Past Tenses

1. Past Tenses

We met on the first
day of school when I was
trying to open my locker.
She had been trying to
open that locker for a
long time. I had opened
mine, so I helped her
and we became good
friends.

2.

There are four forms of the past tense.
We met on the first
day of school when I was
trying to open my locker.
She had been trying to
open that locker for a
long time. I had
opened mine, so I
helped her and we
became good friends.
2

3.

Simple Past
We met on the first
day of school when I was
trying to open my locker.
She had been trying to
open that locker for a
long time. I had opened
mine, so I helped her
and we became good
friends.
3

4.

Past Continuous
We met on the first
day of school when I was
trying to open my locker.
She had been trying to
open that locker for a
long time. I had opened
mine, so I helped her
and we became good
friends.
4

5.

Simple Perfect
We met on the first
day of school when I was
trying to open my locker.
She had been trying to
open that locker for a
long time. I had
opened mine, so I
helped her and we
became good friends.
5

6.

Past Perfect Continuous
We met on the first
day of school when I was
trying to open my locker.
She had been trying
to open that locker for
a long time. I had
opened mine, so I
helped her and we
became good friends.
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7.

The simple past describes an action or state that
started and finished at a definite time in the past.
We met on the first day of school.
first day
of school
today
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8.

The simple past describes an action or state that
started and finished at a definite time in the past.
I helped her.
first day
of school
today
8

9.

The past continuous indicates an activity in
progress during a particular time in the past.
I was trying to open my locker.
started
trying
(9:00)
stopped
trying
(9:15)
today
9

10.

The past perfect continuous indicates that
one event is in progress immediately before,
up to, or until another time or event.
She had been trying to open that locker for a long time.
long
time
started
trying
(9:00)
I helped
her
today
10

11.

The past perfect indicates an activity that has
happened before another time or event.
I had opened mine.
opened
mine
opened
her locker
today
11

12.

The simple past describes an action or state that
started and finished at a definite time in the past.
The smoke alarm rang on Monday night.
Jack worked on that night.
It rained on Tuesday afternoon.
We walked to the beach for a swim.
Mary was a beautiful child.
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13.

The Simple Past
Affirmative Statements
subject
verb + d/ed or
irregular form
I
cooked
He
washed
They
ate
7
last night
the dishes
dinner
13

14.

The Simple Past
Negative Statements
subject
did + not
verb
I
He
They
cook
wash
eat
didn’t
7
last night
the dishes
dinner
14

15.

The Simple Past
Yes/No Questions
did
subject
you
Did he
they
7
verb
cook
wash
eat
last night
the dishes
dinner
15

16.

Past continuous indicates an activity in
progress during a time in the past. The activity
may have been ongoing or may have stopped
and started repeatedly.
Jack was working on Monday night when the
smoke alarm rang.
He was thinking about his family.
I was sleeping at my friend’s house on Monday.
That big dog was barking all night.
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17.

The Past Continuous
Affirmative Statements
subject
was/were
verb + ing
I
He
They
cooking
washing
eating
was
was
were
7
last night
the dishes
dinner
17

18.

The Past Continuous
Negative Statements
subject was/were + not verb + ing
I
He
They
wasn’t
wasn’t
weren’t
7
cooking
washing
eating
last night
the dishes
dinner
18

19.

The Past Continuous
Yes/No Questions
was/were
subject
Were
Was
Were
you
he
they
7
verb + ing
cooking
washing
eating
that night
the dishes
dinner
19

20.

The past perfect indicates an activity that has
happened before another time or event.
I had biked for hours before I got tired.
We hadn’t seen each other for years until the party.
Where had you seen each other before that?
No one had been able to remember until now.
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21.

The Past Perfect
Affirmative Statements
subject had past participle
I
She
They
had
walked
7
for hours by then
21

22.

The Past Perfect
Negative Statements
subject had not
I
She
They
had
not
7
past
participle
flown
until today
22

23.

The Past Perfect
Yes/No Questions
had
subject
you
Had she
they
past
participle
flown
7
before
23

24.

The past perfect continuous indicates that
one event is in progress immediately before,
up to, or until another time or event.
We had been neighbors for 10 years before she left.
Had you been in the US before you came to Boston?
She had never been in North America until now.
Where had they been going for lunch last year?
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25.

The Past Perfect Continuous
Affirmative Statements
subject had been verb + ing
I
She
They
had
been
7
walking
for hours by then
25

26.

The Past Perfect Continuous
Negative Statements
subject had not been verb + ing
I
She
They
had
not
7
been
skiing
before
26

27.

The Past Perfect Continuous
Yes/No Questions
had
subject been verb + ing
Had
you
she
they
been
7
skiing
before
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28.

Past Tenses
Click on the correct verb to complete the sentence.
started
correct
starting
incorrect
starts
incorrect
They
dinner
when
I arrived.
They had
had already
already ________
started dinner
when
I arrived.
Affirmative Statements – Past Perfect
subject
had
past
participle
I
had
walked for hours by then
She
They
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29.

Past Tenses
Click on the correct verb to complete the sentence.
eats
incorrect
eating
incorrect
ate
correct
The
whole
pizza
sick.
Theboy
boywho
who_____
ate thethe
whole
pizza
gotgot
sick.
Affirmative Statements
subject
verb + d/ed or
irregular form
I
cooked
He
washed
They
ate
last night
the dishes
dinner
29

30.

Past Tenses
Click on the correct verb to complete the sentence.
studies
incorrect
study
incorrect
studying
correct
He had been ________
forawhile
awhilewhen
whenJack
Jackarrived.
arrived.
studying for
Affirmative Statements
subject had been verb + ing
I
had been walking for hours by then
She
They
30

31.

Past Tenses
Click on the correct verb to complete the sentence.
drived
incorrect
driven
incorrect
driving
correct
We weren’t
weren’t driving
________
weekend.
We
thisthis
weekend.
Negative Statements
subject was/were +
not
I
wasn’t
He
wasn’t
They
weren’t
verb + ing
cooking
washing
eating
last night
the dishes
dinner
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32.

Past Tenses
The End
Created by Laurette Poulos Simmons
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