• Past Simple Ontkenningencollege St. Paul
• Past Simple Ontkenningencollege St. Paul Revere

Past simple, past continuous, past perfect – grammar chart

Saint Paul College is a community and technical college in St. Associate Degree, transfer, certificate programs. Paul did not know anything about that. But even when he was a young man, he wanted to work for God. Paul as a young man. Paul did not then know the gospel. And he did not know what God wanted him to do. Paul had certain ideas about God. So Paul thought that the Christians were very wrong. Paul decided that he would fight against the Christians.

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Past simple

We use the past simple to talk about completed actions in the past.

• We ate out yesterday. (the action is finished)

In a story, we use the past simple to talk about past events in chronological order; i.e. the main events of a story.

• When she opened the door, she pretended that we weren’t there and she went to her room.
• He called me and told me to go, but when I arrived he wasn’t there.

We also use the past simple to talk about past habits or past states.

• We often went to the bar for a drink before dinner.
• He really liked sport, and was very fit.

Past continuous

We use the past continuous the set the scene in a story.

• Last night I was walkinghome and listening to my ipod when …
• The sun was shiningand lots of tourists were lyingon the beach. Suddenly …

We use the past continuous for actions in progress in the past or longer actions interrupted by shorter actions in past simple.

• After dinner I went into the living room and saw that she was crying.
• When she opened the door, we were talking about her.

Past perfect

We use the past perfect simple to talk about an earlier past: events which happened before the main event.

Earlier single events

We use the past perfect simple to talk about earlier events and experiences, or single actions completed earlier in the past.

• When she opened the door, he had already left.
• I realised that I had beenthere before.
• When I met her, I had never been in a serious relationship.
• He noticed I had cleaned the car. It was smooth and shiny.

We use the past perfect simple to say how much or how many we had done of something earlier in the past.

• We had driven500 miles and we needed some rest.
• How many hours had he slept when you woke him up?

Duration from earlier in the past (stative verbs)

We use the past perfect simple with stative verbs to talk about states or situations that had started earlier in the past. We often use how long, for or since, always, etc.

• The day Anne died, they had been married for 48 years.
• The day I left, I had been in England for exactly 4 years.
• She told me she had always hated her sister.

In the picture below, you can see an example of a narrative with the past tenses explained.

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Level: beginner

The present perfect is formed from the present tense of the verb have and the past participleof a verb.

We use the present perfect:

• for something that started in the past and continues in the present:

They've been marriedfor nearly fifty years.
She has lived in Liverpool all her life.

• when we are talking about our experience up to the present:

I've seen that film before.
I've played the guitar ever since I was a teenager.
He has written three books and he is working on another one.

We often use the adverbeverto talk about experience up to the present:

My last birthday was the worst day I have ever had.

and we useneverfor the negative form:

Have you ever met George?
Yes, but I've never met his wife.

Present perfect 1

Present perfect 2

• for something that happened in the past but is important in the present:

I can't get in the house. I've lost my keys.
Teresa isn't at home. I think she has gone shopping.

Present perfect 3

Present perfect 4

have been and have gone

We use have/has been when someone has gone to a place and returned:

A: Where have you been?
B: I've just been out to the supermarket.

A: Have you ever been to San Francisco?
B: No, but I've been to Los Angeles.

But when someone has not returned, we usehave/has gone:

A: Where's Maria? I haven't seen her for weeks.
B: She's gone to Paris for a week. She'll be back tomorrow.

have been and have gone

Present perfect with time adverbials

We often use the present perfect with adverbialswhich refer to the recent past:

Scientists haverecentlydiscovered a new breed of monkey.
We havejustgot back from our holidays.

or adverbials which include the present:

Have you everseen a ghost?
Where have you beenup to now?
A: Have you finished your homework yet?
B: No, so far I've only done my history.

After a clause with the present perfect we often use a clause with since to show when something started in the past:

I've worked here since I left school.
I've been watching that programme every week since it started.

Present perfect with time adverbials 1

Present perfect with time adverbials 2

Present perfect and past simple 1

Present perfect and past simple 2

Level: intermediate

Present perfect continuous

The present perfect continuous is formed with have/has been and the -ing form of the verb.

We normally use the present perfect continuous to emphasise that something is still continuing in the present:

She has been living in Liverpool all her life.
It's been raining for hours.
I'm tired out. I've been working all day.
They have been staying with us since last week.

Past Simple Ontkenningencollege St. Paul

We do not normally use the present perfect continuous with stative verbs. We use the present perfect simple instead:

I've always been likingliked John.

Present perfect continuous 1

Present perfect continuous 2

Present perfect for future

We normally use the present simple to talk about the future in clauses with before, after, until, etc.:

I'll keep looking until I find my book.
We'll begin when everyone arrives.

but we can also use the present perfect:

I'll keep looking until I have found my book.
We'll begin when everyone has arrived.

Past Simple Ontkenningencollege St. Paul Revere

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