Past Tenses

Past Simple, Present Perfect, Past Perfect

Past Simple

In the affirmative sentences we use verbs with the ending -ed/-d or the second form of irregular verbs.

She jumped high enough. We lived in Kyiv previously. I wrote this clearly.

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In the interrogative and ​negative sentences the past form of the verb do appears. It is did and it doesn't change with different ​persons.

Did we go there last month? - We didn't go anywhere.

Did it bark at you? - It didn't bark​ nor growl.

Past Simple

We use the Past Simple Tense to tell about the things that both started and ended in the past. There are three cases when we should use the Past Simple:

1) an action that happened in the past: I didn't eat my breakfast yesterday.

2) a repeated action in the past: She went many times to this place when she was a child.

3) a mood in the past: You seemed unhappy last time we met.

In which sentence would you use the Past Simple?

​1) ... you really (to clean) the house for three hours yesterday evening?

2) I ... ever (not to listen) to such music, today isn't an exclusion.

3) They (to see) us when we (to flee) from a policeman.​

Present Perfect

​We use have (for I, you, we, they) or has (for he, she, it) as an auxiliary verb and the main verb with the ending -ed/-d or in the third form if it is an irregular verb. This structure does not change much in the affirmative, interrogative and negative sentences.

I have been here before. - Have I been here before? - I haven't been here before.

He has ended his work. - Has he ended his work? - He hasn't ended his work.​

Present Perfect

​There are two options of usage the Present Perfect Tense:

1) something happened in the past but we can experience its result in the present: It was cold in the room but we have closed the window.

2) ​some experience up to the present: She has watched such TV serials (and she watches them now, too).

Which option does each situation present?

My last birthday was the worst day I have ever had.

​He has lived in this village his whole life.

Past Perfect

We use the past form of to have as an auxiliary verb and the main verb with the ending -ed/-d or in the third form if it is an irregular verb. The structure doesn't change much in the affirmative, interrogative and negative sentences.

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I had met him before I told you. - ​Had I met him before I told you? - I hadn't met him before I told you.

She had watched this movie before it became popular. - Had she watched this movie before it became popular? - She hadn't watched this movie before it became popular.​

Past Perfect

We use the Past Perfect Tense while talking about something that happened before some other action: We told you he had committed a crime.

Create your own sentence with a verb in the Past Perfect Tense

The usage

​

​Past Simple

​Past Perfect

​Present Perfect

​I told you I had read this book, and you still has given it to me as a present!

Now your sentence:

​Past Simple

​Past Perfect

​Present Perfect

Great job!