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Te past tense in English is used:

• to describe the past

• to express hypotheses, or things that we imagine

• to be polite

Tere are to diferent types or groups of tenses that we use to do all of the above:

1. Simple Past

a) Past Simple

b) Past Continuous (Progressive)

c) Past Perfect

d) Past Perfect Continuous

2. Present Tense (both refer to the present and to the past)

a) Present Perfect

b) Present Perfect Continuous

1. PAST SIMPLE

Basic Form:

Subject + Verb (past form +ed or V2)

Examples:

I was tired.

We went to a club.

Us e d for :

1. Events that happened at a specifc time in the past that are now fnished • Nick worked out with me yesterday.

• I went to school 5 years ago.

2. Situation in the past

• I lived in Russia for 17 years (implied I don’t live there anymore)

3. A list of actions in the past

Te Past Simple is also commonly used with a few actions in the past happening one afer another. • She walked in, smiled at me and grabbed a drink.

2. PAST CONTINUOUS (PROGRESSIVE)

Basic Form:

Subject + Was/Were + Verb (continuous form +ing)

Examples:

I was eating cookies.

Te man was looking at me.

Us e d for :

1. Activities that lasted for some time in the past

We use the Past Continuous to talk about actions or situations that lasted for some time in the past, and whose duration times are unknown or irrelevant.

• I was working out

• He was sleeping in the bathtub

2. Interrupted actions in progress

Te Past Continuous is ofen used when one action is interrupted by another action in the past. Te Past Simple is used in that case with when or while to link these two sentences. • I was working out when my wife called me.

• While/When Matthew was sleeping in the bathtub, his friend walked into the bathroom.

3. Actions in progress at the same time in the past

Tis is an example of two or more activities happening at the same time. We also use when or while to link the two sentences.

• I was working out when/while my wife was running errands. • When/While Matthew was sleeping in the bathtub; his friend was trying to use the toilet.

4. Polite questions

If we want to ask someone a question, we ofen want to sound polite. We can use the Past Continuous here as well.

• I was wondering if you could lend me some money.

• I was thinking you might help me out.

Even though we use Past Continuous, the sentences still refer to the present moment. Teir meaning is similar to the “could you” sentences, but these are more polite. USE THEM! :)

3. PAST PERFECT

Basic Form:

Subject + HAD + Verb (past form +ed or V3)

Examples:

I had fnished the movie before you called me.

If we had studied harder, we would have passed the test.

Us e d for :

1. Completed action before another action in the past

Tis one is great, but the truth is…native speakers do not use it very ofen; they simplify it using words like afer and before. However, you should still know it, because this structure is great for written English or for sounding more educated and sophisticated.