Past tenses
1. Simple past
Kegunaan Menjelaskan kejadian yang dimulai di masa lalu dan berakhir di masa lalu.
Keterangan waktu
Ago two weeks ago last yesterday this morning in 1995
Then later finally a month ago in the past
Pola kalimat
Verbal
Positive Subject + V2
Examples Martin grew up in the country
Later, he lived in a small town.
Negative Subject + did not + V1
Examples He didn’t buy a farm a year ago.
Denis didn’t like life in large city.
Interrogative (WH question) Did + subject + V1 + ?
Examples When did he move to the city?
Did they meet Sonny?
Nominal
Positive Subject + was/were + complement
Example They were at home yesterday.
Negative Subject + was/were not + complement
Example She wasn’t sure about going abroad.
Interrogative (WH question) was/were + subject + complement
Example Was it heavy rain outside?
2. Past continuous
Kegunaan Menjelaskan kegiatan yang terjadi pada waktu tertentu di masa lalu dan
biasanya digunakan untuk menjelaskan set dalam cerita.
Keterangan waktu
A few minutes ago a few moment ago at that time just still then
Pola kalimat
Positive Subject + was/were +Ving
Examples We were just looking for you!
She was living in Boston at that time.
Negative Subject + was/were not + Ving
Examples You weren’t working hard.
He wasn’t watching that movie.
Interrogative (WH question) was/were + subject + Ving
Examples Where was she working?
Were they playing chess?
Past continuous + Simple past dihubungkan dengan when dan while.
I was walking past the car when it exploded.
When the car exploded I was walking past it.
the car exploded while I was walking past it.
While I was walking past the car it exploded.
*when + short action (Past simple) *while + long action (Past continuous)
3. Past perfect
Kegunaan untuk menyatakan kejadian di masa lalu yang terjadi sebelum kejadian lain
terjadi di masa lalu.
Keterangan waktu
Already just recently still ever never yet
Barely no sooner
Pola kalimat
Positive Subject + had + V3
Examples He had finished by 6 p.m. yesterday.
Until 1932, the O’Keefes had lived on a farm.
Negatives Subject + had not + V3
Example She hadn’t bought a new dress yet.
Interrogative (WH question) had + subject + V3 + ?
Examples Had you ever gone to London?
How long had she studied Latin?
Past perfect + Simple past digunakan untuk kalimat kompleks dimana satu kejadian terjadi lebih dulu
(past perfect) dibandingkan kejadian lainnya (simple past) di masa lalu. Dua kalimat ini dihubungkan
dengan kata hubung when, before, after.
Examples When we arrived, the train had left.
I had eaten my breakfast before I went to school.
After I had brushed my teeth, I slept.
So, when/ before + simple past and after + past perfect
4. Past perfect continuous
Kegunaan untuk menggambarkan situasi yang dimulai di masa lalu, sedang berlangsung
di masa lalu, dan kemungkinan selesai diwaktu tertentu di masa lalu.
Keterangan waktu
After before by by the time until already
For since
Pola kalimat
Positive Subject + had + been + Ving
Examples Ana had been running five miles a day before she twisted her ankle.
Until the Depression, they had been planning to buy a larger farm.
Negative Subject + had not + Ving
Examples Ana hadn’t been running five miles a day.
Interrogative (WH question) had + subject + been + Ving + ?
Examples Had she been running?
Why had they been walking at the wrong road?
Exercises
Exercise 1 Complete the passage with simple past form of the verbs in parentheses.
Include adverbs when indicated, and pay careful attention to spelling. The
first one is done as an example.
The First Born
Lily was Bob and Dorothy’s first child. When Dorothy __________________(become) pregnant, the
couple immediately __________________(begin) to prepare for the baby. They __________________(go) shopping
for baby furniture and __________________(buy) toys and playthings. Dorothy __________________(make) little
clothes and blankets. And when Baby Lily __________________(come/finally) into the world, the happy
parents __________________(fall) in love with their precious child. They __________________(take) pictures of
Baby Lily’s first smile, step, and birthday party. At bedtime, they __________________(sit) and
__________________(hold) her and __________________(tell) her little story and __________________(read) her books
and __________________(sing) her lullabies. They __________________(wake) up in an instant if they
__________________(hear) her cry during the night. They __________________(write) letters and
__________________(send) cards to friends and relatives detailing every little thing Lily __________________(do).
In fact, her parents __________________(give) Lily their complete attention. That is until her sister, Cathy,
__________________(be) born two years later.
Exercise 2 Fill the blank with the correct form of past simple or past continuous.
