Questions tagged [past-tense]
This tag is for questions about the usage of the past tense in English.
1
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1answer
31 views
Using “what + did” in a question
The examples:
What killed the Prince of Persia series?
What did kill the Prince of Persia series?
Is the meaning the same in both questions? Are they both grammatical? Why or why not?
1
vote
1answer
25 views
complex sentences and past sense
I'm discussing internals of a database system with someone and I'm struggling to figure out how do I talk about my past thought on the subject.
If I was just expressing my thoughts I would say "It is ...
-1
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1answer
37 views
I thought you had taken or took what is the best
The following practice text comes from http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/grammar/2g31-penguin-story.php:
One day a husband and wife _____ (1)
(drive) to the countryside to visit their friends ...
3
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1answer
25 views
“Words were different when they (lived / were living) inside of you”
“Words were different when they lived inside of you.”
― Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe.
Shouldn't it be "...when they were living inside of you."?...
1
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1answer
39 views
What is difference past simple and past perfect in this sentence?
I (non-native English speaker) have sometimes been confused about when to use past simple and when to use past perfect.
President Donald Trump has vetoed a measure from Congress that revoked his ...
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1answer
38 views
weren't going vs didn't go [duplicate]
I already asked a question about “weren’t playing” vs. “didn’t play”. I’m not sure if the same rules apply in an example like this one:
The weather was very bad, so we didn't go north.
vs
The ...
0
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0answers
24 views
tenses with the expression it… two years since [duplicate]
She invited me to dinner. But it _____ two years since I _____ to her house. So I lost my way.
The answers were "was" and "had gone".
Could they be "had been" and "went"?
0
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1answer
19 views
Do I use correctly Past Tenses? [closed]
I am solving an exercise in which I should use the correct past tense. Can you check my answers and tell me are they right?
With his heart thumping, he was climbing the ladder leading to the roof. ...
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3answers
37 views
Past tenses in sequence: former and latter past events
I have a question about past tenses in sequence.
I studied that while describing connected past events in sequence:
event 1: former event is in past-perfect
event 2: latter event is in past-tense
...
0
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2answers
20 views
Past Simple or Present Perfect?
I have a problem using those tenses in practice, or even analysing them in books or movies.
For example : A character says "I opened the doors" (well the doors are opened so he and his friends see ...
1
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1answer
20 views
Past Continuous with while
The sentence:
The boy stole / was stealing the apples while nobody was looking / looked.
Question: Which variant is more appropriate?
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1answer
50 views
“Used to” with period of life
can I say " I used to smoke for 5 years "?
is it correct?
And if no, which tense should I use?
Should I say "I had smoked for 5 years?"
Thanks a lot.
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0answers
48 views
“could” in the past referring to a single possibility/opportunity
I decided to create another question as this addresses another aspect of the topic I discussed in my related questions.
I know that in general, "could" is not used to describe a specific possibility ...
1
vote
1answer
15 views
How can I construct a sentence that contains reference to the past?
I want to construct a sentence in which I talk about the past. But my friend said that the following sentence has some grammar errors since I cannot follow considering my interest with a past tense. I ...
4
votes
2answers
293 views
General past possibility with 'could'
I am a bit confused, as I know I should not use "could"+verb in the sense of a possibility in the past, such as "He could go there yesterday but he did not". I am well aware I should use past modals ...
0
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1answer
20 views
What is the tense of: is located
Consider the sentence:
The shop is located near the bus stand.
Is it present tense? Doubt is ---- is a helping verb presentence
and located is past tense.
0
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1answer
46 views
mistake or mistook?
I saw the following sentence, and am wondering whether "mistake" should be replaced with "mistook."
Plastic bags have been found in the guts of dead sea turtles, which mistake them for jellyfish.
...
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2answers
30 views
He told me he plays table tennis well. Why didn't he use played
He told me he plays table tennis well. Why didn't he use played?
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2answers
33 views
has done or did when using “during”?
Which one is correct:
During the same trip, the couple ( a guy and a girl) has also visited Venice.
During the same trip, the couple ( a guy and a girl) visited Venice.
Thank you.
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1answer
31 views
“Past Perfect vs Simple Past” expressions
Although I think they are interchangeable in some usage,
there seems to be a little difference in nuance.
"I had my dinner already" vs "I have eaten my dinner already"
"We have met before" ...
0
votes
1answer
22 views
How to use 'I learned that if I faced' in its reported-speech kind of context
It is said that in reported speech, verbs tense will change. Also, when using 'if', verb tenses change. So what is the correct form of the below sentence?
I learned that if I faced another question ...
1
vote
1answer
26 views
Past Simple vs Present Perfect difference
Help me, please, with this extract
Two elderly couples were enjoying a friendly conversation in the garden when one of the men asked the other, "Fred, how was the memory clinic you went to a month ...
0
votes
1answer
27 views
Past Simple Passive vs Past Simple with 'follow'
Here is an extract from my grammar practice book.
A young man was walking through a supermarket. Suddenly he noticed that
he (follow) by an old lady.
As far as I understand, in that situation we ...
0
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1answer
16 views
“We all know the climate changes, it has in the past, it is changing now”
We all know the climate changes, it has in the past, it is
changing now and it will in the future, but what is different about
what we are doing now compared to what happened in the Cretaceous?
...
0
votes
1answer
27 views
past continuous or past perfect continuous in that case
The prince had been searching for ten hours when he was beginning to lose hope means the searching was finished that is why he was beginning to lose hope
this is good but can I replace by
"was ...
