Past Tense

The Definition Of Past Tense :

1. Simple Past Tense is a kind of tense which is used to describe an event or action that happened already in a certain time in the past

ð The pattern : (+) Subject + verb II + complement

(-) Subject + did not + verb II + complement

(?) Did + subject + verb I

ð The examples : (+) I went to Tangkiling yesterday

(-) I did not go anywhere last night

(?) Did you go last week?

ð Adverbs used : yesterday, lat night, last week, two days ago, e few minutes ago, last weekend, last month, last year, in 1984, etc.

2. 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

ð The pattern : (+) Subject + was/were +verb-ing+ complement

(-) Subject + was not/were not+verb-ing+ complement

(?) was/were+ subject + verb-ing+complement

ð The examples :(+) He was writing a letter at eight o’clock last night

(-) He was not writing a letter at seven o’clock last night

(?) Were you writing a letter at eight last night?

ð Adverbs used : at the time like this yesterday, at seven o’clock last night, etc.

3. Past Perfect Tense is a kind of tense that is used to describe an action or an event that started in a certain time in the past and completed or finished till in a certain time in the past too; or past perfect tense is used to express an action or an event that had happened before the other event or action happened

ð The pattern : (+) Subject + had+verb III+cmplement

(-) Subject + had not+ver III+complement

(?) Had + subject +verb III+complement

ð The examples : (+) We had eaten before they came

(-) They had not eaten before we came

(?) Had they eaten before we got back?

ð Adverbs used : from 1998 to 1999, once, twice, etc.