The Past Tenses

THE PAST TENSES 

A. Simple Past Tense 









1. The simple past tense is used to show that something had happened at a certain time in the past. Examples: 

• The football team won the inter-school tournament last Saturday. 
• Katrina bought the dress last week. 

2. Used to show a habitual  past action.  
Examples: 

• My brother visited us often when he lived in Bentong. 
• Hanim always ate cereal for breakfast. 

3. Used to express an unlikely event, especially with ‘if’ or ‘wish’ clauses.  
Examples: 

• I wish I were millionaire. 
• If I were you, I would forgive him. 
• I wish I knew about the party earlier. 

4. Used in the expression “It is time…..”  
Examples: 

• It is time you finished your homework. 
• It is time we left this place. 

5. Used in Indirect Speech to replace the present tense in Direct Speech.  
Examples: 

• Nurul said, “I am happy to be elected.” (DS) 
• Nurul said that she was happy to be elected. (IS) 
• “Congratulations, Shafiq,” said Iskandar.(DS) 
• Iskandar congratulated Shafiq. (IS) 

6. Used in the passive form, showing a past action.  
Examples: 

• The boys were scolded for their indiscipline. 
• The poster was taken out from the notice board. 

B. Past Continuous Tense 

1. The past continuous tense is used to describe an action that was happening at a definite time in the past.  

Examples:

• It was raining when I left the house. 
• Hannah was playing squash when I saw her. 

2. It is used to express a past habitual action.  

Examples: 

• She was always sleeping in class when she was a student. 
• Robert was often teasing Sarah before he married her. 

3. It is used to show gradual development.  

Examples: 

• The bird was flying higher and higher. 
• The car was going slower and slower. 

4. It is used to express an action that was happening when another action was being performed.  

Examples: 

• When I was watching the television, the telephone rang. 
•  As Mary was driving, a cat dashed out from the bushes. 
• While mother was cooking, someone rang the doorbell. 

5. It is used to show two actions happening at the same time in the past.  Examples: 

• While Lim was cycling, he was singing happily. 
• As Asri was cleaning the whiteboard, Mas was sweeping the floor. 

C. Past Perfect Tense 

1. The past perfect  tense is used to show a past action which happened earlier that another action in the past.  

Examples; 

• Hanim had washed the car when I arrived home. 
• When we reached the cinema, the movie had started. 

2. Used to replace the present perfect tense in reported speech.  

Examples: 

• “Karim has gone out,” said his sister. 
• His sister said that Karim had gone out. 
• “Kallie has washed all the dishes,” said June. 
• June said that Kallie had washed all the dishes. 

3. Used with the words ‘wish’ and ‘hope’, to show an unfulfilled action.  Examples: 

• I wish I had brought along my camera. 
• I wish you had reminded me about the meeting. 

D. Past Perfect Continuous Tense 

1. The past perfect continuous tense is used to show an action which began before the time of speaking in the past, and continued up to that time.  Examples: 

• Carol was exhausted because she had been working since morning. 
• The child was sleepy as she had been listening to our conversation for the past hour. 

2. it is used to express a repeated action. 

 Examples:

• Sally had jumped ten times to reach the mango. 
• Sally had been jumping to reach the mango. 
• I had been trying numerous times to reach you on the phone. 
• I had been trying to reach you on the phone. 

Exercise 1 

Fill in the blanks with a verb in past tense

1. I wish I ______ hold a high position in the company. (can) 

2. They arrived early because they ____ the way. (know) 

3. When I _______ my bath, the telephone rang. ( take) 

4. As her sister sang, the little girl _____ . (dance)   

5. Salam ______ his parcel last Friday. (receive) 

6. I did not know what had happened because I ______ the whole afternoon.(sleep) 

7. Had they ______ harder they might have won the tournament. (try) 

8. When the police reached the hideout, the smugglers _______ away.(run) 

9. If I had known about his situation, I _______ more money. (donate) 

10. The workers _______ the house before we left for work.(paint)  

Exercise 2 

Fill in each of the blanks below with a verb in the past tense. 


1. By the time Fauzi reached the office, the manager _____ (leave) 

2. We were surprised to see that the whole building ________ down.(tear) 

3. The window of the bungalow _______ by a flying golf ball. (break) 

4. During the tsunami, many trees ______(uproot) 

5. Najmi _______ for being caring and helpful. (commend) 

6. Before the bully was captured, he ______ money from all his classmates.(extort) 

7. If the weather had been fine, we ________ for a picnic.(go) 

8. I wish I ________ my fishing rod. (bring) 

9. When we reached Ipoh, it _______heavily.(rain) 


10. Before the results _________ , we left the hall.(announce) 


Exercise 3