Questions tagged [past-tense]
This tag is for questions about the usage of the past tense in English.
1,355
questions
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Question regarding Past Participle
I still can't fully understand the usage of past participle.
I wonder which one of the following sentences is grammatically correct and if both are correct,
what differences would there be.
As he ...
0
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1answer
12 views
Past tense (today)
Which one is true and why?
A. Today, she is absent.
B. Today, she was absent
Is "today" considered as present or past time?
Please help. Thanks.
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1answer
19 views
How do you ask the age of a person in a picture?
I am confused between these two sentences :
How old are you in this picture?
How old were you in this picture?
Which one of these is correct or more accurate?
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1answer
33 views
¨wish + the next day¨
I wished I would have handed in the exam the next day. ( = But I did not, I regretted not having handed in the exam the next day. );
Is this sentence grammatically correct, and does ¨the next day¨ ...
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12 views
What is the difference between “where were you living 5 years ago” and “where did you live 5 years ago?” [duplicate]
What is the difference between the folowing sentences?
1 where were you living 5 years ago?
2 where did you live 5 years ago?
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1answer
80 views
Using two tenses to talk about past events
One person is telling the following story to a friend of his :
I bumped into my old classmate John , the last time i saw him was 20 years ago , I said hello to him , but his response was so cold :
...
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1answer
36 views
I/I've borrowed it from my friend [duplicate]
I was wondering about past simple and present perfect lately. It was a long path of understanding these 2 tenses, I think I finally understand the meaning of "context" that can occur or not.
When ...
0
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1answer
30 views
Past tense vs past progessive tense
I was her biological teacher for 3 years she had been studying there
Or
I was her biological teacher for 3 years she had studied there
Also, in written situation it is best to write 3 years or ...
0
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1answer
35 views
Been is confusing me HELP!
I was watching tv series where police said “he could have been wearing gloves’ I think he speculated the past event..but I really can't understand the reason behind using ing and been...because we ...
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1answer
21 views
Are the tenses used correctly
In fact I have reserved the book but as I had lost my password, I could not pay
Are the tenses used correctly I have a little doubt on past perfect had lost
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1answer
16 views
past or future: later today
Can the phrase "later today" refer to the past as follows?
A: When did you give John the document?
B: Later today.
I'd appreciate your help.
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1answer
21 views
tense and aspect: had imagined or imagined?
In the following passage, could "had ever imagined" be replaced by "ever imagined"? Any difference of meaning?
More than ever before, our language and our ideas about language are changing as ...
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1answer
26 views
why past simple in this case
We all agreed from the get-go that we were not going to parody- as Lou had for 20 years .
Why "had" past simple: does it mean that the reformation of the group came before the duration was over,...
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1answer
39 views
“he told them, but he forgot to…” vs. “he had told them, but he forgot to…”
Should I use past simple or past perfect? (Cloze test)
He ____ all students to do it, but he forgot to do so.
had told
told
My friends answered 2. because they think that it is parallel structure ...
0
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1answer
31 views
Have sent vs sent in this case
I hope you sent or have sent the right book .
I used past simple because before replying to them I received this email"Your order was sent yesterday" so I am wondering if they sent the right book. I ...
1
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1answer
93 views
Reported speech: When to not change “was” to “had been”?
Recently, I was studying about reported speech and while thinking about a few "directly" reported constructions came to mind.
I'm trying to change those sentences to reported speech.
Barbara ...
1
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1answer
30 views
“I went to the mall after taking a shower” - How to handle -ing forms in different tenses?
I'm currently trying to improve my English grammar and I'm strangely fascinated with tenses. I just came across a sentence structure that I find quite difficult to analyze. It's probably not too hard ...
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0answers
39 views
I was working while I was studying at college
I was working while I was studying at college, is it correct?
And how to tell about past actions for example:
'In college I had a subject 'Web design' where I was making a static web-page', is it ...
2
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1answer
26 views
Ways to talk about the last 3 hours
Are all the following grammatical? and which one is the most natural?
I haven't eaten anything for 3 hours.
I haven't eaten anything over the last 3 hours.
The last time I ate ...
3
votes
1answer
125 views
Past Perfect Continuous vs Past Simple
My teacher says that it's not correct to answer the test
"How long (rain) yesterday?"
as "How long did it rain yesterday?"
She says there is only one way to do the problem with "how long" in the past ...
0
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1answer
22 views
What verb tenses should I use with enumeration?
I have the following sentence. All of the actions described I've performed today.
I've paid a visit, played chess, drank an espresso and bought a couple of souvenirs.
My first tense is present ...
1
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1answer
31 views
What tense do I have to use in this sentence with 'whenever'?
When I use 'would' with 'whenever', What tense is used? For example,
Whenever I went to my grama's house, I would play in the park.
Can I use 'go to' instead of 'went to'?
Or
I would dance ...
0
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1answer
37 views
“Have you had a breakfast” or “did you have a breakfast”?
Which one is correct "have you had a breakfast" or "did you have a breakfast"? And should I use the ‘a’ s, is it necessary to use it?
0
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1answer
74 views
Why is it supposed to be “couldn't get” instead of “couldn't got”?
Why is "Why couldn't she get tickets" correct instead of "Why couldn't she got tickets"?
Why is it get in the present instead of got in the past tense?
0
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1answer
38 views
Is it worth to use present perfect in this situation?
I'm Russian and English is not my first language.
I'd like to say:
we went to France every year
or
we have gone to France every year
We did it in the past but now we don't.
Which of the ...
