CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background
Past tense is a sentence used in English which is precisely used for sentences that have
occurred or past.

B. Purposes
To know the meaning of the Past tense, so it is easy to use in communicating English.

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 CHAPTER II

DISCUSSION

A. Simple Past Tense

Simple past tense is a form of time used to describe events or deeds performed at a
particular moment at ampau time in a simple form. The time of the event or deed is known.
The past tense is a sentence used to declare past sentences or events that already occur, an
example of the past tense sentence is an occurrence of the past hours, yesterday, a week ago,
and an event that already happened.Thus the simple past tense formula for positive,
negative, and interrogative sentences is as follows.1

Example Simple Past

Jenis Kalimat Formula
Tense

positif S + Verb-2 (past tense) The teacher came

(+) S + be(was/were) I was a stamp collector

S + did + not + bare The teacher didn’t come

negatif
infinitive
(-) I wasn’t a stamp collector
S + be(was/were) + not

interogatif Did + S + bare infinitive Did the teacher come

(?) be(was/were) + S Was I a stamp collector2

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Lado M.J. 2008. Memahami tenses bahasa inggris. Titik terang : Jakarta anggota IKAPI

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 Some examples of simple past tense sentences with functions are as follows.

Function Simple Past Tense Sentence example

Vina and I went to the Ragunan zoo three months ago.

Simple past tense to discuss the
actions that occurred with a certain Did he come on time yesterday?

duration of time in the past. The The party started at 10.00 a.m.
preposition forcan be used to declare Did you sleep enough last night?
the time period of events
I studied civil engineering for almost 4 years.

Simple past tense to talk about habits I often did exercises in the gym when Ilived in Bandung.
in the past. Subordinate conjunction When I was a senior high school student, I always got
when commonly used In this situation up at 4 am to study.

To demonstrate that a short (simple

past tense) action occurs when a long- I was reading a journal in the library when
running action (past continuous tense) someone burped out loud.
is in progress.

To demonstrate that an action (simple I had already finished my breakfast when

past tense) immediately follows the he picked me up.
completed action (past perfect tense).

If she studied hard, she would be pass.

Simple past tensedigunakan
padaconditional sentence type 2. I would buy a sport car if I had much money.

a. Verbal sentences

1. The positive verbal sentence pattern that is used in this time form is:

Subject + past tense (verb 2)

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 Note: Past tense or second-form verbs (v2) You can find in irregular lessons and regular
verbs.

Example:-She studied English last night

-They cleaner the classroom yesterday

2. Negative verbal sentence pattern used is

Subject + did + not + infinitive

Note: to form a negative verbal sentence must be added auxiliary verb (verbs) that are
in the past form of do/does next to add note.

The Did can be used for all subjects. The verb in the negative verbal sentence of this
time form must be changed to a basic verb (infinitive

Contoh : -she did not study English last night

-they did not clean the classroom yesterday.

1. Verbal sentence pattern The questions used are:

Did + subject + infinitive?

Note: The verb used in the verbal sentence ask this also
It is a basic verb (infinitive).
Example:-Did she study English last night?
-Did they clean the classroom yesterday?
The answer to the above question is Yes,.... and no,.....
Example:-Did she study English last night?
Yes, I did = yes
No, I didn't = no
If the verbal sentence Tanya in this form of time uses the word ask, then the
sentence pattern is:

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 1. If the word ask that is used does not ask the subject of the sentence, then the
sentence pattern:
Question Word + did + subject + infinitive?

Example:-Where did you meet her last night?

-What did she write yesterday?3
2. If the word ask used asks the subject of the sentence, then the sentence pattern:

Question Word + past tense (verb 2)?

Note: Past tense or second-form verbs (v2).

Example: who helped you last week?

b. Nominal sentence

1. The positive nominal sentence pattern used is:

for subyek we, you, they.
Subyek + were + non verb

for subyek I, she, he it.

Subyek + was + non verb
Note: Non verb or nonverb can be noun, adjectives, or adverbs. Was a past form
of to be, is, am. Were a past form of to be are.
Example : - I was ill yesterday
-they were happy last night
2. The negative nominal sentence pattern used is:
To the subject you, we, they
Subyek + were + not + non verb

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Complete englist grammar – Mj. Lado

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 for syubyek I, he, she, it
Subyek + was + not +non verb
Example : -I was not ill yesterday.
- They were not happy last night4
3. The nominal sentence pattern Tanya that is used is:
for subyek you, we, they.
Were + subyek + non verb ?
for subyek I, she, he, it
Was + subyek + non verb?

example: -was I ill yesterday?

-were they happy last night
The answer to the question sentence above is yes,... And no,...
Example:-Was I ill yesterday
Am I sick yesterday?
Answer: Yes, I was
No, I wasn't
No, they weren’t5-were they happy last night ?
Were they excited last night?
Were they excited last night?
Answer: Yes, they were

Generally, sentences using the simple past tense time form are used to:
a) Declare an action that has been done in the past and completed at that time or to
describe an incident that occurred at a certain time in the past.
Example: He helped me last week

b) State a habit in the past but no longer lasts now

Example:-When I was young, I worked hard
-he worked in the restaurant, but now he is working in a factory.

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englist sentence structure – Robert krohn

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http://faculty.washington.edu/marynell/grammar/verbtenses.html.accesed on february 21,2013

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 The sentence pattern stating the habit in the past can be replaced with the
following sentence pattern:

Subyek + used to + infinitive

Note : used To be interpreted first.

Example : -when I was young, I worked hard
-when I was young, I used to work hard
-he worked in the restaurant, but now he is working in the
factory

c) State a situation that took place in the past.

Example:

-We were at home last night.

Time signal used in the form of simple past tense is: A moment ago, An
hour ago, A few minutes ago, Two days ago, Several days ago, A few days ago, A
week ago, Two weeks ago, A month ago, A year ago, Yesterday, Yesterday
morning, Yesterday afternoon. Etc.6

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practical englist grammar –Thomson & martinet

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 CHAPTER III
COVER
A. Conclusion
Past tense is a sentence used in English which is precisely used for sentences that have
occurred or past.

B. Suggestion
Based on the explanation above, I can realize that the Past tense is a sentence that must be
completely understood to communicate
.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://grammer.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/tenses/simple_past.htm.Accessed on february
21, 2013.
http://owl,englist.purdue.edu./owl/resource/601/01/.accesed on February 21,2013.
http://faculty.washington.edu/marynell/grammar/verbtenses.html.accesed on february 21,2013
englist sentence structure – Robert krohn
practical englist grammar –Thomson & martinet
A Dictionary of American idioms – adam makkai ph.D
Mastering englist grammar & idioms – Mj. Lado
Complete englist grammar – Mj. Lado
Kamus lengkap ingris-indonesia – prof Drs. S. Wojowasito & W.J.S poerwadarminta
Lado M.J. 2008. Memahami tenses bahasa inggris. Titik terang : Jakarta anggota IKAPI