UNIT 12 PAST TENSES + PRESENT PERFECT

PAST SIMPLE

Used to talk about a complete action, event or situation at a particular time in the past.

The train left at 8:30 am.

We lived in London until I got a job in Oxford.

Used to talk about repeated actions in the past.

He read a chapter of the book every night.

We went to the beach at weekends in the summer.

PAST CONTINUOUS

Cannot be used with stative verbs. Used to talk about a situation or action in progress

around a point time in the past.

I was living in London when Kennedy was assassinated.

What were you doing at 9 on Tuesday evening? Used to talk about a situation or action in progress

that is interrupted by another event.

When I was thinking about the problem I suddenly had the most amazing idea.

The plane was coming into land when it was struck by lightning.

PAST CONTINUOUS

Used to emphasise that two situations or events were happening simultaneously.

While I was trying to phone her, she was trying to phone me!

I was putting the toys away and the children were getting them back out again.

Used with always and forever to talk about repeated actions or behaviours.

They were forever asking for favours, but they never did anything for anyone else.

She was always offering to babysit so that my husband and I could go out.

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

Used to talk about past events or situations in a time period that extends from the past up to the present.

That shop has had three new managers and it’s still losing money.

I’ve been to Russia. -When did you go? -I went last June.

Used to say how many times something has happened in that period.

They’ve lived at three different addresses since June.

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

Used to talk about an event in the past that has a result in the present.

Cancel the skiing trip - I’ve broken my leg.

Has he finished that report yet?

Used to talk about the duration of an event or situation which started in the past and extends up to the present.

How long have you worked here? - I’ve been here for two months.

I’ve played the piano since I was four.

LET’S PRACTICE!

I had read many other stories by this author before I read The Dream.

I read many other stories by his author before I had read The Dream.

Kate bought a new computer because she had been accepted on a Creative Writing course.

The short story had been made into a TV drama last year.The short story was made into a TV drama last year.

The author was owning an interesting collection of antiquarian books.

The author owned an interesting collection of antiquarian boooks.

We were still trying to decide on a title for our short story while the other group was finishing their plot.

Harry asked if he could borrow my laptop to do his essay.

I finished the short story just as Karen came in from work.

In the story the villain was almost getting away with it but the body was being discovered.

In the story the villain almost got away with it but the body was discovered.

The end of the story left you feeling let down.

He worked on the story for two years.

The first page of the book was seeming very boring, that’s why I didn’t read it.The first page of the book seemed very boring, that’s why I didn’t read it.

He had been writing for magazines for years before he was being discovered by Hollywood.

He had been writing for magazines for years before he was discovered by Hollywood.

It’s the first time I write a short story.

It’s the first time I’ve written a short story.

Since we started the course, I’ve only seen John once.

Are you sure the Russian committed the murder? I thought it had been

the lodger.

Are you sure the Russian committed the murder? I thought it was the lodger.

PAST PERFECT SIMPLE

Used in similar ways to the present perfect simple, but it refers to actions and events before a particular time in the past.

I’d only just sat down at my desk and my boss was asking me where the letters were.

Before I was 18, Ihadn’t been outside my home town.

Unlike the present perfect, the past perfect can refer to specific times in the past.

We already felt like old friends even though we had only met that morning

He asked me when exactly I had first heard about the problem.

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Cannot be used with stative verbs.

Is used to talk about past events which continue up to the present or up to a time in the recent past.

She’s been helping me with the houseworkbut now she’s got bored with it.

Is used to talk about repeated past events in a time period that extends up to the present.

The car has been breaking down a lot recently

He’s been seeing a new girlfriend most evenings.

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Is used to talk about and event, action or behaviour in the recent past that has a result in the present. The action may be finished or not. In this use, the focus is on the present evidence for the past event.

I’ve been rainning (the rain has stopped but the streets are wet)

. Is used to talk about an event which started in the past and

continuous in the present.

She’s been working on it for about six years

Has he been writing her novel for a long time?

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Cannot be used with stative verbs.

Can be used in similar ways to the present perfect continuous, but it refers to actions or events to a particular time in the past.

They had been planning their espedition for months before I joined the team.

She’d been helping at a charity soup kitchen on and off for a few months.

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOS

Also it refers to actions or events up to just before a particular time in the past.

He’d been drinking. I could smell it on his breath.

Unlike the present perfect continuous, the past perfect continuous can refer to specific times in the past.

At breakfast I wondered why I felt so tired, then I remembered that at 2am I’d been listening to my

neighbours arguing again.