> grammar rules > tenses > past
overview - irregular
Verbs - forms of "to
be" - intensive
grammar course
all future tenses explained separately;
to download a complete explanation of all future tenses in Word format, please click here
to download a complete explanation of all other tenses in Word format, please click here
simple statements and actions that happened and ended in the past
there is no relation to the present; mostly it is important when it happened
(the action itself is important)
background information and longer actions that happened and ended in the past
there is no relation to the present;
(the action is not so important)
2nd form
was/were + “ing”-Form
It was raining, the wind was blowing heavily and the waves were making a loud noise.
time indicators:
yesterday, last week/month/year, in 1983, when I was young...
note:
For actions
that happened one after another you use only
PAST SIMPLE:
At first she came home. Then she put off
her shoes. She went to the bathroom and had
a shower.Finally she felt fresh again.
For actions that happened simultaneously at the same time
you use only PAST PROGRESSIVE:
While mom was shopping dad was having
a cup of coffee and the kids were playing on the playground.
If a short action interrupts a longer action, you use
PAST SIMPLE for the short action, and
PAST PROGRESSIVE for the longer action:
The girl was having a bath when the postman rang
the door bell.