LESSON 4, THE PAST TENSE

What Is the Past Tense?
The past tense describes a past event or a state of being. For example:

I jumped in the lake.
(past event)
I was happy.
(past state of being)

Examples of the Types of Past Tenses :-
The past tense is categorized further depending on whether the action was in progress or has been completed. The four past tenses are:

The 4 Past Tenses

Examples

Uses

Simple Past Tense

I went.

I wrote a letter to my friends.

The simple past tense is used to describe a completed activity that started in the past and ended in the past.

Past Continuous Tense

    I was going.

    He was communicating in effective English to impress his friends.

The past continuous tense is used to describe an activity that was continuing in the past. Often, it is used to set the scene for another action.

Past Perfect Tense

I had gone.

When we reached the station the train had departed.

The past perfect tense is normally used to emphasize an action that was completed before another took place.

past perfect progressive

I had been going.

She had been painting the door before the dog scratched it.

The past perfect continuous tense is used to show that an on-going action in the past has ended.