ALL English Past Tenses Explained in 12 Minutes [including USED TO and WOULD!]

Summary

In this video, Agnieszka Murdoch explains the various past tenses in English, using a personal story about her trip to Whitstable as an example. She covers the past simple, past continuous, past perfect, and past perfect continuous tenses, clarifying their usage with real-life scenarios. Additionally, she introduces the phrases 'used to' and 'would' to describe past habits. By comparing and contrasting these tenses, Agnieszka helps learners understand when and how to use each one, highlighting key differences and providing clear examples for practical application.

Takeaways

• 😀 Past simple tense is used to describe actions that happened at a specific point in the past and are completed.
• 😀 Past continuous tense describes an ongoing action in the past, often interrupted by a sudden event.
• 😀 Past perfect tense is used to express actions that occurred before other actions in the past.
• 😀 Past perfect continuous tense describes a continuous action that was happening before something else in the past and often shows its impact.
• 😀 'Used to' and 'would' are phrases for describing habits or actions in the past that no longer happen.
• 😀 The past simple tense focuses on finished actions, like 'I went to Whitstable' or 'I sat down on the bench.'
• 😀 Past continuous tense emphasizes the duration of an action, e.g., 'I was sitting on the bench when I saw a seagull.'
• 😀 Past perfect tense is used to indicate the sequence of events, like 'I had already eaten my fish and chips when I sat down.'
• 😀 Past perfect continuous tense describes actions that were in progress before another event, e.g., 'I had been drinking coffee when I noticed a stain.'
• 😀 The difference between 'I ate' (past simple) and 'I had eaten' (past perfect) is that the past perfect indicates one action occurred before another in the past.

Q & A

What is the purpose of using the past simple tense?

The past simple tense is used to talk about actions that happened at a specific point in the past and are now finished. It typically refers to completed events, often with a mention of when they occurred.

How is the past continuous tense different from the past simple tense?

The past continuous tense is used for actions that were ongoing at a particular time in the past, often emphasizing the duration or continuity. In contrast, the past simple tense refers to actions that are completed and happened at a specific moment in the past.

What does the past perfect tense describe?

The past perfect tense describes an action that occurred before another action in the past. It helps to show the 'past before the past,' indicating which event happened first.

Can you give an example of the past perfect continuous tense?

Yes, an example would be: 'I had been drinking coffee for 10 minutes before I noticed the stain.' This tense emphasizes an ongoing action that took place before another past event.

What is the difference between 'used to' and 'would' when talking about past habits?

'Used to' and 'would' are both used to describe past habits or repeated actions, but 'used to' is more versatile and can describe both actions and states. 'Would' is typically used for repeated actions in the past.

What does the past continuous tense emphasize in a narrative?

In a narrative, the past continuous tense emphasizes the ongoing nature of an action at a specific time in the past. It often sets the scene or highlights an action happening alongside another event.

When do we use the past perfect tense instead of the past simple tense?

The past perfect tense is used to show that an action occurred before another event in the past. The past simple, on the other hand, is used to describe actions that happened at a specific point in the past without indicating their relationship to other events.

Why is the past perfect continuous tense used?

The past perfect continuous tense is used to describe an action that was ongoing in the past and had an impact on another past event. It is used when we want to emphasize the duration of an action that occurred before another action.

Can you give an example of a situation where the past perfect continuous tense is used?

Sure! An example would be: 'I had been reading my book for two hours when the power went out.' This shows that the action of reading had been happening for a period before the power outage.

How do 'used to' and 'would' differ in terms of describing past routines?

'Used to' can describe both actions and states in the past, while 'would' specifically refers to repeated actions or events that occurred habitually in the past. 'Used to' is broader and can refer to a general state or habit, while 'would' is more specific to recurring events.