment.
show dissatisfaction with the past.
Ex-I wished I had completed the assignment.
9. The Past Perfect Progressive Tense
It is used to show the action which has begun in
the past and continued up to certain time in the
past.
Ex-
It had been raining since morning and we could
not go out.
10. Exercise
Fill in the blanks in the sentences given below
using appropriate tense forms of the verbs given in
the brackets.
We--- (sell) our house last year.
The child ---- (break) the cup.
Raman ---- (work) in Mumbai for last 5 years
Last night while my friend ----(take) a walk in the
park, he ----- (see) a snake.
11. Exercise continued
The bell ----(ring) while I -------(have)a bath.
I ------(see) the Tajmahal earlier.
I ----(read) the book in 1986.
Kalidas ----(be) a poet.
She----- (drive) to mumbai last week.
Water---- (flow) down the slope.
