PA1- PAST TENSE REVIEW

-Past Simple
-Past Continuous
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-Used to/ Get used to/ Be used to
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DEFINITION: The Past Simple tense is the tense that we use to speak about
actions that happened in the past (and they are finished!).

Structure

Affirmative: Subject + Verb (past simple) + Object + Complements

I played tennis yesterday

Negative: Subject + auxiliar (past simple) + negation + infinitive + Object +

Complements
You did not call me last week

Interrogative: Auxiliar (past simple) + subject + infinitive + Object + Complements?

Did you go to the cinema last night?

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The Past Simple Uses:

- for completed actions and events in the past: We had an English

exam last month.

- for a sequence of actions and events: I went to visit my grandma,

then I went to see my uncle.

- for permanent or long-term situations in the past: I really

enjoyed myself when I was living in Brighton.

- for repeated events: My grandfather went to lots of concerts when

he was in his 20's.

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PAST SIMPLE

How do we form the simple past:

Regular verbs:
verb +.ed /.d = want / wanted; hope / hoped

Irregular verbs:
Irregular past= think / thought; make / made

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1. Why Irregular verbs are irregular??
Irregular means “not continuous” and is the opposite to “Regular”

2. Why are there Irregular and Regular verbs in English?

English is a germanic-rooted language like Swedish, Danish, Flemish,

Norwedgian, Dutch or German.

These language have declinations and verb conjugation like Latin.

Therefore, the oldest verbs remain irregular (have, be, go, take, see)
whereas the ones taken by the English Language after the French
Invasion (1066) are regular (decide, finish, decorate, prepare,
start) and end in -ed
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PAST SIMPLE

RULE # 1
MEMORIZE THE LIST OF IRREGULAR VERBS

“Cars are run by engines and driven by subjects.

Languages are run by verbs, and also driven by subjects”

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PAST SIMPLE
Exercise. Complete this table with their past forms and their past participles

Present Past Past Participle

1) fall
2) keep
3) mean
4) forget
5) hit
6) freeze
7) throw
8) feed
9) blow
10) lead

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Exercise. Change the sentences into Simple Past:

1. Catherine moves to a different house.

…………………………………………………………………….

2. They teach English.

…………………………………………………………………….

3. He doesn’t do the necessary work.

…………………………………………………………………….

4. She sells diamonds.

…………………………………………………………………….
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5. Does he travel to China?

…………………………………………………………………….
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Exercise. Complete the story with the verbs between brackets.

Use the Simple Past:

Ten people ………….(die) in a fire at a restaurant in Gran Vía last night.

They ………….(be) a group of international students who ………….(be)
in Madrid as part of an exchange between different universities.
The fire …………. (start) at midnight. Some witnesses …………. (see)
the flames and immediately …………. (call) the firemen. When they
…………. (arrive), they …………. (try) to get into the restaurant and
…………. (rescue) the group but the flames and heat …………. (be) so
great that it………….(make) impossible the successful rescue. During
the process, two firemen …………. (get) injured while entering the
building although they …………. (be) released from hospital soon
afterwards.
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 PAST SIMPLE
Exercise. Complete the sentences with the verbs between brackets using the
Simple present or past:

1. I ………. (study) English last night.

2. I ……….(buy) a present for my husband but I ………. (think) he ……….(not like) it.

3. I ……….(have) long hair when I ……….(be) a little child, but now my hair ……….(be)
very short.

4. Janet ……….(write) a letter to George last night.

5. Ellie ………. (brush) he teeth twice a day.

6. I ………. (take) too much alcohol yesterday evening, so I ……….(have) a terrible

headache now.

7. Alex ……….(can) play the piano when she was 12; now she ………. (can) play both the
piano and the violin.
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 PAST CONTINUOUS
Definition
The Past Continuous is used to describe actions that occurred in the past and continued over time.
These actions can be interrupted by a past simple, or they may happen simultaneously to other
actions

Structure
Subject + verb to be (past tense) + gerund (-ing)

Peter + was + playing

Examples

Affirmative: I was playing football when you arrived.

While I was studying my friends were playing tennis.
When you called me I was having a shower.

Negative: He was not studying when I saw him.

You were not playing basketball at the Sports Union Center last night.

Interrogative: Were you watching the game at the Stadium? I was there too! 13
PAST CONTINUOUS

How do we form the past continuous:

was / were +.ing = was /were waiting

Uses:

- for an activity beginning before a past action and continuing

until or after it: When we were queuing for the cinema, we saw a
really famous footballer.

- for two things happening at the same time: I wasn't paying

attention while I was writing the letter, so I made several mistakes.

- for repeated events (“always” / “continually”), criticising an

activity: She was always coming to class late.

