PAST TENSE

1. The simple past tense is used

• When the actions were completed in the past.

• Regular verbs have –ed added to them.

• The verb to be is/am is changed to was.

• The verb are becomes were.

2. The past continuous tense is used

• To show an action that was happening at a particular time in the past.

• For two actions happening at the same time in the past.

3. The past perfect tense is used

• To show an action completed at a certain time in the past.

• For a sequence of actions that happened in the past.   

    

Simple Past Tense	Past Continuous Tense	Past Perfect Tense
I slept.	I was sleeping.	I had slept.
They ate.	They were eating.	They had eaten.
Amir swam.	Amir was swimming.	Amir had swum.