Past Tenses. Прошедшие времена английского глагола.

Past Tenses in English

Past Simple

Past Perfect

… V ed /V 2

… didn’t V 1

Did … V 1 ?

… had V ed /V 3

… hadn’t V ed /V 3

Had … V ed /V 3 ?

Past Perfect

Continuous

Past Continuous

… was/were V ing

… wasn’t/weren’t V ing

Was/Were … V ing ?

… had been V ing

… hadn’t been V ing

Had…been V ing ?

Past Simple

1. Действия, произошедшие в прошлом (начались и завершились в прошлом, не связаны с настоящим).

Yesterday I went to the supermarket. The phone rang five minutes ago. Last night we watched an interesting film on TV.

2. Повторяющиеся действия в прошлом.

We often travelled to London when we were students.

3. Действия, которые происходили одно за другим в прошлом.

She woke up , put on some clothes and ran out of the house.

Time expressions:

last month, last week, last summer, in 1997, when I was a child, a long time ago, on Monday, in February

Past Continuous

1. Действие, которое происходило (находилось в процессе развития) в определенное время в прошлом.

Yesterday morning I was practising the piano. At 6 o’clock I was eating dinner. What were you doing at 8pm last night?

2. Действие, которое происходило в прошлом (Past Continuous) и было прервано другим действием (Past Simple) в прошлом.

I was swimming in the sea when I saw a shark. They were playing golf when it began to rain.

3. Два (или более) одновременных действия в прошлом.

I was making tea while Mum was cooking sandwiches.

4. Фоновая ситуация в рассказах и повествованиях.

It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and the birds were singing . We were walking around our favourite park.

Past Perfect

1. Действие, которое предшествовало другому действию (Past Simple) в прошлом.

The film had already started when we arrived/ by the time we arrived .

2. Действие, которое завершилось в прошлом, при описании его результата в прошлом (Past Simple) .

She had quarrelled with her boyfriend and felt miserable.

Past Perfect Continuous

1. Длительное действие, которое началось и закончилось в прошлом перед другим действием (Past Simple) в прошлом .

She had been living in Italy for three years when she lost her job. I had been waiting for ten minutes before the bus came . By the time Steve arrived I had been working for nearly eight hours!

2. Действие, которое длилось какое-то время в прошлом при описании его результата (Past Simple) в прошлом.

The children had been playing in the garden all afternoon so their clothes were dirty.

Time expressions:

for five hours, for 2 weeks, for a long time, by the time

She planted roses in 1991.

She was planting roses when he came.

She had planted roses when he came.

She had been planting roses for two

hours when he came.

Task 1

When James (wake up) , it (snow) . He (not/sleep) well, so he (have) a little headache. James (get up) , (have) a quick breakfast and then (leave) for work. As he (drive) , he (try) to get through to his sister, but she (not/pick up) . Suddenly, he (see) an old man that (cross) mindlessly the road. Luckily, James’ reaction (be) quick and he (manage) to stop the car without hitting anyone.

When James woke up , it was snowing . He didn’t sleep well, so he had a little headache. James got up , had a quick breakfast and then left for work. As he was driving , he was trying to get through to his sister, but she didn’t pick up . Suddenly, he saw an old man that was mindlessly crossing the road. Luckily, James’ reaction was quick and he managed to stop the car without hitting anyone.

Task 2

Andy (be) very tired when he (come) to work. He (watch) the new season of his favourite show almost all night. When he (start) working on his laptop, he (realise) that he (not/charge) the battery the night before. He (ask) some colleagues for a charger, but nobody (have) the right one. In the end, he (have) nothing to do but go home and get it.

Andy was very tired when he came to work. He had been watching the new season of his favourite show almost all night. When he started working on his laptop, he realised that he hadn’t charged the battery the night before. He asked some colleagues for a charger, but nobody had the right one. In the end, he had nothing to do but go home and get it.

Task 3

On Tuesday morning I (miss) my bus, so I (have) to take a taxi to get to work in time. When I (arrive) , the meeting (have) already (start and my boss (give) me the stink eye. I try to reach my usual seat, when I (trip over) some cable and almost (fall) . Somebody (leave) it lying around there. It (be) only the beginning of a very weird day.

On Tuesday morning I missed my bus, so I had to take a taxi to get to work in time. When I arrived , the meeting had already started and my boss gave me the stink eye. I was trying to reach my usual seat, when I tripped over some cable and almost fell . Somebody had left it lying around there. It was only the beginning of a very weird day.

Task 4

She came home at about seven. She was tired but happy. She had bought nice presents for her children and a good warm coat for herself. She went to the kitchen, made tea, and cut a large piece of the pie that she had made for supper.

She (come) home at about seven. She (be) tired but happy. She (buy) nice presents for her children and a good warm coat for herself. She (go) to the kitchen, (make) tea, and (cut) a large piece of the pie that she (make) for supper.