Past Tenses

Simple past

The simple past (also called past simple, past indefinite or preterite) is a verb tense which is used to show that a completed action took place at a specific time in the past. The simple past is also frequently used to talk about past habits and generalizations

The simple past is formed using the verb + ed. In addition, there are many verbs with irregular past forms. Questions are made with did and negative forms are made with did not.

• Statement: You called Debbie.
• Question: Did you call Debbie?
• Negative: You did not call Debbie.

Past continuous

The past continuous (also called past progressive) is a verb tense which is used to show that an ongoing past action was happening at a specific moment of interruption, or that two ongoing actions were happening at the same time

The past continuous is formed using was/were + present participle(ING). Questions are indicated by inverting the subject and was/were. Negatives are made with not.

• Statement: You were studying when she called.
• Question: Were you studying when she called?
• Negative: You were not studying when she called.

Past perfect

The past perfect is a verb tense which is used to show that an action took place once or many times before another point in the past

The past perfect is formed using had + past participle. Questions are indicated by inverting the subject and had. Negatives are made with not.

• Statement: You had studied English before you moved to New York.
• Question: Had you studied English before you moved to New York?
• Negative: You had not studied English before you moved to New York.

Past perfect continuous

The past perfect continuous (also called past perfect progressive) is a verb tense which is used to show that an action started in the past and continued up to another point in the past.

The past perfect continuous is formed using had + been + present participle(ING). Questions are indicated by inverting the subject and had. Negatives are made with not

• Statement: You had been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived.
• Question: Had you been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived?
• Negative: You had not been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived.

Check this video about  Comparisons between Past tenses

Get more information in this video about all past tenses.