Time Reference Verb (Past Cluster)
Basic past main verb, past tense: She left early.
dld + simple form: Did she Ieave early?
Past perfect (before basic past) had + participle: She had left when I arrived.
Past progressive (in progress) waslwere 't -ing: They were leaving when I arrived.
They were going to leave when I arrived (but didn't).
Past perfect progressive (in progress and before basic past)
had been + -ing: She had been trying to call me for an hour when I arrived to pick her up.
Mod.al Reference
For meaning and use, see Chapter 11.
could, should, might, had to
could have, should have, ought to have, might have, must have
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VERB TENSES: PAST
EXERCISE 1
For each of the complete verbs you underlined in the reading at the beginning of this chapter, identify which time it refers to-basic past, past perfect, past progressive, or past perfect progressive-or whet[er a past modal form is used.
EXAMrLE had walked-past perfect
Note that was set is a passive form (see Chapter 12). There is only one present cluster form in the passage; can you find it?
EXERCISE 2
In the following paragraph written by a student, the verbs have been omitted. using the given verbs, determine the tense and form, and insert the appropriate form of the main verb with anv necessarv auxiliaries. The first three have been done for you.
I h4AH- elttt* t-^/4J4^^4rfu (exchange often)artwork with other people. I o
(remember)
when I lr/4-dJ
some of the old (cry; *h"tr rnut
(be) twelve years old, I (go) to a prison to see a relative.
(know not) what to do when I (get) there. They all (seem) very nice people. They (seem) bored with nothing to (dance) for them, and
(see) me. When (finish) dancing, they all (clap), and some of them (g:ve) me little wood figures (make). It (be) a real exchange of art.
all do. So I
people there
I
that they
Sandra Pastran, Salvador
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9b. Basic past tense
The basic past tense is used when we state occurred at a specified time in the past:
She met }:rim last week.
She met hirn fiue years ago.
But She hos met }:im before. (We don't know exactly when.) This is the tense that is used when we tell a story in the past:
He went on the boat. Then he gaue the people a drawing. They wqnted to give him their boat.
Even when we are writing to explain or to persuade, narration is used a great deal to provide vivid examples and illustrations of general concepts. We back up an opinion with an account of an event that shows the reader why we hold that opinion. In academic writing, we often find general truths and opinions expressed in the present tense; then examples and illustrations to support the opinion often tell about an incident in the past.
!]XAMPLE
Cultural differences
"o)'""i)r"problems. Mark Salzman, for exam-
past past
ple,found that the custom of returning a grft was very different in China.
TTEXERCISE 3
Choose one of the following generalizations, and write a short paragraph to support it by telling a story about something that happened in the past. Begin your paragr:aph with the generalization.
BASIC PAST TENSE
or imply that an event
People usually want to return a favor.
is a dangerous sport.
Parents don't always understand their children.
Politicians are not necessarily free from corruption.
Adolescence is a painful time.
TV shows are often excessively violent.
Some people say that school days are the happiest days, but that is far from true for everyone.
The first two days at a new schooVcollege are a time of great confusion.
1.
2 .
r ) -
4 . 5 .
b .
7 . 8 .
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VERB TENSES: PAST
9c. Irregular verb forms
Regular verbs form the basic past tense by adding -d or -ed to the stem of the verb. The past tense of many verbs is, however, irregular in form.
You should make an attempt to learn the past tense form and the participle form of all the irregular verbs. First, as you read, note down all the irregular verbs you come across. Second, try to use each verb in sentences of your own using the past tense form and the participle form. Third, learn three or four verbs a day from the list in the Appendix.
EXERCISE 4
The following passages are adapted from the reading "The Basic- Nonbasic Concept" on p. 367. Imagine that you are writing about the town fifty years from now-so you will be looking back to describe the town and using the past tense. Make any changes in tense that are appropriate. Begin with "There was once a frontier mining town . ."
lThere isl a frontier mining town where 100 miners are employed in the town's only basic industry-gold mining. Each of the miners is married and has two children. The basic industry thus supports 400 people.
But the 400 people demand services: schools and churches have to be built, grocery and clothing stores and livery stables are operated, newspapers are published, professional personnel are needed, and saloons have to cater to visiting cowboys.
3. With 100 miners, this community supports 300 people in the various nonbasic service industries.
4. The basic mining industry not only supports its own 300 dependents but also economically supports the 300 nonbasic personnel and their 900 dependents, for a grand total of 1,600 people.
EXERCISE 5 (oral)
Form two teams in your classroom. One team chooses a person from the list and asks someone from the other team, "Tell me something about
1 .