Past Tense

Simple Past Tense & Past Continous Tense

Naufal A.N.
18
X Immersion 2

SIMPLE PAST TENSE

PAST CONTINOUS TENSE

PAST TENSE
DEFINITION
ThePast Simpletense, also called the Simple Past, is used for past actions that happened either at a
specific time, which can either be given by a time phrase (yesterday,last year, etc.) or understood from
the context.

FUNCTION
The function of simple past tense is to tell about activity that began in the past and ended in the
past too.

FORM
Verbal

Nominal

(+) S + V2 + O + Adj / Noun / Adverb (ANA)

(+) S + to be 2 (was/were) + ANA
(-) S + did + not + V1 + O + ANA
(-) S + to be 2 (was/were) + ANA
(?) Did + S + V1 + O + ANA ?
(?) to be 2 + S + ANA ?
Example:
(+) The Doctor went to the hospital yesterday.
(-) The Doctor did not go to the hospital yesterday.
(?) Did the Doctor go to the hospital yesterday?

Example:
(+) He was a teacher.
(-) He was not a teacher.
(?) Was he a teacher?

VERBAL SENTENCES
Where the predicate is verb. A sentence that starts with the verb and the subject
follows. The subject can be a noun, a pronoun, a demonstrative, or a relative clause.

a.Positive verbal sentence

This sentence is often also called affirmative sentence, in general, this phrase is used to
declare an event or action.
(+) S + have/has + v3 + o

b.Negative verbal sentence

This will be negative sentences by adding do / does / did + not before verb.
(-) S + have/has +not +v3 + o

c.Interrogative verbal sentence

Interrogative verbal sentences are form by putting do/does /did at the beginning of
sentence.
(?) have/has + s + v3 + o

NOMINAL SENTENCES
Nominal sentence is a sentence that has predicate not a verb, but can be an adjective,
noun or adverb, then the nominal sentence should be inserted auxiliary verb to be like is, am,
are, and were the resource persons / was (which is used in the past ). A sentence with a
predicate lacking a finite verb. A beginning student would employ this sentence structure to
offer information about ones occupation, nationality, or answer what-questions.

a.Positive nominal sentence

This sentence is often also called affirmative sentence, in general, this phrase is used to
situation, position or rank.
(+) S + have/has + been + non verb
b.Negative nominal sentence
This will be negative sentences by adding not after to be.
(-) S + have/has + not + been + non verb
c.Interrogative nominal sentence
Interrogative nominal sentences are form by putting to be at the beginning of sentence.
(?) Have/has + S + been + non verb

 EXAMPLE
1. (+) I saw Ajis girlfriend yesterday.
(-) I didnt see Ajis girlfriend yesterday.
(?) Did you see Ajis girlfriend yesterday ?
2. (+) I bought a new handphone in the mall
(-) I didnt buy a new handphone in the mall
(?) Did you buy a new handphone in the mall ?
3. (+) You paid the government taxes last year
(-) You didnt pay the government taxes last year
(?) Did you pay the government taxes last year?
4. (+) We drew the new painting about rich people
(-) We didnt draw the painting about rich people
(?) Did we draw the new painting about rich people?
5. (+) My father was a banker at Mandiri Bank in 1992.
(-) My father was not a banker at Mandiri Bank in 1992.
(?) Was my father a banker at Mandiri Bank in 1992?

6. (+) They drank too much Coca Cola last night

(-) They didnt drink too much Coca Cola last night
(?) Did they drink too much Coca Cola last night?
7. (+) They ate my mothers fried rice last Sunday
(-) They didnt eat my mothers fried rice last Sunday
(?) Did they eat my mothers fried rice last Sunday?
8. (+) Juleha didnt go to Rominis new house
(-) Juleha didnt go to Rominis new house
(?) Did Juleha go to Rominis new house?
9. (+) Rohmat sold his old computer to Joki.
(-) Rohmat didnt sell his old computer to Joki.
(?) Did Rohmat sell his old computer to Joki?
10.(+) Diego cooked fried chicken to Filza
(-) Diego didnt cook fried chicken to Filza
(?) Did she cook fried chicken to Filza?

PAST CONTINOUS TENSE

DEFINITION
Past Continuous Tense is a kind of tense that is used to describe an event or
an action which was happening in a certain time in the past.

FUNCTION

1)To indicate that one action was in progress when another action occurred.
2)To indicate that two actions were progress simultaneously.
3)To indicate an action that happened at a certain time inthe past.

FORM
Positive Sentence (+)
S

To be (was/were)

verb word+ ing

He

was

watching

amovie

at theater

They

were

looking for

novels

yesterday

Negative Sentence (-)

S

to be (was/ were)

not

verb word+ ing

He

was

not

watching

a movie

at theater

They

were

not

looking for

novels

yesterday

verb word+ ing

Interogative Sentence (?)

to be (was/ were)

Was

he

watching

a movie

at theater?

Were

they

looking for

novels

yesterday?

 EXAMPLES
1. (+) Mia was going to the school when I came in.
(-) Mia wasnt going to the school when I came in.
(?) Was Mia going to the school when I came in?
2. (+) Hermy and Ron were falling in love each other.
(-) Hermy and Ron werent falling in love each other.
(?) Were Hermy and Ron falling in love each other?
3. (+) They were keeping running away when she turned.
(-) They werent keeping running away when she turned.
(?) Were they keeping running away when she turned?
4. (+) He was bringing many books last day.
(-) He wasnt bringing many books last day.
(?) Was he bringing many books last day?
5. (+) I was eating soto when my mom arrived.
(-) I wasnt eating soto when my mom arrived.
(?) Was I eating soto when my mom arrived?

6. (+) You were repairing this computer when I was coming.

(-) You werent repairing this computer when I was coming.
(?) Were you repairing this computer when I was coming?
7. (+) She was cooking the food for her husband last month.
(-) She wasnt cooking the food for her husband last month.
(?) Was she cooking the food for her husband last month?
8. (+) Iwas eatingdinner when you knocked the door
(-) I wasnt eatingdinner when you knocked the door
(?) Was you eatingdinner when you knocked the door
9. (+) Shewas cookingfried rice at 7 a.m this morning.
(-) She wasnt cookingfried rice at 7 a.m this morning.
(?) Was she cookingfried rice at 7 a.m this morning
10. (+) You were finishing homework whenshe calledher mother
(-) Youwere not finishinghomework whenshe calledher mother
(?) Were you finishing homework whenshe calledher mother?