Differences between past simple & past perfect tenses

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PAST SIMPLE & PAST PERFECT TENSES

NAZAROVA Madina atakhanovna

Docent, doctor of pedagogical sciences (PhD)

IRREGULAR VERBS

PAST SIMPLE TENSE

Past perfect tense

PAST SIMPLE

1. Past Simple is used for sequential events in the past, when it is important for us to show that events happened one after another.

The party started and we opened the presents (sequence of actions) - Past Simple

The party had (already) started when my friends came. (one action happened before another)- Past Perfect and Past Simple

II. Past Simple often implies a stronger relationship between the time of two events.

When my brother came into the room, we shouted, “Surprise!” (simultaneity of actions) – Past Simple and Past Simple

When my brother had read all the greetings cards, he made a short thank you speech. (one action happened before another) - Past Perfect and Past Simple

Past perfect

Past perfect is often used with distinguishable circumstantial words with corresponding meanings:

• before
• by that time
• by Christmas
• by 2 o’clock
• by the 1st of January
• by Sunday
• up to then
• up to that year
• the day week month before

Example:

• He had done all by 3 o’clock.
• He had seen them before departure.

compare

Key words

practice

Put the verbs in the following sentences in the affirmative, interrogative, and negative forms of Past Simple

1.I (to do) morning exercises. 2. He (to work) at a factory. 3. She (to sleep) after dinner. 4. We (to work) part-time. 5. They (to drink) tea every day. 6. Mike (to be) a student. 7. Helen (to have) a car. 8. You (to be) a good friend. 9. You (to be) good friends. 10. It (to be) difficult to remember everything.

Expand the brackets using verbs in Past Simple

 

A. 1. Alice (to have) a sister. 2. Her sister’s name (to be) Ann. 3. Ann (to be) a student. 4. She (to get) up at seven o'clock. 5. She (to go) to the institute in the morning. 6. Jane (to be) fond of sports. 7. She (to do) her morning exercises every day. 8. For breakfast she (to have) two eggs, a sandwich and a cup of tea. 9. After breakfast she (to go) to the institute. 10. Sometimes she (to take) a bus. 11. It (to take) her an hour and a half to do her homework. 12. She (to speak) English well. 13. Her friends usually (to call) her at about 8 o’clock. 14. Ann (to take) a shower before going to bed. 15. She (to go) to bed at 11 p. m.

 

to leave,  to go,  to die,  to see,  to live,  to fly

Insert the verbs in the Past Perfect tense

• I ... (to have) breakfast before I went to school.
• He went to meet his friends after he ... (to do) his homework.
• By 8 o’clock the rain ... (to stop).
• Alice was late because she ... (to miss) the bus.
• She went to the post-office after she ... (to write) the letter.
• He ... (to work) at the factory before he entered the college.
• He got a bad mark for his test because he ... (to make) a lot of mistakes in it.
• I went to bed after I ... (to finish) reading the book.
• The child ... (to fall) asleep before the parents came home.
• They ... (to marry) before they bought this house.

 

Use the verbs in the box in Past Perfect to complete the sentences



• I didn’t read the text in class because I …  my book at home.
• The children didn’t want to go to the cinema because they ... already ... the film.
• Kate wasn’t at home last week because she ... to visit her uncle.
• Linda never knew her father because he ... before she was born.
• I was excited when the plane took off because I... never ... before.
• My grandfather was always afraid of animals because he ... never ... in the country.

Use Past Simple or Past Perfect

• When Lisa _______ (arrive) at the airport she ____________ (discover) she _________ (forget) her passport.
• After visiting the library Nelly __________ (buy) some milk and __________ (go) home.
• Zoe ________ (open) her handbag and ___________ (find) out that she _________ (forget) her credit card.
• They ____________ (get) home to find that somebody __________ (break) into their house.
• Lisa ___________ (know) her husband for two years when they ____________ (get) married.
• Jillian ____________ (be) very pleased to see that Jack ______________ (clean) the kitchen.
• When Neil ___________ (arrive) at the party he __________ (learn) that Judith ___________ (just / leave).
• Bill ___________ (feel) sick last night because he __________ (eat) too many cakes at the party.
• First I __________ (tidy) the flat, then I _____________ (sit) down and _________ (have) a cup of tea.
• When Molly ________ (open) the curtains she________ (see) that the ground ________ (be) white.