Past Tense: Definition, Types, Examples, and Worksheet

Overview of Past Tense?

The past tense is a type of verb mainly used to talk about past events or actions that happened in the past. Moreover, one of the key points you have to recall is which type of tenses to use when utilized in the past tense form. Also, you must understand that people use mostly ‘ed’ to the end of the verb to form the past tense. But it’s not the case in every situation as there are many variant to express past happenings. Hence, have a glance at the past tense examples mentioned below.

• I heard you cooked lasagna yesterday.
• Jack was singing the latest song in the singing competition
• I had arrived to my new home in Los Angeles
• They had been driving for the past three weeks to reach their destination in south India. 

These are some of the past tense examples. Now, in the next section, have a look at the various definitions and types of past tense to provide a clear outline of the same. So let’s have a look.

Also read: Degrees of Comparison

Types of Past Tense

As you get to know about the past tense definition and examples in the above section. Its time to explore its types. Overall, tense is used to describe the past happening in the form of was and was. However, it has different categories to use while expressing past sentences. However, it has different categories to use while expressing past sentences. Moreover, there are four different forms of this tense, like

1. Simple Past
2. Past continuous or past progressive
3. Past perfect
4. Past perfect continuous or past perfect progressive

Thus, below is the table of past tense examples that will help you understand the past tense and its categories.

 These tenses specify the different actions that happened in the past. To understand the various kinds of past tense definitions and examples, refer to the next part of this blog.  In the next section, we have shared the types of past tense and their explanations in detail.

Simple Past

The simple past tense is the first past tense type used to describe or indicate something that happened in the past. Moreover, in simple past tense sentences, regular verbs are created by adding "ed" at the end (for instance, talk becomes talked). However, the irregular verbs don't follow this type of pattern (for instance, "sing" becomes "sang"). Let's understand simple past tense examples and their proper format to use.

Structure - Subject + Verb + ed/verb in the past tense + the rest of the sentence

Simple Past Tense Examples

Past Continuous (Past Progressive)

The past continuous tense or past progressive is a type of past tense used to describe an action that was happening in the past. Moreover, it is used to express two actions that were occurring together at the time. In addition, the past progressive is created using a past form of “be” (was/were) side by side using present participles (“-ing” form) of the main verb. Thus, to understand it clearly, below is a table of past continuous tense examples, along with a rule for writing past progressive tense in the proper pattern.

Structure - Subject + Helping Verb(was/were) + Main verb+ing + the rest of the sentence

Past Continuous Tense Examples

Past perfect

The past perfect tenses are used when a previous action or event occurred before another past action or event took place. Also, it can be employed as conditional sentences to describe an imaginary past form. Moreover, the past perfect follows the past tense rule of using the auxiliary verb “had” and the main verb of past participles. Thus, below are the past perfect tense examples and the rule of past perfect tenses to use with other grammar forms and create past sentences. So have a look.

Structure- Subject + Helping Verb (had) + Past participle of the main verb + the rest of the sentence along with the time frame

Past Perfect Tense Examples

Past Perfect Continuous (Past perfect progressive)

The last past tense type is the past perfect progressive or past perfect continuous, which is used to highlight any action that started in the past and continues until a later point in the past. Besides, the past perfect continuous is made by using auxiliary verbs “had” and “been” at the end and before the main verb of the present participle. Therefore, to help you understand in a nutshell we have shared past perfect continuous tense examples and the rule to use past perfect continuous to form a sentence.

Structure: Subject + Had + Been + Verb+ing + the rest of the sentence

Past Perfect Continuous Tense Examples

These are the types of past tense along with the past tense rules to form a sentence and examples in each. Thus, this will help you use the correct tense in your talks or anywhere to express what happened in the past. However, to learn the past tense and use it properly, you need lots of practice. Thus, to help you in this, we have shared the past form worksheet and its answer in the next section. So let’s practice together.

Also, read Tenses In English

Worksheet with Answers

To become a master in using the right past tense anywhere in a setting, you are required to practice regularly. Hence, solve several worksheets by using the past tense chart to understand where to use them. Thus, by using past tense rules, solve this exercise mentioned below. So below are some of the blanks. Fill the gap by using the right past tense and check the answer sheet to understand the specific tense that will be used there. 

1. I was __________ [cook] lunch when you knocked on the door.
2. Andrew had been __________ [work] as a salesman when he won a good amount of lottery.
3. Emily had already __________ [leave] the office by the time I arrived there to pick her up.
4. Sunny __________ [play] violin when she was a child. 
5. I __________ [wait] for the past 2 hours that’s why I was really happy when the bus finally arrived.

Answer sheet

1. I was ___Coooking_____ lunch when you knocked on the door.

This sentence used the past progressive tense as here was/ were is used with present participles (“ing” form).

2. Andrew had been __working___ as a salesman when he won a good amount of lottery.

This sentence is in the past perfect progressive and it is created by using “had” and “been” by adding present participles (“ing” form)

3. Emily had already ___left___ the office by the time I arrived there to pick her up.

This sentence is created by using past perfect. Thus, it is formed by using “had” and past participles.

4. Sunny ____Played____ violin when she was a child.

This sentence is created by using the simple past tense of regular verb use “ed” at the end

5. I ___had been waiting for___ for the past 2 hours that’s why I was really happy when the bus finally arrived.

This sentence is formed by using past perfect tense as it was talking bout two situations that happened at a time in past.

Conclusion

In the end, the past tense is a type of verb that is used to express or represent the action that took place or happened in the past. In this guide, we have shared past tense definitions and examples of its four types. Types are different from each other and are used in different forms. Thus, it is important to follow the right past tense rules to use it in an appropriate way in the right place. However, if you struggle to learn past forms and their uses, you can get connected to our education consultants at Gradding. They are 24x7 available to help and guide you.

FAQs

1. What is past tense with examples?

Answer: the past tense is a type of verb used to describe actions that took place or happened in the past. Moreover., to express the past happening, was, were and more types of past tense are used. It example I was doing my homework when you called me and Rohan cooked a tasty snack yesterday.

2. What are the 4 types of past tense?

Answer: there are four types of past tense, such as

• Simple Past
• Past Continuous (Past Progressive)
• Past perfect
• Past Perfect Continuous (Past perfect progressive)

3. Different Ways To Say What Did You Do Yesterday in Past Tense?

Answer: Here are some examples of past tense related to yesterday.

• I woke up yesterday at 6 pm and washed my face and hands.
• I went to a park yesterday evening and played with my friend.
• Yesterday, I went to a fair in my village, it was amazing
• My IELTS exam yesterday went well.
• I arrived at Delhi airport by 9:30 pm, however, due to rain I came home late.
• Rahul met with an accident yesterday but didn’t get any scratches.

4. Are there exceptions in forming the past tense?

Answer: There are only a few exceptions when forming the past tenses, but it is important to recall. The major one is “to be”, as it becomes was or were, and the other is a modal verb as it describes something that is possible, impossible or certain. Thus, they use could, might, would, and should.

5. What is the difference between simple past and past continuous tense?

Answer: The difference between simple past and past continuous tense is the status of action it describes. The simple past tense is an action that happened in the past, and past continuous tense is an action that happened at a certain point in the past.