Simple Past Tenses English Grammar ielts exam

Simple Past Tenses English Grammar ielts exam

Tenses are forms of a verb that show the time, continuance or completion of an action or a state that is expressed in connection with the moment at which a statement is made about it.

Past Tenses:
• Simple Past Tense
• Past Continuous Tense
• Past Perfect Tense
• Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Simple Past Tense

The Simple Past is used to indicate an action completed in the past. It often

occurs with adverbs or adverb phrases of past time.

Ex: The steamer sailed yesterday.

I received his letter a week ago.

She left school last year.

 

Sometimes this tense is used without an adverb of time. In such cases the time

may be either implied or indicated by the context.

Ex: I learnt Hindi in Nagpur.

I didn’t sleep well (i.e., last night).

Babar defeated Rana Sanga at Kanwaha.

 

The Simple Past is also used for past habits  Ex: He studied many hours every day.

She always carried an umbrella.

 

Past Continuous Tense

The Past Continuous is used to denote an action going on at some time in the 

past. The time of the action may or may not be indicated.

Ex: We were listening to the radio all evening.

It was getting darker.

The light went out while I was reading.

When I saw him, he was playing chess.

 

This tense is also used, with always, continually, etc., for persistent habits in the

past.

Ex: He was always grumbling.

 

Past Perfect Tense

The Past Perfect describes an action completed before a certain moment in

the past.

Ex: I met him in New Delhi in 1970.

I had seen him last five years before.

 

If two actions happened in the past, it may be necessary to show which action  happened earlier than the other. The Past Perfect is mainly used in such

situations. The Simple Past is used in one clause and the Past Perfect in the

other.

Ex: When I reached the station, the train had started (so I couldn’t get ‘into the

train).

I had done my exercise when Hari came to see me.

I had written the letter before he arrived.

 

Past Perfect Continuous Tense

The Past Perfect Continuous is used for an action that began before a certain

point in the past and continued up to that time.

Ex: At that time, he had been writing a novel for two months.

When Mr. Mukerji came to the school in 1965, Mr. Anand had already

been teaching there for five years.

ALSO CHECK Future Tenses English Grammar Ielts exam

ALSO CHECK Present Tenses English grammar ielts exam

Simple Past Tenses English Grammar ielts exam

Simple Past Tenses English Grammar ielts exam Simple Past Tenses English Grammar ielts exam Simple Past Tenses English Grammar ielts exam Simple Past Tenses English Grammar ielts exam Simple Past Tenses English Grammar ielts exam Simple Past Tenses English Grammar ielts exam Simple Past Tenses English Grammar ielts exam

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top