What is The Past Tense in English? | Definition And Examples

Definition of The Past Tense

Do you have past problems with English? Do you know the difference between simple past and perfect past? It can be hard to know what these are and when to use them but don’t be afraid that we are here to help you with all the time-honored doubts of the past!

We'll show you when to use them and give you some fun ways to practice at home!
So, let’s start by looking at the four (4) main past tense forms in English, and their most common uses.

What is The Past Tense in English?

What does the past mean? The past tense of a verb expresses an event or activity that has already occurred. These actions are limited in that they both have a start and a stop point.

Examples of Past Tense:

• Did you go to job yesterday?
• Did they come here just in time?
• Did he like the surprise?
• Where did he go?
• What were you doing here yesterday?
• What did you tell me?
• I didn't tell you anything.
• Why should we come here?
• He didn't have time.
• You didn't close the window.
• She didn't come to my party.
• He kissed me on the cheek.
• It rained profusely yesterday.
• Angela watched the movie on TV all night.
• John wanted to go to the market.
• She went to the market.
• She was working as a teacher.
• She had been living in that house since August.

What are The Types of Past Tense?

The past tense! Learn the last four periods in English grammar, including rules, example sentences and ESL printable worksheets. Other articles will provide a longer description of current and future verbs. This is useful when you want to talk or write about past verbs. To this end, here are four verbs tense we will examine below:

1. Past Indefinite Tense
2. Past Progressive (Continuous) Tense
3. Past Perfect Tense
4. Past Perfect Progressive Tense

1. Past Indefinite Tense

The past indefinite tense, also known as the common past tense, is used to indicate an finished or finished action/action that happened/happened at a particular time in a given time. ‘A specific time’ can be varied and cover a long time but it cannot be determined.

Structure:
Sub + verb in the past form + . . . . . + adverb of time + . . . . .

Note: The adverb of time may also be at the beginning of the sentence. Other sentences also refer to that ad and may use the simple past tense.

Examples of Past Indefinite Tense:

• Alex went to Spain last year.
• I ate a banana a few minutes ago.
• She had an exam yesterday.
• I wrote articles on various topics.
• She read various kinds of books.
• They played cricket in that field.
• He preferred coffee to tea.
• She went to the library yesterday.
• We came to this market last week for shopping.
• We saw a movie in this cinemaplex yesterday.
• Michael used to shop at that market.
• I sang a variety of songs, especially modern.
• Last evening I listened to melodious songs.
• She loved to travel around the world.
• They played football in that field last week.
• The poet wrote a romantic poem.
• The lyricist wrote realistic songs for this program.
• Did you go to real music concerts?
• I could not participate in the program because of my busy schedule.
• She was a man of parts.
• I helped him do this.
• We thoroughly enjoyed the program.
• I went to the International Trade Fair with my older brother.
• You used to travel around the world when you was fit.

2. Past Progressive (Continuous) Tense

The past progressive (Continuous) tense is used to denote an activity that occurred in the past for some time in a particular context. The topic can be a specific time or any other activity.

Structures:

• Subject + was/were + verb + ing + . . . . . a specific time.
• Alex was sleeping yesterday at 7.30 AM
• I was cleaning the dishes at around 6.30 - 7.30 yesterday.

• When + subject + simple past tense + subject + was/were + verb+ing . . . .
• When I went out, you were screaming from behind.
• I was sleeping when Alex came.

• Subject +  was/were + verb+ing + when + subject + simple past tense . . . .
• You were screaming from behind when I went out.
• I was asleep when Alex came home.

• While + subject + was/were + verb+ing + subject + was/were + verb+ing . . . .
• When I was sleeping, you were making noises.
• When Alex was playing, I was sleeping.

Note: When two clauses can also be placed, and the clause of one can be past tense.

