Chapter+4

= Chapter 4: The Past Tense media type="custom" key="2820965" = Simple past is used to talk about actions that happened at a specific time in the past. Example : she worked at a library
 * 4.1Simple and continuous past tense **

It can be used to describe events that happened over a period of time in the past but not now. Example : I lived in South Africa for two years.

It is also used to talk about habitual or repeated actions that took place in the past.

Example : when I was a child we always went to the seaside in bank holidays.

We used the past continuous tense to describe a past action over a period of time. Example : They were working all day

It can be used to describe what someone was doing at a particular point in time. Example : What were you doing at 7.30 last night ? I was watching television.

It can also be used to show that an activity frequently took place over a period of time. Example : What did you do on holiday ? I went skiing a lot.

Verbs can be divided into regular and irregular verbs. Regular verbs from both their past tense and their past participle by adding –ed to the base. If the base ends in –e only –d is added.
 * 4.2 Regular and irregular verbs **

Past tense : I walked through the maze Past participle: I have walked through the maze

Irregular verbs do not form both their past tense and their past participle by adding –ed. For a complete list consult your dictionary.

Example of the verb SEE

Past tense: We saw the secret map. Past participle: We have seen the secret maps.

Regular verbs ending in Y change to I before –ed Bury - buried Carry – carried
 * 4.3 Spelling changes before –ed **

When a verb ends in a consonant + Y, the Y changes into I. There is no change when Y is preceded by a vowel letter like : Play – played Obey – obeyed

Final consonant is doubled when it is preceded by one stressed vowel letter:

Stop – stopped Prefer – preferred

2 vowel letters book – booked succeed – succeeded

not preceded by a stressed vowel letter answer – answered develop – developed

The past tense is used to describe SOMETHING that took place in the past and that is now finished. They called it sometimes DEFINITE PAST TENSE, cause it donates that something definitely belongs to the past. Tha past tense is also used to express: A habit A non-reality.
 * 4.4 Usage of the past tense **

If there a clear indication of past time in the sentence, the past tense MUST be used. This clear indication of past time is usually adverbial or a clause indicating past time. Dutch often has the present perfect tense in this case. Examples : Ik heb haar gisteren gezien. I saw her yesterday Ik heb Jane ontmoet toen ik in London was. I met Jane when I was in London.
 * 4.5 Past tense must be used **

In sentences without a clear indication of past time it is often possible to use the past tense or the present perfect tense with no hardly any difference in meaning.
 * 4.6 The past tense or the present perfect tense can be used **

The present perfect tense is preferred in BrE and the past tense is very common in AmE. Examples : BrE : Did you see the accident? AmE : Have you seen the accident ?

With the indications of time like today, this season, this morning, this week, this summer, this year, etc the present perfect is used when these periods are not finished af the time of speaking. Examples : It has rained a lot this summer.

When, however, these periods are finished at the moment of speaking, the past tense is used. Example : It rained a lot this summer. The simple past tense is used when the ideas of **“being in progress”** and **“limited duration”** are //absent// or //irrelevant//: //__Ex. 1) __// I __saw__ a Rolls Royce standing in front of the house. //__Ex. 2) __// He __lived__ in England all his life.
 * 4.7 The simple past tense **

The __continuous__ past tense is used when the ideas of **“being in progress”** and **“limited duration”** //are// relevant. In this case there is usually an indication of the moment at which the event took place. //__Ex. 1) __// __An hour ago __ the book __was__ still __lying__ on the table
 * 4.8 The continuous past tense **

To describe an event in the past it is often possible to use both. The simple, however, is used to deal with events as “matter-of-fact”. The continuous tense is used to describe events in a more vivid way. //__Ex. 1) __// De bruid droeg een witte trouwjurk. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">The bride //wore// a white wedding dress. The bride //was wearing// a white wedding dress.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">4.9 The simple past tense or the continuous past tense **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Often, both tenses are used in the same sentence to describe that something happened while something else was going on. The simple is used to describe the interruption and the continuous is used to describe the ongoing event. //__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Ex.1) __// <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">I was watching TV when the doorbell rang. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: NL;">Ik keek TV toen de bel ging.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">4.10 The simple past tense and the continuous past tense in one sentence **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">I burnt my had while I was cooking dinner. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: NL;">Ik verbrandde mijn hand terwijl ik aan het koken was.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Like the present, the simple past is used to describe a habit. When it is, it is often called the //habitual past tense//. //__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Ex. 1) __// <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Last year I __trained__ every week.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">4.11 The past tense to express a habit. **

Likewise, the continuous can be used to express irritation, as in the present. //__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Ex.2) __//<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> My sister __was__ always __playing__ with my toy cars!

