How Many Types of Past Tense are There

Edited By Team Careers360 | Updated on Jun 03, 2023 03:44 PM IST

Introduction

English Language has three times they are called tenses. There are three main tenses in English. They are

Present

Example: Tom works hard.

Past

Example: Tom worked hard.

Future

Example: Tom will work hard.

The use of verbs depends on number, tense and person. Each tense has its own form of verb and uses. Each time has four tenses. They are

Simple
Continuous
Perfect
Perfect continuous

Rules

Subject Pronoun	Singular	Plural
1st person	I – am (Present) -was (Past) -have/had (Past participle)	We – are (Present) - were (Past) - have/had (Past participle)
2nd person	You – are (Present) - were (Past) - Have/Had (Past participle)	You – are (Present) - were (Past) - Have/Had (Past participle)
3rd person	He, She, It – is (Present) – was (Past) – has/had (Past participle)	They – are (Present) - Were (Past) - have/had (Past participle)

Past Tense

The action which takes place in the past is called past tense. The verb in the sentence should refer to the tense.

For example:

I ate.
She sang.
They ran.

Simple Past Tense V2

The verb simply expresses the action done in the past, without indicating the state of action. It does not state about the completeness or incompleteness of the action. Hence the verb is said to be a simple past tense.

Example:

I went to Chennai last month.
He drank the juice during the break.
They worked hard to build this building for a year.

Past Continuous Tense - V2 + ing (gerund)

The verb shows that the action is still going on or continuing such that the action is incomplete, unfinished, incomplete, or continuous. Hence the verb is said to be in the Past Continuous Tense.

Example:

I was eating.
He was doing his homework.
They were playing in the park.

Past Perfect Tense - Had + V3 (Past Participle)

The verb shows that the action is complete, finished, or perfect. Hence the verb is said to be in the Past Perfect Tense.

Example:

I had slept.
She had cut her finger.
They had lost their way.

Past Perfect Continuous Tense - Had been + V3 (Past Participle)

The verb shows that the action is going on continuously up to the past time. Hence the verb is said to be in the Past Perfect Continuous Tense.

Example:

I had been playing.
She had been cooking.
We had been discussing it.

Conclusion

Hence, the time is indicated by the tenses. Here, the action is done before some time / month/ year. Thus, in English language tenses are the indicator of time.

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