1
vote
2answers
28 views
any further efforts at biography had been well and truly silenced
In a recent conversation with Seamus Heaney, I made the point that after Roy Foster's monumental biography of Yeats, any further efforts at biography had been well and truly silenced. The advent of ...
0
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1answer
44 views
by the time with past simple
I've seen this sentence
By 1990 we were finished (the band was no more)
I thought that with by the time or by [a date] it is better to use past perfect
By 1990 we had split
By the time ...
0
votes
1answer
16 views
present perfect + when
But plenty have come to him when they haven't been able to heal
through traditional means.
As far as I know, past simple or past perfect are tend to be used with "when", because they are more ...
1
vote
1answer
21 views
How aircraft move? Or moves?
I saw a book titled
"How Aircraft Move Through the Air".
But is that correct? I think aircraft is the singular. So
Would it be "moves" or "moved"(in case of past sentence)?
Am I wrong?
Please ...
1
vote
2answers
31 views
Should I use the same tense throughout the sentence?
In my English exam, I have written the sentence:
There were always some people who judge the others by their appearance.
One of my friends said that I should use judged instead of judge since I am ...
1
vote
1answer
23 views
tense: “are” or “were”
Is the present tense "are" properly used in the following?
Why wasn't "were" used instead?
"And it makes sense, up to a point, to debate ending remedies for discrimination that are more appropriate ...
1
vote
2answers
65 views
I did not/had not have a steak until the age of 20 - what tense and why?
I would like to express that it was not until the age of 20 when I had my first steak. However, I do not know what tense should be used and why.
I did not have a steak until I was 20.
I had ...
3
votes
3answers
509 views
Use passive in the past
Is it possible to tell:
They have begun (to) being checked.
?
The meaning: The police started to check people some time ago. But I can not
mention "police" in the sentence.
0
votes
1answer
26 views
Asking about experiance
If I want to ask my friend about her travel, which tense is more preferred?
I know that when asking about experience we use *present perfect *, like "have you been to Italy", "have you ever blah...?, ...
1
vote
2answers
38 views
Present perfect or Past tense? Which sentence is correct?
I'm confused. Which sentence is correct?
"You have said you would buy a car if you got driver's licence"
or
"You said you would buy a car if you got driver's license"
or
"You have said you ...
0
votes
3answers
56 views
If she were… would have coped
I was supposed to fill the blank without changing a meaning of the first sentence.
She is not self-confident enough; that’s why she did not cope with the situation then.
If she were more self-...
0
votes
1answer
40 views
Past simple or present perfect for an action that began a long time ago but is still true
Is this possible to write
At the beginning I have bought some records from him. Then one day I asked for a record he did not have ,he answered to me that he was OK to let me use his address and since ...
1
vote
1answer
33 views
Had not needed vs did not need
I was asked to fill the blank below preseving the meaning of the sentence.
It was not necessary for him to take any warm clothes, so he travelled light.
He ________________________ take any warm ...
4
votes
1answer
44 views
Is “let” a modal?
Must the verb that follow let always be an infinitive regardless of the context, even in a reported speech? For example,
He told us to let him saw her one last time.
Is that correct?
2
votes
2answers
40 views
Are these two fragments of the same tense?
was being kept illegally.
was kept illegally.
They both seem to fit in the past progressive tense to me.
If you have a link to a good explanation, that would be appreciated.
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5answers
4k views
“Tea drinking” vs. “tea drunk” in this context
Which of these two is preferred?
A: Tea drinking is a British custom
B: Tea drunk is a British custom
P.S. What is it called when we say tea drinking instead of drinking tea?
Also, can we ...
0
votes
2answers
30 views
“was acquainted with” or “have acquainted with”?
I can not decide which one is correct or more accurate for using.
I have acquainted with structure of remote control in primary school.
I was acquainted with structure of remote control in ...
0
votes
1answer
33 views
Can I use past perfect in this response?
I would like to know if I can use past perfect in this response:
Did not know that you would contact me again !!!
I had tried to contact so many times and did not receive any answer that I ...
2
votes
1answer
38 views
It would be a great opportunity for someone like me who is working full time
I found out that I could be a part-time or a full-time student. It would be a great opportunity for someone like me who is working full time.
I am writing a personal statement. I found out that I ...
1
vote
1answer
28 views
“the thing someone did was do something” or “the thing someone did was doing something”?
Here is what I have found in Crash Course US history at 13 minute and 4 second, and it really confused me.
Whereas if you are an american arguably the most important thing the leader of this era ...
0
votes
1answer
141 views
“Have you known” or “Did you know”?
First of all, I know it has been mentioned before but I'm not sure which is correct. I've been learning about the Past Simple and the Past Perfect and if I've understood correctly, well, in high level:...
0
votes
1answer
36 views
Suitable verb form in the past tense sentence
There's the next sentence:
"I saw Mr Brown ..... the building at two o'clock."
leave / to leave / having left
Which option would be the most appropriate to put in and why ? I really want to put ...
0
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2answers
17 views
Is it possible to match both tenses in this sentence
Is it possible to write
I saw that you have not accepted my paypal payment yet
Saw is past, have not is present perfect( the action begins in the past but ends in" present " ) and in this ...
2
votes
1answer
57 views
Past Tense or Past Continuous Tense with precise time
There's a sentence like:
I ____ television at 7pm last night.
a) was watching
b) watched
c) watch
Can we use a) and b) to complete the sentence?
Some friends here said a) because there'...
4
votes
1answer
39 views
Why “did” and not “had done”?
He had relocated the same day as I did after switching university. We kept in touch regularly.
Why did and not had done if both relocated the same day, same tense should be used?