The tense doesn’t actually refer to an //event// in the past, but more to something that did not really happen, a so-called non-reality. This use is called the //modal past tense//. The modal past can refer to various forms of non-reality: //desirability, suggestions, something probably not going to happen, something that cannot be fulfilled, a state contrary to reality.// //__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Ex.1) __//<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> I wish I __were__ rich. (not likely to happen, cannot be fulfilled.) //__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Ex.2) __//<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> Suppose we went to the cinema. (a suggestion.)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">4.12 The past tense to express non-reality **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">In English the modal past tense is only used in subclauses. //Would// **must** be used to indicate that you are dealing with a subclause. In the first person //should// can be used too, but it is less common. //__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Ex.1) __//<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> I __would__ leave if I __were__ you. //__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Ex.2) __//<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> If you __loved__ me, you __would__ not __do__ it.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">4.13. The past tense expressing non-reality only in subclauses **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">**Source: [] [] []** interrogative - auxiliary verb - subject - main verb As the interrogative is always in first position, the preposition (for) is placed at the very end of the question. <span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; msoansilanguage: NL; msoasciithemefont: minor-latin; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msofareastlanguage: NL; msohansithemefont: minor-latin; msonoproof: yes; msothemecolor: hyperlink; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none; textunderline: none;"> _ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> > Note! In the 3rd person singular in simple present, there is an 's' at the end of the verb; the 's' must be dropped before adding 'ed'. ]]<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> > As the interrogative is always in first position, the preposition (about) is placed at the very end of the question. ]]<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> > As the interrogative is always in first position, the preposition (for) is placed at the very end of the question. ]]<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Test **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Write the past forms of the irregular verbs. **
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">go →  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN; msoansilanguage: EN; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">come →  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN; msoansilanguage: EN; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">buy →  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN; msoansilanguage: EN; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">
 * 4) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">have →  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN; msoansilanguage: EN; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">
 * 5) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">do →  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN; msoansilanguage: EN; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Write the past forms of the irregular verbs. **
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">leave →
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">sell →
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">bring →
 * 4) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">shut →
 * 5) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">spend →
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Put the sentences into simple past. **
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">We open the door. →
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">You write poems. →
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Richard plays in the garden. →
 * 4) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Kerry does not speak English. →
 * 5) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Do you see the bird? →
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Write the //ing// form of the verbs. **
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">live →
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">stay →
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">run →
 * 4) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">win →
 * 5) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">cycle →
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Write sentences in past progressive. **
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">he / the car / wash →
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">she / home / go →
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">they / not / the match / watch →
 * 4) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">you / in the shop / work →
 * 5) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">I / not / a magazine / read →
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Ask for the information in the bold part of the sentence. **
 * 1) **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">At a quarter past six, **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> Phil was translating the document.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Sheila was waiting **in the park**.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The pupils were talking about **the United States**.
 * 4) **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The boss **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> was dictating a letter.
 * 5) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Barbara was looking for **her necklace**.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Key (Don’t Peek!!) **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Write the past forms of the irregular verbs. **
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">go → __went__
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">come → __came__
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">buy → __bought__
 * 4) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">have → __had__
 * 5) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">do → __did__
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Write the past forms of the irregular verbs. **
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">leave → __left__
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">sell → __sold__
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">bring → __brought__
 * 4) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">shut → __shut__
 * 5) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">spend → __spent__
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Put the sentences into simple past. **
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">We open the door. → __We opened the door.__ [|If we put a present-tense sentence into simple past, we have to modify the main verb. regular verb: just add //ed//.]<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">You write poems. → __You wrote poems.__ [|positive sentence - we have to modify the main verb. irregular verb: //write - wrote//.]<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Richard plays in the garden. → __Richard played in the garden.__ [[http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/tests/simple-past-1#p12|positive sentence - we have to modify the main verb. irregular verb: add //ed// to the infinite form (play).
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Kerry does not speak English. → __Kerry did not speak English.__ [|If we put a negative present-tense sentence into simple past, we simply have to modify the auxiliary verb: //do/does// becomes //did//]<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Do you see the bird? → __Did you see the bird?__ [|If we put a present-tense question into simple past, we simply have to modify the auxiliary verb: //Do/Does// becomes //Did//]<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Write the //ing// form of the verbs. **
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">live → __living__ [|final 'e' is dropped]<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">stay → __staying__ [|no exception in spelling]<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">run → __running__ [|After a short, stressed vowel (u), the final consonant (n) is doubled when adding 'ing'.]<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">
 * 4) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">win → __winning__ [|After a short, stressed vowel (i), the final consonant (n) is doubled when adding 'ing'.]<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">
 * 5) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">cycle → __cycling__ [|final 'e' is dropped]<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Write sentences in past progressive. **
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">he / the car / wash → __He was washing the car.__ [|With I, he, she, it or a singular noun we use 'was'.]<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">she / home / go → __She was going home.__ [|With I, he, she, it or a singular noun we use 'was'.]<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">they / not / the match / watch → __They were not watching the match.__ [|With you, we, they or plural nouns we use 'were'.]<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">
 * 4) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">you / in the shop / work → __You were working in the shop.__ [|With you, we, they or plural nouns we use 'were'.]<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">
 * 5) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">I / not / a magazine / read → __I was not reading a magazine.__ [|With I, he, she, it or a singular noun we use 'was'.]<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Ask for the information in the bold part of the sentence. **
 * 1) **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">At a quarter past six, **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> Phil was translating the document. __When was Phil translating the document?__ [|interrogative - auxiliary verb - subject - main verb]<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Sheila was waiting **in the park**. __Where was Sheila waiting?__ [|interrogative - auxiliary verb - subject - main verb]<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">The pupils were talking about **the United States**. __What were the pupils talking about?__ [[http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/tests/past-progressive-3#p32|interrogative - auxiliary verb - subject - main verb
 * 1) **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">The boss **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> was dictating a letter. __Who was dictating a letter?__ [|In a subject question, simply replace the subject with the interrogative. The rest of the sentence remains the same.]<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Barbara was looking for **her necklace**. __What was Barbara looking for?__ [[http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/tests/past-progressive-3#p34|interrogative - auxiliary verb - subject - main verb