What Is the Past Tense?

What Is the Past Tense? (with Examples)

The past tense describes a past event or a state of being. For example:

· I jumped in the lake.

(past event)

· I was happy.

(past state of being)

The tense of a verb is determined by when the action took place. The three main tenses are:

· past tense

· present tense

· future tense

The past tense is categorized further depending on whether the action was in progress or has been completed. The four past tenses are:

The 4 Past Tenses	Examples	Uses
simple past tense	· I went. · The Martians landed near the aqueduct.	The simple past tense is used to describe a completed activity that started in the past and ended in the past.
past progressive tense	· I was going. · He was painting the door when a bird struck the window.	The past progressive tense is used to describe an on-going activity in the past. Often, it is used to set the scene for another action.
past perfect tense	· I had gone. · Silverfinger had taken the pill before the team reached him.	The past perfect tense is used to emphasize that an action was completed before another took place.
past perfect progressive	· I had been going. · She had been painting the door before the dog scratched it.	The past perfect progressive tense is used to show that an on-going action in the past has ended.