Past simple
What is a word that tells you a sentence should be past simple (time word) most of the time?
Yesterday, a ____ ago, last ____, the ____ before
What is a word that tells you a sentence should be in past continuous most of the time?
When and while
What is a word that tells you a sentence should be in past perfect most of the time?
The same words as present perfect (just, already, yet, never, ever...) and words like before, after, up to that point, etc.
Before I went to work, I ate breakfast.
past simple, past simple
Yesterday, after I 1_____ (get) home from school, I 2______ (do) my homework and 3_______ (play) some video games.
1. got/had gotten (two possible options)
2. did
3. played
What is the formula for past simple positive (+)?
Subject + V2 (-ed)
What is the formula for past continuous positive (+)?
Sub + was/were + V(ing)
What is the formula for past perfect positive (+)?
Sub + had + V3 (past participle)
I hadn't ever been to Italy before we went last year.
I 1_____ (climb) the wall when my rope 2______ (break). Luckily, I 3_______ (not climb) too far.
1. was climbing
2. broke
3. hadn't climbed
What is the formula for past simple negative (-)?
Sub + didn't + V(base)
What is the formula for past continuous negative (-)?
Sub + wasn't/weren't + V(ing)
What is the formula for past perfect negative (-)?
Sub + hadn't + V3 (past participle)
I was eating lunch when he called.
past continuous, past simple
Before I 1_______ (talk) to my mom about my grades, I 2______ (buy) her some flowers.
2. bought/had bought (2 options)
What is the formula for past simple question (?)?
Did + Sub + V(base)...?
What is the formula for past continuous question (?)?
Was/Were + sub + V(ing)...?
What is the formula for past perfect question (?)?
Had + sub + V3 (past participle)...?
By the time I came home, the criminals had already run off with my TV.
past simple, past perfect
At 3.00 a.m. this morning, I 1______ (sleep) and 2_____ (dream) about school.
1. was sleeping
2. (was) dreaming
*Was shouldn't be repeated here and can be left out for as many -ing verbs that follow the first verb immediately.
What are the times we use past simple?
1. A completed action in the past (usually with a time)
2. For people who have died.
3. For something that was true in the past but is no longer true.
4. Actions in sequence (I woke up, then brushed my teeth, then washed my face, etc.)
5. An action that interrupts a process.
What are the times we use past continuous?
1. A process in the past at a specific time.
2. An interrupted process in the past.
3. Two parallel process in the past.
What are the times we use past perfect?
When we talk about an event that happened before a time in the past, but had an effect or result in that past time.
He had known I was coming. He decided to leave anyway.
past perfect, past continuous, past simple.
1____ you _____ (see) this film before? You 2_____ (know) everything that 3_____ (happen)!
1. Had you seen
2. knew
3. happened/was happening (2 options)