0
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1answer
17 views
'wanted to fulfill' or 'had wanted to fulfill'
(1) Last month, I was promoted to senior manager. That was one of the dreams I wanted to fulfill in my life. (my version)
(2) Last month, I was promoted to senior manager. That was one of the dreams ...
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0answers
16 views
Is it necessary to add “being” here?
The meeting, held at a time when the world is facing growing uncertainties, is widely expected to bring positive energy to global well-being.
or
The meeting, being held at a time when the world is ...
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0answers
20 views
was waiting or waited
The hunter waited silent and motionless beside a breathing hole where he had seen a seal the day before
why not was waiting as the wait is not completed, the seal has not been there yet
englishlab....
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1answer
18 views
Past Perfect or Perfect Tense?
I have some questions regarding past perfect tense, as I am still quite confused about the usage.
Which one of the below is correct?
The books that her parents got her had not made her an ...
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0answers
17 views
'used to' & 'had to' … what tenses are these?
What are the tenses here?
He used to play football professionally, but he had to quit because of an injury.
The first clause, with 'used to play' and the second clause, with 'had to quit' ... are ...
0
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1answer
17 views
usage of adverbial clauses
1)After you go through the book, please return it to me.
2) After you have gone through the book, please return it to me
What is the difference in meaning of these two sentences? Which sentence ...
1
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1answer
33 views
Tense of subordinate clause after “I confirmed that”
Which is best among the following sentences, and why?
1. I confirmed that now the page was updated.
2. I confirmed that now the page is updated.
3. I confirmed that now the page has been updated.
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1answer
56 views
“God reminded them that if they turned away from God, they would be cursed.”
As for the use of ‘if’, especially when I’m not talking about ‘unreal’ situations, I’m confused about what is the correct way to use it when I talk about something that happened in the past. For ...
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1answer
37 views
How to use modal verbs in the past tense speaking of future possibility?
everyone.
I learn English vocabulary and write sentences about my life using new words. But I have a problem. I can't write one sentence so that both grammar and meaning are correct.
Some context ...
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0answers
30 views
Is there a justification for past simple
McGuinn had a better idea: recording an electric version version of Pete Seeger's ,"turn!turn!turn!" immortal folk prayer. "Turn!turn!turn!", which Seeger adapted from the Book of Ecclesiastes. Back ...
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1answer
64 views
how to say this sentence
It was raining for three days. the farmers were very happy to water their fields.
or
It has been raining for three days. the farmers were very happy to water their fields.
I normally would ...
2
votes
1answer
42 views
Can I use only past simple in this sentence?
I have a sentence which I think is fine. But maybe I should change the second part from past simple to past perfect. It’s an entry on my website.
Please help.
July 2015: I organised my first family ...
0
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1answer
19 views
Past continous adverb placement
In the phrase:
The stock scandal was extremely damaging to his company's reputation.
What is the verb tense? I think "was damaging" is past continuous and "extremely" is an adverb modifying "...
1
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2answers
303 views
“I wish I went” or “I wish I had gone”
In this particular sentence, would you rather say
'I wish I went to the party, which I had been invited to last week.'
than
'I wish I had gone to the party, which I had been invited to last
...
0
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1answer
30 views
Why don't we use past perfect in that case?
My father, my mother, my younger sister and I got into my father's '54 Ford to go to Cordoba, where my parents had rented a house up in the hills.
The three of us started walking down the hill to ...
0
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2answers
50 views
How to use “Simple Past” and “Past Perfect Tense”
What is the difference between the these two sentences, and which one is correct?
(1)He passed the exam because I gave him my book
(2)He passed the exam because I had given him my book
0
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1answer
31 views
I have a question about past tense
I have a sentence:
My grandfather was a model worker.
My question is: Is "My grandfather" alive or dead?
I wrote a sentence:
I was a student.
Is it correct? Thanks in advance :>
1
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1answer
40 views
What tense for “had been living” or “had lived”
This is an original sentence: "Who had been living in this house before they pulled it down?"
Can we say "Who had lived in this house before they pulled it down?" ?
0
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1answer
66 views
What's the difference between Present Perfect and Simple Past?
I have a question about English grammar.
At 1 minute 5 seconds of this video below, Batman says "This city just showed you".
Is it okay to replace it with "This city has shown you", "This city has ...
1
vote
1answer
32 views
Past Simple or Past Perfect with “before” and regular action
"A famous footballer lived in our house before we bought it"
Why is this sentence correct? Is it a regular action in the past?
Why not "had lived"?
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0answers
45 views
Past tense and simultaneous events: do you use two Past Progressive or two Past Simple?
I was told that for two simultaneous events occurring in the past, you should use Past Progressive, such as:
"While I was setting the table, she was cooking dinner."
But that two Past Simple ...
0
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1answer
44 views
Present Perfect's explanations vs What it really is?
First of all, I wish to say I'm kind of confused about the explanations for the present perfect and what really is the present perfect. I've came across many sites saying that the Present Perfect is:
...
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1answer
12 views
Past tense phrase with indirect speech
I am struggling to construct correctly a sentence with an indirect speech describing an event that occured in past and more in past.
The manager said he was skeptical initially and he had not ...
0
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1answer
28 views
In which tense is more common to use in this context?
I have a two tenses / ways to express my situation but I'm not sure what's more natural.
I rushed / was rushing to the class, and when I arrived I found that nobody is there.
"I rushed to the ...
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0answers
53 views
He told he had found or found
After he had been watching them for a couple of days he told the police everything he found out
Why not had found out as he first watched them then found out and then went to the police.
If you don'...
