Past Forms Lectured by T. KHON MIN SET

14.January.2015

E.G.T.I. (E.P.); B.A.(English); Dip in (E.L.T);M.A Part One (English) (Mandalay University)

What are past forms?

What are past forms?1. Past simple (V2)

2. Past Continuous (was/were + V-ing)

3. Past Perfect (had + V-3)

4. Past Perfect Continuous (had + been + V-ing)

Past Continuous

was/were + V-ing

S Be V-ing

IYou WeTheyPluralHeSheItSingular

were

V-ing

Affirmative

was

S Be not

IYou WeTheyPlural

HeSheItSingular

were

V-ing

Negative

was

not

S Be

Iyou wetheyplural

hesheitsingular

Were

V-ing ?

Question

Was

+ ing - ie y + ing - e ing double consonant + ing

rub

rubbing

go

going

lie

lying

cry

crying

come

coming

tie

tying

travel

travelling

bring

bringing

run

running

use

using

die

dying

dive

diving

put

putting

hope

hoping

listen

listening

Verb Form – Change the following verbs into Present Participle (V-ing)

When is Past Continuous used?

What are the speech situations of it?

• We use Past Continuous to talk about actions in the middle of happeningat a stated past time.

For example –

1. I was having dinner at 8 yesterday.

Past Present

Future

----------------

7:45

8:00

8:15

I was having dinner at 8.

2. She was reading at 9 last night.

• We use Past Continuous to talk about Past action interrupted by another action. The longer action is in past continuous and the shorter is in past simple.

Past Present

FuturePast Simple : Shorter Action

----------------

Past Continuous : (Longer Action)

For example –

1. I was doing homework when she phoned me.

2. She phoned me while I was doing homework.

3. The light went out while she was watching TV.

4. She was watching TV when he went out.

• We use Past Continuous to talk about

For example –

1. While I was reading, she was doing Math.

2. They were playing football and she was watching.

3. While she was sunbathing, we were swimming.

4. I was listening to music while the teacher was teaching.

two or more simultaneous past actions.

• We use Past Continuous to talk about

Past Continuous

I was standing outside the bus

station. It was getting late and I

was feeling tired. I was waiting for

a man called Johnny Mars.

Past Simple

background scene and the Past Simple forevents and actions.

Suddenly, a woman came round

the corner and

walked right up to me. ‘Are you Mr.

Marlowe?’ she asked.

Points to remember………

1. actions in the middle of happening at a stated past time.

2. Past action interpreted by another action. The longer action is in Past continuous and the shorter is in past simple.

3. two or more simultaneous past actions.

4. background scene

We use Past Continuous to talk about

Time expression used with Past Simple

at 9 yesterday, while, when, as … etc.