CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background
Tense in the English language the word comes from the Latin Tempus
whichmeans time.Talk about the tenses, means talking about the time that
indicates whenthe occurrence of an event or events, the continuation and
completion.So, english tenses are basically talking about the time of the
occurrence of anevent or events. in general, an event could occur at the
present time, in the past, orwill happen in the future.
Different from the Indonesian, in the English language description of
time will determine the use of the verb. Thus the verb could have
beenreferring to the present, past, or the time to come. a phrase that refers to
the currenttime is called the tense present. A phrase that refers to past time
called past tense ,while the sentence that refers to the time of the call will
come in future tense .The third time was still part of a general nature. to be
specific, each divided into fourparts, the simplest form, present participle,
perfect form, and also perfect form andperfect continous. Each of the main
tenses in the English language is divided into foursections following :
1. Simple
2. Continous / progressive
3. Perfect
4. Perfect continous / progressive
But , in this papers will be more discuss about Simple Past Tense and Past
Continuous tense .
1.2 Formulation Problem
The following sentence of background above , can find some
formulation problem , that is :
1. What is the definition about Simple Past Tense and Past Continuous
Tense ?
2. What is The purpose of Simple Past Tense and Past Continuous Tense ?

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 3. What is The function of Simple Past Tense and Past Continuous Tense ?
4. How is The Structure sentence of Simple Past Tense and Past Continuous
Tense ?
5. How is The example paragraph with use Simple Past Tense and Past
Continuous Tense ?
1.3 The Purpose of The Writing
1. To know definition of Simple Past Tense and Past Continuous Tense.
2. To know purpose of Simple Past Tense and Past Continuous Tense.
3. To know function of Simple Past Tense and Past Continuous Tense.
4. To know structure sentence of Simple Past Tense and Past Continuous
Tense.
5. To know exemple paragraph of Simple Past Tense and Past Continuous
Tense.

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 CHAPTER II
DISCUSSION

2.1 Definition of Simple Past Tense and Past Continuous Tense

Basically tenses be divided become 16 tenses . But , in the papers will
be more discuss about The Simple Past Tense and Past Continuous Tense .
1. Simple Past Tense
The simple past or past simple, sometimes called the preterite, is the
basic form of the past tense in Modern English . It is tense to express or
discribe an action that happened or completed in past , usually a very little
time before speaking , or action which is just completed.
Time of action is not specified in terms of long time ago or short ago
but it make a sense that the action has done a little time ago. It is use
second form of verb . Second form of verb is used as main verb in the
positive sentences and first form of verb or base form is used in negative
and interrogative sentences.
2. Past Continuous Tense
The past continuous tense is tense to express or discribe an action or
events in a time before now, which began in the past and is still going on
at the time of speaking. In other words, it expresses an unfinished or
incomplete action in the past. Past continuous tense is also called past
progressive. It is use auxiliary verb . Auxiliary verb “ was or were ” is
used in sentence. First form of verb or base verb + ing is used as main verb
in sentence.
2.2 The Purpose or Goal of Simple Past Tense and Past Continuous Tense
1. Simple Past Tense
The simple past is used to talk about a completed action in a time
before now or to describe an action, an event, or condition that occurred in
the past, sometime before the moment of speaking or writing.
2. Past Continuous Tense

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 Past Continuous tense is used to express a continued or ongoing
action in past, an ongoing action which occurred in past and completed at
some point in past.
2.3 The Function Simple Past Tense and Past Continuous Tense
1. Simple Past Tense
The simple past tense have some function , that is :
a. To express or write a teks narrative .
b. To tell or express private experience or personal experience ( Teks
Recount ) .
c. To actions completed in the past at a definite time .
2. Past Continuous Tense
1. Often , to describe the background in a story written in the past tense .
Example :
"The sun was shining and the birds were singing as the elephant
came out of the jungle. The other animals were relaxing in the
shade of the trees, but the elephant moved very quickly. She was
looking for her baby, and she didn't notice the hunter who was
watching her through his binoculars. When the shot rang out, she
was running towards the river..."
2. To describe an unfinished action that was interrupted by another event
or action .
Example :
" I was having a beautiful dream when the alarm clock rang ."
3. To express a change of mind.
Example :
"I was going to spend the day at the beach but I've decided to get
my homework done instead."
4. with 'wonder', to make a very polite request:
Example :
"I was wondering if you could baby-sit for me tonight."
2.4 The Structure of sentence