1. We __________________ (play) volleyball with Mary, when you __________________ (call) me.
2. When the teacher __________________ (come) in, they __________________(study) English.
3. The baby__________________ (sleep) when the telephone __________________ (ring).
4. As I__________________ (walk) in the streets of Holland, I __________________ (meet) an old friend of mine.
5. I__________________ (lose) my car keys.
6. I was looking for my purse when I__________________ (drop) my credit card.
7. My uncle__________________ (take) me to the airport yesterday.
8. She__________________ (dance) when she hurt her ankle.
9. It__________________ (rain) heavily when I got up.
10. I__________________ (see) the thief while he __________________ (get) into my neighbor’s house.
11. I __________________ (switch) off the computer because it __________________ (make) a strange noise.
12. My dad __________________ (listen) to classical music when I __________________ (arrive) home from school.
13. We __________________ (play) video games when my mum __________________ (say) “Turn the volume down!
14. My cousin __________________ (meet) his wife, Bianca, while her __________________ (live) in Italy.
15. My little sister __________________ (draw) a picture while I __________________ (study) for my French exam.
16. While they __________________ (try) to fix the computer, all the light __________________ (go) out.
17. When we __________________ (leave) school yesterday, it __________________ (pour) with rain.
18. When you __________________ (see) Paul, __________________ he __________________ (wear) a black jacket?
19. I __________________ (try) to log on when the Wi-Fi __________________ (stop) working.
20. While dad __________________ (print) an article, the printer __________________ (run) out of paper.
Exercise 3 Complete the sentences with the past perfect form of the verbs in brackets
1. Before yesterday’s match, they__________________ (not win) any of their matches.
2. Before last year, she__________________ never__________________ (be) to Granada.
3. I__________________ (call) her twice before she finally sent me a message.
4. It was the first time he__________________ (hear) such beautiful music.
5. John__________________ always__________________ (think) that he wasn’t a good basketball player.
6. Laura __________________ never __________________ (be) good at dancing so she was very nervous.
7. My parents__________________ always (refuse) to let me stay out late so I was surprised when they
said yes.
8. I__________________ never__________________ (drink) beer before that day. It wasn’t very nice.
9. By the time I got home, I __________________ (lose) my wallet.
10. They __________________ already __________________(see) the film twice.
Exercise 4 Fill the blank with the correct form of past perfect and past simple.
1. The sun__________________ (shine) yesterday after it__________________ (be) cold for many weeks.
2. Uncle David__________________ (go) to the doctor after he__________________ (be) ill for a month.
3. Before the police __________________ (catch) the thief, he__________________ (steal) two more watches.
4. Mum once (paint) a picture although she_________________________(never, learn) it.
5. I________________________(not tell) my teacher that my mum (help) me with my homework.
6. I________________________ (be) very angry when I________________________ (see) that my
brother________________________ (eat) my apple.
7. The bike________________________ (be) much more expensive than he ________________________ (think) at
first.
8. Dad________________________ (drive) me home after I________________________ (fall) into the water.
9. Marion________________________ (ask) me what________________________ (happen) to me last week.
10. We ________________________ (eat) two Big Macs before we________________________ (go) home.
11. Paul________________________ (not say) that he________________________ (take) Albert's watch.
12. The days________________________ (become) colder after it________________________ (snow).
13. Martin________________________ (tell) me that he________________________ (be) in London.
14. I________________________ (feel) great after I________________________ (pass) the exam.
15. It________________________ (be) Freddy who________________________ (clean) the room.
16. When I________________________ (get) off the bike I________________________(see) that one of those tires (lose)
________________________air.
17. I________________________ (be) sorry that I ________________________ (not be) nicer to him.
18. Nobody________________________ (come) to the meeting because Angela ________________________ (forget) to
tell them about it.
19. I know that I________________________ (see) her somewhere before.
20. Because she________________________ (not check) the oil for so long, the car ________________________ (break)
down.
Exercise 5 Complete the past perfect continuous sentenes using the verb in brackets.
1. Sarah________________________ (play) the guitar for 3 years before she first performed on stage.
2. They ________________________exercise) outside when there was a sudden storm which made them run for
cover.
3. We ________________________ (wait) 45 minutes for the bus before it finally arrived.
4. I was exhausted because I________________________ (concentrate) since 7 a.m.
5. As he________________________ (study) hard for the whole term, Zach was sure to pass the exam.
6. We both got in trouble because I ________________________. (help) her with her homework the whole time.
7. Because of the recent heat wave, the plants________________________ (wilt).
8. I________________________ (work) for 5 months when my boss promoted me to supervisor.
9. They________________________ (decorate) the new house for hours and it was time to have a break.
10. I________________________ (not feel) worried about the presentation until I saw the audience.
