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Past tenses Past tenses have almost the same structure but related to past time periods. Past tenses are four: past simple, past continuous, past perfect and past perfect continuous. We form past simple: Regular verbs: Affirmative: subject + base form of the verb + d/ed Negative: subject + didn’t/did not + base form of the verb Question: did + subject + base form of the verb Irregular verbs: Affirmative: subject + irregular simple past form Negative: subject + didn’t/did not + base form of the verb Question: did + subject + base form of the verb We use it for completed actions in the past. e.g. I bought a new book yesterday. We form past continuous: Affirmative: subject + was/were + verb + ing Negative: subject + was/were + not +verb + ing Question: was/were + subject + verb + ing We use it for actions in progress at a past time. e.g. I was walking in the park when I met him. We form past perfect: Affirmative: subject + had + past participle Negative: subject + had + not + past participle Question: had + subject + past participle We use it for actions completed before another past action. e.g. He told me he had been in France many times. We form past perfect continuous: Affirmative: subject + had + been + verb + ing Negative: subject + had + not + been + verb + ing Question: had + subject + been + verb + ing We use it for actions that began before a time in the past and continued up until that time with no indication whether or not the action continued beyond that time. e.g. Before becoming a headmaster, he had been working at the same school for many years.