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1. Simple Past Tense
Simple Past tense have two form of sentence , that is Verbal sentence
and Nominal Sentence . In this papers will be discuss one by one from it .
a. Verbal Sentence
Verbal Sentence is sentence that use verb . The verb that use is
second form of verb . Second form of verb is used as main verb in the
positive sentences and first form of verb or base form is used in
negative and interrogative sentences. Other that , in negative and
interrogative sentences use auxiliary “ did “ .
The Pattern :
Positive Sentence

Subject + V2 + object

Examples :
“ My mother went to market yesterday . “
Negative sentences

Subject + did not or didn’t + V1 + object

Example :
“ My mother didn’t go to market yesterday . “
In negative sentence “did not” is written and the 1st form of verb
(base verb) is used instead of using 2nd form (or past simple verb) .
Interrogative sentences

Did + Subject + + V1 + object ?

Example :
“ Did your mother go to market yesterday ?”
Interrogative sentence starts with “did” and the 1st form of verb
(base verb) is used instead of using 2nd form (or past simple verb).

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b. Nominal Sentence
Nominal sentence is sentence that doesn’t use verb . It’s
subtituted by Linking Verb / to be (the word which is followed
adjective / noun / adverb (complement).
He,She, It , I  Was
They, We, You  Were
The Pattern :
Positive Sentence

Subject + To be ( was/were ) + Complement

Example :
“ I was a lecture 2 years ago . “
Negative sentences

Subject + To be ( was / were ) + Not+ Complement

Example :
“ I was not a lecture 2 years ago. “
Interrogative sentences

To be ( was / were ) + Subject + Complement ?

Example :
“ Was you a lecture 2 years ago ?“
At Simple Past Tense , duration is not important. The time of the
action can be in the recent past or the distant past.You always use the
simple past when you say when something happened, so it is associated
with certain past time expressions :
1. Frequency: often, sometimes, always
I sometimes walked home at lunchtime.
I often brought my lunch to school.

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 2. a definite point in time: last week, yesterday, six weeks ago,etc .
We saw a good film last week.
Yesterday, I arrived in Geneva.
3. an indefinite point in time: the other day, a long time ago ,etc
Note: the word ago is a useful way of expressing the distance into
the past. It is placed after the period of time: a week ago, three years ago, a
minute ago.
2. Past Continuous Tense
Past Continuous Tense only have one form of sentence . That is
sentence that subtituted auxiliary ( on the past form “ Was / Were ) and
first form of verb + ing in the sentence it .
The Pattern :
Positive Sentence

Subject + To be ( was/were ) + V.ING + Object

If the subject is “he, she, It, I, singular or proper noun” then auxiliary
verb “was” is used. If subject is “you, we, they or plural” then auxiliary
verb “were” is used.
Examples.
“ She was crying yesterday. “
“ They were climbing on a hill. “
Negative sentences

Subject + To be ( was / were ) + Not + V.ING + Object

Example :
“ She was not crying yesterday. “
“ They were not climbing on a hill.”
Interrogative sentences

To be ( was / were ) + Subject + V.ING + Object?

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 Example :
“ Was she crying yesterday? “
“ Were they climbing on a hill? “
Past Continuous Tense sometimes used in two parts in a sentence
that when two events are equally take place simultaneously, for example:
“ While I was studying in one room of our apartment, my roomate
was having a party in the other room.
In some cases, the Simple Past Tense and Past Continuous Tense
almost gives the same meaning, for example:
“ It rained this morning.
“ It was raining this morning.
Adverb of time : when, while, as, all day yesterday, the whole day
last Sunday.

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 CHAPTER III
CLOSING
3.1 Conclusion
3.2 Suggestion

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 REFERENCES

http://www.studyandexam.com/past-continuous-tense.html
http://www.edufind.com/english-grammar/past-continuous-tense/
http://www.studyandexam.com/past-simple-tense.html
http://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/simple_past_tense.htm
http://cherrymayforonda.blogspot.co.id/2007/10/simple-past-tense-and-past-
progressive.html

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