THE PAST

PAST SIMPLE PAST PAST PERFECT PAST PERFECT

CONTINUOUS SIMPLE CONTINUOUS

Form: Form: Form: Form:

Regular Verbs
Affirmative: Affirmative: Affirmative: Affirmative:
Subject + verb + Subject + was / Subject + had +
ed were + ing verb (past Subject + had +
Negative: Negative: participle) been + verb + ing
Subject + did + not Negative: Negative:
+ verb (infinitive) Subject + was/were Subject + had +
Interrogative: + not + ing not/ hadn’t + verb Subject + had +
Did + subject + Interrogative: (past participle) not/ hadn’t + been
verb Interrogative: + verb + ing
Irregular verbs Was / Were + Had + subject + Interrogative:
Affirmative: subject + ing verb (past
Subject + verb participle) Had + subject +
(second form) been + verb + ing
Negative:
Subject + did + not
+ verb (infinitive)
Interrogative:
Did + subject +
verb (infinitive)

Use: Use Use: Use:

- Actions -Actions in - Action in the past - the duration of

completed at a progress at a completed before an action in
specified point in certain point in the another action in progress before
past:
the past: the past: another activity or
Yesterday at 6 p.m.
Yesterday, I had a I was writing an period in the past
few meetings I had already
assessment report.
finished by the time He had been
- Two past actions he came. working on the
in progress at contract for 2 hours
the same time: when he found out
We were that the client had
discussing the new changed his mind.
policies while the
secretary was
taking down the
minutes.

Expressions of Expressions of Expressions of

time: time: time:
Last year, month, Last year, month, just, ever, never,
week etc., week etc., already, yet, until,
yesterday yesterday by the time, by
then