Past Tenses in English Contrasted
1. Use
Past Simple | Past Continuous | Past Perfect Simple | Past Perfect Continuous | Present Perfect Simple** | Present Perfect Continuous** |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
finished action in the past | action was in progress at a time in the past or at the same time as another past action. | the past equivalent of Present Perfect | how long something had been happening before something else happened in the past. |
| action beginning in the past and still continuing (focus is on the action) |
2. Signal words
Past Simple | Past Continuous | Past Perfect Simple | Past Perfect Continuous | Present Perfect Simple** | Present Perfect Continuous** |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
| when while | no unambiguous ones |
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3. Form
Past Simple | Past Continuous | Past Perfect Simple | Past Perfect Continuous | Present Perfect Simple** | Present Perfect Continuous** |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
regular: infinitive + ed irregular: 2nd column of the irregular verbs | was/were + infinitive + ing | had + past participle* | had + been + infinitive + ing | have/has + past participle* | have/has + been + infinitive + ing |
* past participle:
- regular verbs → infinitive + –ed
- irregular verbs → 3rd column of the table of the irregular verbs
4. Examples
4.1. Affirmative sentences
Past Simple | Past Continuous | Past Perfect Simple | Past Perfect Continuous | Present Perfect Simple** | Present Perfect Continuous** |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
We visited London last year. | I was watching TV 10 o’clock last night. | Before I went to sleep I had watched TV | I had been waiting for Susan for 15 minutes when she arrived. | I have lived in London since 2000. | I have been waiting for her for 15 minutes. |
4.2. Negative sentences
Past Simple | Past Continuous | Past Perfect Simple | Past Perfect Continuous | Present Perfect Simple** | Present Perfect Continuous** |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
We did not visit London last year. | I was not watching TV at 10 o’clock last night. | Before I went to sleep I had not watched TV | I had not been waiting for Susan for 15 minutes when she arrived. | I have not lived in London since 2000. | I have not been waiting for her for 15 minutes. |
4.3. Questions
Past Simple | Past Continuous | Past Perfect Simple | Past Perfect Continuous | Present Perfect Simple** | Present Perfect Continuous** |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Did you visit London last year? | Was I watching TV at 10 o’clock last night? | Had I watched TV before I went to sleep? | Had I been waiting for Susan for 15 minutes when she arrived? | Have you lived in London since 2000? | Have I been waiting for her for 15 minutes? |
** Both the Present Perfect Simple and the Present Perfect Continuous are Present Tenses, but they also refer to the Past. That is why they are listed here.