Talking about the past
Learn about the different verb forms you can use to talk about the past.
Past events and situations
We use the past simple to talk about:
- something
that happened once in the past:
The film started at
seven thirty.
We arrived home before dark.
- something
that was true for some time in the past:
Everybody worked hard
through the winter.
We stayed with our friends in London.
----
When we
talk about something that happened several times in the past, we
use the past simple:
Most evenings, we stayed at
home and watched DVDs.
Sometimes they went out for a meal.
or used to:
Most evenings, we used to
stay at home and watch DVDs.
We used to go for a swim every morning.
or would:
Most evenings, he would
take the dog for a walk.
They would often visit friends in Europe.
We do not
normally use would with stative
verbs. We use the past simple or used to instead:
He would looked much
older than he does now. (NOT would look)
We would used to feel very cold in
winter. (NOT would feel)
------
We use the past continuous:
- for
something that happened before and after a specific time in the
past:
It was just after ten. I was
watching the news on TV.
At half-time we were losing 1–0.
- for
something that happened before and after another action in the
past:
He broke his leg when he was
playing rugby.
She saw Jim as he was driving away.
-------
The past in the past
We use
the past perfect when we
are looking back from a point in the past to something earlier
in the past:
Helen suddenly remembered
she had left her keys in the car.
When we had done all our shopping, we caught the bus home.
They wanted to buy a new computer, but they hadn't saved enough
money.
They would have bought a new computer if they had saved enough
money
.-----
The past and the present
We use the present perfect:
- for
something that started in the past and continues
in the present:
We have lived here
since 2017. [and we still live here]
I have been working at the university for over ten years.
- for
something that happened in the past but is important
in the present:
I can't open the door. I've
left my keys in the car.
Jenny has found a new job. She works in a supermarket now.
Be careful!
We do not use the present perfect
with adverbials which
refer to a finished past time:
|
yesterday |
last week/month/year |
in 2010 |
when I was younger etc. |
I have seen that
film yesterday.
We have just bought a new car last
week.
When we were children we have been to
California.
but we
can use the present perfect with adverbials which refer to a time which
is not yet finished:
|
today |
this morning/week/year |
now that I am eighteen
etc. |
Have you seen Helen today?
We have bought a new car this week.
The future in the past
When we talk about the future from a time in the past we use:
- would as
the past tense of will:
He thought he would buy one
the next day.
Everyone was excited. The party would be fun.
- was/were
going to:
John was going to drive and
Mary was going to follow on her bicycle.
It was Friday. We were going to set off the next day.
- the past
continuous:
It was September. Mary was
starting school the next week.
We were very busy. Our guests were arriving soon and we had to
get their room ready.
-----
The past with modal verbs
could is the past tense of can:
You could get a
good meal for a pound when I was a boy.
would is the past tense of will:
He said he would come but
he forgot.
We use may have, might have and could
have to show that something has possibly happened in the past:
I'll telephone him. He might
have got home early.
She's very late. She could have missed her train.
We use should have as the past form of should:
I didn't know he was ill.
He should have told me.
You shouldn't have spent so much money.
We use would have and could have to
talk about something that was possible in the past but did not happen:
I could have gone to
Mexico for my holiday but it was too expensive.
I would have called you, but I had forgotten my phone.
They would have gone out if the weather had been better.
