Past tenses (English exercise n°53911 - Please quote this number when contacting us)Other English exercises on the same topicPast tenses Past tenses The infinitive Present participle Past participle To + verb verb + ing verb+ d or ed Mind the irregular verbs To close ,To walk Closing, Walking Closed ,Walked To drink Drinking Drunk To take Taking Taken The simple past Simple past The rule Example He was/he drank/he went/he played Yesterday, last week, last month, last year, a month ago.... verb+d or ed I visited New York City a month ago. He ate chicken yesterday. James smoked for most of his life. (Maybe for 30 years) Question Did + verb Did you find the answer? Negation Did not (didn't)+ verb I didn't find the answer. I did not find the answer. Short answer Did Did not (didn't) Yes, I did. No, I did not (didn't). Past Continuous (Progressive) The rule Example he was playing/he was eating All night, all day, while, yesterday..) Was+ were+ verb+ing I was reading a novel yesterday evening. (I spent the whole evening reading) I was reading a novel, while he was playing. (At the same time) They were living in Moscow. (Now, they live in London) Note We can use the past simple and the past continuous in the same sentence. I was reading a novel, when the phone rang. We were playing games, when she arrived. Past perfect The rule Example He had played/he had gone Had+past participle I had finished my work by nine o’clock. I had played games before I went to bed. (Two actions: one action before the other one ) Past perfect continuous The rule Example He had been playing He had been going Had+been+ present participle Really, I was very tired! I had been revising all evening. I had been waiting for James for thirty minutes when he finally arrived. (James arrived after thirty minutes ) Exercise: Choose the right answer. BeginnersEnglish exercise "Past tenses" created by matrix_hamdi (01-12-2008) with The test builderClick here to see the current stats of this English test We had been watchinghad been watchhad watching TV for two hours when my grandmother joined us. When I had sleepingwere sleepingwas sleeping, the telephone rang. I visitingvisittedvisited the National Museum one week ago. When I got to the bus station, the bus had lefthad leavehad been leave. After he had finishingwas finishinghad finished lunch, he went out to join his friends. Sarah was singing while they had dancedwas dancingwere dancing. Anna was workedhad workingworked as a teacher for ten years. In 2003, we were livingwere livedwas living in France. Peter was playinghad playingwas playinng video games all day. They been cookingwas cookingwere cooking lunch when I arrived. End of the free exercise to learn English: Past tenses (29.01.2009 20:05)A free English exercise to learn English.Other English exercises on the same topic | All our lessons and exercises
Past tenses
verb+ d or ed
Mind the irregular verbs
He was/he drank/he went/he played
Yesterday, last week, last month, last year, a month ago....
I visited New York City a month ago.
He ate chicken yesterday.
James smoked for most of his life.
(Maybe for 30 years)
Did + verb
Did you find the answer?
Did not (didn't)+ verb
I didn't find the answer.
I did not find the answer.
Did
Did not (didn't)
Yes, I did.
No, I did not (didn't).
I was reading a novel yesterday evening.
(I spent the whole evening reading)
I was reading a novel, while he was playing.
(At the same time)
They were living in Moscow.
(Now, they live in London)
I was reading a novel, when the phone rang.
I had finished my work by nine o’clock.
I had played games before I went to bed.
(Two actions: one action before the other one )
Really, I was very tired! I had been revising all evening.
I had been waiting for James for thirty minutes when he finally arrived.
(James arrived after thirty minutes )
GREAT! 
