Past Simple, Past Continuous, Past Perfect (review)

compare the usage of past tenses in different situations;

revise time expressions (markers);

use the past tenses in the given sentences and situations.

James had a party yesterday evening.

(The party is over. The time is stated – yesterday evening.)

a complete action at a stated time in the past.

Past Simple

1.

Past Continuous

a past action which was in progress when it was interrupted by another action.

2.

Past Perfect

(He saw off his guests first. And his parents came afterwards.)

one past action happened before another past action in the past.

3.

I
he/she/it
we/you/they

visit
have

?

ed

I
He/she/it
We/you/they

(didn’t)

visit
have

ed

.

did not

You / We / They

was

?

-

were

Was

I/he/she/it
we/you/they

Were

having a party?

I/he/she/it
we/you/they

wasn’t

having a party.

weren’t

?

-

invited / seen off
his guests?

invited / seen off his guests.

Had

had not
(hadn’t)

I
he/she/it
we/you/they

I
he/she/it
we/you/they

a complete action at a stated time in the past.

one past action which happened before another past action or before a stated time in the past.

I painted my bedroom last Saturday.

past

now

She was crying while watching TV.

stated time

past

now

I took the books back to the library when I had read them.

now

past

Past Perfect

Past Simple

Simple

Contin.

Perfect

the actions which happened one after the other in the past.

an action which finished in the past and whose result was visible in the past.

He knocked her down, grabbed her purse and ran off.

past

now

We were dancing when one of the neighbors came.

past

now

He was tired because he had worked hard all day.

now

A B C

A

B

C

Past Continuous

Past Simple

past

result

Past Perfect

Simple

Contin.

Perfect

The Past Perfect is the past equivalent of the Present Perfect.

He went / used to go scuba diving.

past

now

She was doing shopping while he was reading papers.

past

now

finish

There were no sandwiches left. He had eaten them all.

There are no sandwiches left. He has eaten them all.

Past P.

Present P.

Perfect

Contin.

Simple

to talk about the lives of people who are no longer alive.

P.Simple / P.Contin. / P.Perfect
think, hope, mean, expect, etc.
for things we hoped to do but didn’t.

Edison invented the light bulb.

He was walking down a quiet country road. The birds were singing, the butterflies were flying.

I hoped / was hoping / had hoped her to call me, but she didn’t.

Simple

Contin.

while
when
as
all day/morning yesterday
at noon yesterday
the whole night yesterday
from 5 to 6 yesterday

before
after
already
till / until
by the time
never / ever
for
since
just

1. Mila opened a wardrobe, took out a dress and put it on.

2. Titanic was sailing across the Atlantic when it hit an iceberg.

3. The film had finished by the time they got home.

4. He was happy because he had found a new job.

5. She went to Canada last year.

6. Sue was lying in the sun while
the children were playing in the pool.

Read the sentences, identify the tenses, then match them with the correct description.

He was cooking before/ while/ as soon as she was sleeping.

How long ago/ How long/ Until did you pass your driving test?

He continued his journey before/ after/ yet he had filled the car.

Our team had scored two goals till/ yet/ by the time we arrived at the stadium.

I haven’t been to Amsterdam never/ after/ for two years.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

I still hadn’t done my homework when Mum came back home.

He was cooking while she was sleeping.

How long ago did you pass your driving test?

He continued his journey after he had filled the car.

Our team had scored two goals by the time we arrived at the stadium.

I haven’t been to Amsterdam for two years.

He (get) very wet because he (forget) to take an umbrella.

1.

I (never / see) an elephant until I (go) to India.

3.

2.

It (snow) heavily all that day.

had forgotten

got

was snowing

had never seen

went

6.

5.

They (study) Maths at the university.

7.

Computers (cost) much more a few years ago.

was cleaning

were washing

studied

visited

cost