Formation and Uses of Past Tense

Study Notes

Regular verbs: add -ed to the base form of the verb
- Examples: walk -> walked, run -> ran
Irregular verbs: change the base form of the verb to form the past tense
- Examples: go -> went, take -> took

To describe completed actions in the past
- Example: I went to the store yesterday.
To describe past habits or states
- Example: I used to live in New York.
To describe past hypothetical or contrary-to-fact situations
- Example: If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam.

Simple past: used to describe completed actions in the past
- Example: I walked to school.
Past continuous: used to describe ongoing actions in the past
- Example: I was walking to school.
Past perfect: used to describe an action that occurred before another action in the past
- Example: I had walked to school before it started raining.
Past perfect continuous: used to describe an ongoing action that started before another action in the past
- Example: I had been walking to school for an hour before it started raining.

Using the present tense instead of the past tense
- Example: I go to the store yesterday (incorrect)
Using the past tense instead of the past perfect tense
- Example: I walked to school, and then it started raining (incorrect)

Describes completed actions in the past
Describes past habits or states
Describes past hypothetical or contrary-to-fact situations
Examples: I went to the store yesterday, I used to live in New York, If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam

Simple past: describes completed actions in the past
Past continuous: describes ongoing actions in the past
Past perfect: describes an action that occurred before another action in the past
Past perfect continuous: describes an ongoing action that started before another action in the past
Examples: I walked to school, I was walking to school, I had walked to school before it started raining, I had been walking to school for an hour before it started raining

Using the present tense instead of the past tense
Using the past tense instead of the past perfect tense
Examples: I go to the store yesterday (incorrect), I walked to school, and then it started raining (incorrect)