Past tenses

PAST TENSES
THE PAST SIMPLE TENSE 
FORM : S + VED
USAGE
Dùng để diễn tả hành động xảy ra và chấm dứt trong quá khứ, không còn liên quan đến hiện tại.
Thời điểm trong câu được xác định rõ bằng các trạng từ thời gian như :
yesterday, yesterday + morning/afternoon/evening/ ...
last + month/year/week/night/ ...
3 years ago, 2 weeks ago, ...
He went to Spain last year.
Bob bought a new bicycle yesterday.
My father washed his car 2 hours ago.
Diễn tả một loạt các hành động xảy ra liên tiếp trong quá khứ, thường dùng để kể lại.
Trong câu, có thể có các từ sau: First (đầu tiên), after that (sau đó), afterwards (sau đó), then (rồi thì), finally (cuối cùng), ...
The burglar came in through the front door, picked up the woman’s handbag, emptied it out and stole her purse. Then, he went into the front room and took a valuable collection of CDs.
Hoặc các cấu trúc:
As soon as
S + V , S + V
When
After
The moment
The minute
When I (see) her, I (wake) her.
We (stand) up when the teacher (come) in.
As soon as he (arrive), he (send) me a message.
After he (do) his homework, he (go) to bed.
He (love) her the moment he (see) her.
Diễn tả một hành động xảy ra trong một thời gian dài trong quá khứ mà giờ không còn nữa.
Bill Murphy worked for the police force for over 17 years.
THE PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE
FORM: S + WAS/WERE + VING
USAGE
Diễn tả một hành động xảy ra tại một thời điểm xác định trong quá khứ.
Có thời gian kèm theo : at + time, at that time, at that moment
Martha was watching TV at 7 a.m yesterday.
Henry was eating a snack at midnight last night.
Diễn tả một hành động đang xảy ra thì một hành động khác xen vào.
Thường gồm 2 mệnh đề, 1 mệnh đề bắt đầu bởi các từ : when, while, as, just as.
When
While
As
Just as
S + V , S + V
Một số mẫu câu dạng này:
When S1 + past continuous, S2 + past simple
When S1 + past simple, S2 + past continuous 
E.g. When he arrived, I was sleeping = He arrived when I was sleeping.
à “When” đứng ở mệnh đề nào cũng được.
While/Just as S1 + past continous, S2 + past simple
E.g. While John was reading a book, Mary came in.
Diễn tả hành động xảy ra đồng thời trong quá khứ.
Cấu trúc: While S1 + past continuous , S2 + past continuous
Martha was watching TV while Tom was reading a book.
While my mother was cooking, my father was reading a newspaper.
Diễn tả 1 lời đề nghị lịch sự trong quá khứ.
I was wondering if I could + V
Diễn tả hành động xảy ra quá nhiều lần trong quá khứ làm người ta khó chịu.
always, constantly
THE PAST PERFECT TENSE
FORM : S + HAD + PII
USAGE
Là thì quá khứ của thì hiện tại hoàn thành, diễn tả hành động xảy ra trước hoặc hoàn thành trước một hành động khác hoặc một mốc thời gian trong quá khứ.
Chỉ sử dụng thì quá khứ hoàn thành khi trong câu có dấu hiệu về thời gian ngụ ý hành động xảy ra trước trong quá khứ.
Thường sử dụng giới từ “by” + time để chỉ mốc thời gian.
E.g. He had gone to Italy by the end of last year. (Anh ấy đi Ý trước cuối năm ngoái) 
 	 They had decided what to do by yesterday. (Họ quyết định làm gì trước hôm qua)
Hoặc trong câu sử dụng các mệnh đề bắt đầu với : after, before, when, by the time, as soon as. Các cấu trúc hay sử dụng:
After S + past perfect, S + past simple
After John had gone to the store, he went home.
S + past perfect before S + past simple
......................................................................................
By the time S + past simple, S + past perfect
By the time he went home, everyone had gone to bed.
... Có thể áp dụng các từ còn lại tùy ý, chỉ cần xác định được hành động nào xảy ra trước.
EXERCISES
Put the verbs in brackets into the simple past or the past continuous tense.
I lit the fire at 6.00 and it (bum) brightly when Tom came in at 7.00.
When I arrived the lecture had already started and the professor (write) on the overhead projector.
I (make) a cake when the light went out. I had to finish it in the dark.
I didn't want to meet Paul so when he entered the room I (leave).
Unfortunately when I arrived Ann just (leave), so we only had time for a few words.
He (watch) TV when the phone rang. Very unwillingly he (turn) down the sound and (go) to answer it.