- for unfulfilled plans: I was hoping to find a new jacket. 14

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While vs. When

Clauses are groups of words which have meaning, but are often not complete sentences. Some
clauses begin with the word "when" such as "when she called" or "when it bit me." Other clauses
begin with "while" such as "while she was sleeping" and "while he was surfing." When you talk
about things in the past, "when" is most often followed by the verb tense Simple Past, whereas
"while" is usually followed by Past Continuous. "While" expresses the idea of "during that time."
Study the examples below. They have similar meanings, but they emphasize different parts of
the sentence.

Examples:
I was studying when she called.
While I was studying, she called.

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REMEMBER

Non-Continuous Verbs / Mixed Verbs

It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any continuous tenses.
Also, certain non-continuous meanings for Mixed Verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses.
Instead of using Past Continuous with these verbs, you must use Simple Past.

Examples:
Jane was being at my house when you arrived. Not Correct
Jane was at my house when you arrived. Correct

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The verb to be and its forms

 I was

 You were

 He was

 She was

 It was

 We were

 You were
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 They were
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Exercise. Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past
Continuous):

1. The flight attendant …………. (welcome) the passengers and …………. (ask) them to buckle their
seatbelts.

2. The TV …………. (break) during the game so we …………. (have) to listen to the end on the radio.

3. The children …………. (swim) while the parents …………. (talk) by the poolside.

4. The doctor …………. (come) in, …………. (look) at the wound and …………. (tell) us it wasn´t
serious.

5. While one team …………. (prepare) for the final match, the other team …………. (participate)
in interviews.

6. While we …………. (sit) on the bench the dogs …………. (run) about.

7. Patrick …………. (turn) off the music and …………. (begin) to study.

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 PAST CONTINUOUS
Exercise. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense (Simple Past or
Past Continuous):

1. When Sam …………. (go) to Greece, he …………. (visit) the most beautiful beaches.

2. When he …………. (drive) home, he …………. (see) an amazing sunset.

3. I …………. (not /hear) what they …………. (fight) about at the party last night.

4. When she …………. (wash) her car, she …………. (discover) the scratch.

5. While the boy …………. (play), his mother …………. (talk) on the phone.

6. He …………. (drink) some beer and then he …………. (eat) a few chips.

7. We …………. (sleep) when we suddenly …………. (hear) a loud noise.

8. When my neighbour …………. (bake) a cake she …………. (burn) her hand.

9. She …………. (get) in the car, …………. (put) her key in the ignition, and …………. 19
(start) the engine.

10. When it …………. (begin) to rain, we …………. (run) inside.

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Exercise. Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or past progressive).

1. When I__________ (do) the washing-up, I __________ (break) a plate.

2. While Tom __________ (play) the piano, his mother __________ (do) the washing-up.

3. He __________ (drink) some juice and then he __________ (eat) a few chips.

4. I __________ (have) dinner when I suddenly __________ (hear) a loud bang.

5. When my father __________ (work) in the garden, an old friend __________ (pass) by to see him.

6. She __________ (go) to school, __________ (take) out her textbook and (begin) to learn.

7. When it __________ (start) to rain, our dog __________ (want) to come inside.

8. When Jane __________ (do) a language course in Ireland, she __________ (visit) Blarney Castle.

9. When I __________ (be) on my way home, I __________ (see) an accident.

10. I __________ (not / understand) what they __________ (talk) about. 20

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Exercise. Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or past progressive).

1. When I__________ (do) the washing-up, I __________ (break) a plate.

2. While Tom __________ (play) the piano, his mother __________ (do) the washing-up.

3. He __________ (drink) some juice and then he __________ (eat) a few chips.

4. I __________ (have) dinner when I suddenly __________ (hear) a loud bang.

5. When my father __________ (work) in the garden, an old friend __________ (pass) by to see him.

6. She __________ (go) to school, __________ (take) out her textbook and (begin) to learn.

7. When it __________ (start) to rain, our dog __________ (want) to come inside.

8. When Jane __________ (do) a language course in Ireland, she __________ (visit) Blarney Castle.

9. When I __________ (be) on my way home, I __________ (see) an accident.

10. I __________ (not / understand) what they __________ (talk) about. 21

 USED TO/ GET USED TO/ BE USED TO
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Used to/ Get Used to/ Be Used to

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Used to/ Get Used to/ Be Used to

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Used to/ Get Used to/ Be Used to

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Used to/ Get Used to/ Be Used to

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Used to/ Get Used to/ Be Used to

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 Used to/ Get Used to/ Be Used to

Exercise. Sentence Transformation: Write a sentence using the

word given and without changing the original meaning.

- The family always spent their holidays climbing in the mountains. Used
• The family’s holidays.................…………..........… climbing in the mountains.

- It was difficult for Craig to adjust to living in Spain. Used

• Craig couldn’t .................…………...........................…… living in Spain.

- I went to the old pool every week. Used

• I .................…………...........................…… to the old pool every week.

- When I was a child, we would go to the local park every Saturday afternoon. Used
• When I was a child, .................…………....................the park every Saturday.

- We don't live in Athens any more. Used

.................…………....................in Athens. 28
Further Practice:
https://agendaweb.org/verbs/past_simple-exercises.html

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