Examples of Past Continuous Tense

• I was writing articles on various topics.
• She was reading various kinds of books.
• They were playing cricket in that field.
• He was drinking coffee in that coffee shop.
• She was studying in the library.
• We were shopping at this market last week.
• We were watching a movie at this cinema complex yesterday.
• You were shopping at that market.
• I was singing a variety of songs, especially modern.
• Last evening I was listening to melodious songs.
• She was traveling around the world.
• They were playing cricket on that field last week.
• The poet was writing a romantic poem.
• The lyricist was writing realistic song for the program.
• Do you enjoy realistic music?
• I was not watching the football match on television.
• She was practicing to sing the song for the program.
• I was helping him do the job.
• We were enjoying the program to the fullest.
• I was shopping at International Trade Fair with my elder sister.

3. Past Perfect Tense

The past perfect is used to show verbs that happened before other activities in the past. Sentences usually have two completed verbs; One (1)  happens before the other.

Structures:

• Subject + had + past participle form of the main verb + before + subject + simple past tense . . . .
• Alex had finished the work before the teacher asked.
• I had bought a headphone before you came here.

• Before + subject + simple past tense + subject + had + past participle form of the verb +. . . .
• Before I went to the office, I complete some business with her.
• Before he went home, she had taken a test.

• Subject + simple past tense + after + subject + had + past participle . . . .
• Mark ate after I had bought him a phone.
• I went to the office after I had complete some business with her.

• After + subject + had + past participle + subject + simple past tense . . . .
• After I had bought a headphone, he came to the shop.
• After he had gone, I came in.

Note: Any of the above structures can be used before or after.

Examples of Past Perfect Tense:

• Before he came I wrote articles on various topics.
• She had read different types of books before you came.
• They had played cricket in that field before it started to rain.
• He had gone to the coffee shop before he came home.
• Jarin had studied in the library before she came to the class.
• I came here after you had left.
• We had shopped at that store before we came home.
• We had watched a cinema at that Cineplex before she came.
• You shopped at that market before coming home.
• I practiced the songs before the show started.
• I listened to melodious songs before starting work.
• She had traveled around the world before she came to Spain.
• They had played cricket in that field before it started to rain.
• The poet had written a romantic poem before she came to the program.
• The lyricist came to the program before the minister came.
• Had I come to the program before you came?
• I had not watched the football match on TV before you came.
• She had not practiced the song before she sang it in the program.
• I helped him to do the task after I had finished my job.
• We had an ice-cream before leaving the ice-cream parlor.

4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense

The past perfect continuous tense The past perfect tense and one extension of its structure. Past perfect continuity is used to show an action that continues for a certain period of time but stops before another activity.

Structure:

• Sub + had + been + verb+ing + . . . . . + for/since + . . . . .+ before + subject + past simple tense
• Alan had been playing football for 19 years before he retired.
• Jack had been living in Sydney since 2020 before he moved to Melbourne.

Note: This period can be replaced by withdrawing from the perfect past tense.

Examples of Past Perfect Continuous Tense

• I had been writing articles on various topics for 3 hours.
• She had been reading different types of books since morning.
• They had been playing cricket in that field before it started to rain.
• Jane had been gossiping in the coffee shop for 2 hours.
• Jeni had been studying in the library before she came to the class.
• We had been shopping at that store before we came home.
• We had been watching a cinema in this Cineplex for 3 hours.
• She had been shopping in that market before she came home.
• I had been singing different types of songs for an hour.
• I had been listening to melodious songs for 2 hours.
• Tom had been traveling around the world since the month of November.
• They had been playing football on that field for 3 hours.
• The poet had been writing romantic poems since afternoon.
• The lyricist had been writing realistic songs since the beginning of his life.
• Had he not been enjoying the concert for 3 hours?
• I had not been watching the football match on TV for 2 hours.
• Richard had been practicing to sing the song since evening.
• I had been helping him to do this work before I started the program.
• We had been enjoying the program thoroughly for 3 hours.
• I had been shopping with my elder sister in the fair since morning.

Final Thought

Again these past tense forms are particularly effective in academic English. To practice them, download and/or complete this free worksheet: Past Tense Worksheet.