He was very polite. Whenever his wife entered the room he (stand) up.
The admiral (play) bowls when he received news of the invasion. He (insist) on finishing the game.
My dog (walk) along quietly when Mr Pitt's Pekinese attacked him.
When I arrived she (have) lunch. She apologized for starting without me but said that she always (lunch) at 12.30.
He always (wear) a raincoat and (carry) an umbrella when he walked to the office.
What you (think) of his last book? 
~ I (like) it very much.
I (share) a flat with him when we were students. He always (complain) about my untidiness.
He suddenly (realize) that he (travel) in the wrong direction.
He (play) the guitar outside her house when someone opened the window and (throw) out a bucket of water.
I just (open) the letter when the wind (blow) it out of my hand.
The burglar (open) the safe when he (hear) footsteps. He immediately (put) out his torch and (crawl) under the bed.
When I (look) for my passport I (find) this old photograph.
You looked very busy when I (see) you last night. What you (do)?
The boys (play) cards when they (hear) their father's step. They immediately (hide) the cards and (take) out their lesson books.
He (clean) his gun when it accidentally (go) off and (kill) him.
He (not allow) us to go out in the boat yesterday as a strong wind (blow).
As I (cross) the road I (step) on a banana skin and (fall) heavily. 
I still (lie) on the road when I (see) a lorry approaching. 
Luckily the driver (see) me and (stop) the lorry in time.
How you (damage) your car so badly? 
~ I (run) into a lamp-post yesterday. 
~ I suppose you (drive) too quickly or were not looking where you (go).
As he (get) into the bus it (start) suddenly and he (fall) backwards on to the road.
I (call) Paul at 7.00 but it wasn't necessary because he already (get) up.
When he (mend) the fuse he (get) a very bad shock.
When I (hear) his knock I (go) to the door and (open) it, but I (not recognize) him at first because I (not wear) my glasses.
When I came in they (sit) round the fire. Mr Pitt (do) a crossword puzzle, Mrs Pitt (knit), the others (read). Mrs Pitt (smile) at me and (say), 'Come and sit down.'
While the guests (dance) thieves (break) into the house and (steal) a lot of fur coats.
The next day, as they (know) that the police (look) for them, they (hide) the coats in a wood and (go) off in different directions.
She was very extravagant. She always (buy) herself new clothes.
Her mother often (tell) her that she (spend) too much money but she never (listen).
Whenever the drummer (begin) practising, the people in the next flat (bang) on the wall.
Put the verbs in brackets into the present perfect or the simple past tense. In some sentences, the present perfect continuous is also possible.
This is my house. 
~ How long you (live) here? 
~ I (live) here since 1970.
He (live) in London for two years and then (go) to Edinburgh.
You (wear) your hair long when you were at school? 
~ Yes, my mother (insist) on it.
But when I (leave) school I (cut) my hair and (wear) it short ever since.
Shakespeare (write) a lot of plays.
My brother (write) several plays. He just (finish) his second tragedy.
I (fly) over Loch Ness last week. 
~ You (see) the Loch Ness monster?
I (not see) him for three years. I wonder where he is.
He (not smoke) for two weeks. He is trying to give it up.
Chopin (compose) some of his music in Majorca.
When he (arrive)? 
~ He (arrive) at 2.00.
You (lock) the door before you left the house?
I (read) his books when I was at school. I (enjoy) them very much.
I can't go out because I (not finish) my work.
I never (drink) whisky. 
~ Well, have some now.
I (write) the letter but I can't find a stamp.
The clock is slow. 
~ It isn't slow, it (stop).
Here are your shoes; I just (clean) them.
I (leave) home at 8.00 and (get) here at twelve.
I (do) this sort of work when I (be) an apprentice.
He just (go) out.
He (go) out ten minutes ago.
You (have) breakfast yet? 
~ Yes, I (have) it at 8.00.
I (meet) him last June.
5 You (see) the moon last night?
The concert (begin) at 2.30 and (last) for two hours. Everyone (enjoy) it very much.
The play just (begin). You are a little late.
The newspaper (come)? 
~ Yes, Ann is reading it.
The actors (arrive) yesterday and (start) rehearsals early this morning.
It (be) very cold this year. I wonder when it is going to get warmer.
Cervantes (write) Don Quixote.
We (miss) the bus. Now we'll have to walk.
He (break) his leg in a skiing accident last year.
Mr Pound is the bank manager. He (be) here for five years.
Mr Count (work) as a cashier for twenty-five years. Then he (retire) and (go) to live in the country.
You (be) here before? 
~ Yes, I (spend) my holidays here last year. 
~ You (have) a good time? 
~ No, it never (stop) raining.