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• The Past Tense l Explanation, Examples & Worksheet

The Past Tense l Explanation, Examples & Worksheet

Published on September 15, 2023 by Eoghan Ryan . Revised on November 1, 2023.

The past tense is a verb tense used to talk about past actions, states of being, or events.

There are four past tense forms: the past simple (e.g., “you cooked”), the past progressive (e.g., “he was singing”), the past perfect (e.g., “I had arrived”), and the past perfect progressive (e.g., “They had been driving”).

Table of contents

Simple past, past progressive, past perfect, past perfect progressive, worksheet: past tense, frequently asked questions about the past tense.

The simple past tense is used to talk about actions or events that were completed in the past.

The simple past of regular verbs is formed by adding “-ed” to the end of the infinitive form (e.g., “cook” becomes “cooked”). The past tense of irregular verbs don’t follow a particular pattern and can be formed in various ways (e.g., “sing” becomes “sang”).

Most verbs in the simple past don’t change form depending on the subject. One exception is the irregular verb “be,” which is conjugated as either “was” or “were,” depending on the subject.

Aria was late for work yesterday.

We watched a movie last Friday night.

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The past progressive is used to refer to an action or event that was taking place at a time in the past. It can be used to indicate that an ongoing past action was interrupted by another action or that two past actions were occurring at the same time.

The past progressive is formed using the past tense of “be” (i.e., “was/were”) along with the present participle (“-ing” form) of the main verb.

Amir was studying while his roommate was cooking dinner.

We were hiking in the mountains when we saw a bear.

The past perfect is used to indicate that a past action or event took place prior to another past action or event. It can also be used in conditional sentences to talk about a hypothetical past event.

The past perfect is formed using the auxiliary verb “had” and the past participle of the main verb.

I had never tasted Sushi until last night.

By the time we arrived at the theater , the movie had already started .

The past perfect progressive is used to indicate that an action began in the past and continued up until another time in the past.

The past perfect progressive is formed by adding the auxiliary verbs “had” and “been” before the present participle of the main verb.

Amy had been cooking for hours when the guests canceled .

I had been searching for my missing keys when I realized they were in my pocket.

Practice using the past tense correctly with the exercises below. In the blank space in each sentence, fill in the correct past tense form based on the verb specified.

• Practice questions
• Answers and explanations
• I was __________ [cook] dinner when you called.
• Anna __________ [play] piano when she was a child.
• Dave had been __________ [work] as a teacher when he won the lottery.
• Eva had already __________ [leave] the office by the time I arrived.
• This sentence uses the past progressive. The past progressive is formed using “was/were” along with the present participle (“-ing” form) of the main verb.
• This sentence uses the simple past. The simple past of regular verbs is formed by adding “-ed” to the end of the infinitive of the verb (e.g., “play” becomes “played”).
• This sentence is in the past perfect progressive. The past perfect progressive is formed using “had” and “been” along with the present participle of the main verb .
• This sentence is in the past perfect. The past perfect is formed using “had” and the past participle of the main verb.

The past tense form of “lead” is “led.” It’s used to describe a past action (e.g., “The coach led his team to the championship”).

The past participle of “lead” is also “led” (e.g., “He had led the team as far as he could”).

The past tense form of “lay” is “laid.” It’s used to describe a past action (e.g., “I laid the book down on the table”).

The past participle of “lay” is also “laid” (e.g., “I had just laid the book down when the phone rang”).

The past tense form of “choose” is “chose.” It’s used to describe a past action (e.g., “Ava chose to study science”).

The past participle of “choose” is “chosen” (e.g., “We had just chosen a dessert when the waiter told us the kitchen was closed for the evening”).

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Grammar: Verb Tenses

Most common verb tenses in academic writing.

According to corpus research, in academic writing, the three tenses used the most often are the simple present , the simple past , and the present perfect (Biber et al., 1999; Caplan, 2012). The next most common tense for capstone writers is the future ; the doctoral study/dissertation proposal at Walden is written in this tense for a study that will be conducted in the future.

Biber, D., Johansson, S., Leech, G., Conrad, S., & Finegan, E. (1999). Longman grammar of written and spoken English . Pearson. https://doi.org/10.1162/089120101300346831

Caplan, N. A. (2012). Grammar choices for graduate and professional writers . University of Michigan Press.

Simple present: Use the simple present to describe a general truth or a habitual action. This tense indicates that the statement is generally true in the past, present, and future.

• Example: The hospital admits patients whether or not they have proof of insurance.

Simple past : Use the simple past tense to describe a completed action that took place at a specific point in the past (e.g., last year, 1 hour ago, last Sunday). In the example below, the specific point of time in the past is 1998.

• Example: Zimbardo (1998) researched many aspects of social psychology.

Present perfect: Use the present perfect to indicate an action that occurred at a nonspecific time in the past. This action has relevance in the present. The present perfect is also sometimes used to introduce background information in a paragraph. After the first sentence, the tense shifts to the simple past.

• Example: Numerous researchers have used this method.
• Example: Many researchers have studied how small business owners can be successful beyond the initial few years in business. They found common themes among the small business owners.

Future: Use the future to describe an action that will take place at a particular point in the future (at Walden, this is used especially when writing a proposal for a doctoral capstone study).

• Example: I will conduct semistructured interviews.

Keep in mind that verb tenses should be adjusted after the proposal after the research has been completed. See this blog post about Revising the Proposal for the Final Capstone Document for more information.

APA Style Guidelines on Verb Tense

APA calls for consistency and accuracy in verb tense usage (see APA 7, Section 4.12 and Table 4.1). In other words, avoid unnecessary shifts in verb tense within a paragraph or in adjacent paragraphs to help ensure smooth expression.

• Use the past tense (e.g., researchers presented ) or the present perfect (e.g., researchers have presented ) for the literature review and the description of the procedure if discussing past events.
• Use the past tense to describe the results (e.g., test scores improved significantly).
• Use the present tense to discuss implications of the results and present conclusions (e.g., the results of the study show …).

When explaining what an author or researcher wrote or did, use the past tense.

• Patterson (2012) presented, found, stated, discovered…

However, there can be a shift to the present tense if the research findings still hold true:

• King (2010) found  that revising a document three times improves the final grade.
• Smith (2016) discovered that the treatment is effective.

Verb Tense Guidelines When Referring to the Document Itself

To preview what is coming in the document or to explain what is happening at that moment in the document, use the present or future tense:

• In this study, I will describe …
• In this study, I describe …
• In the next chapter, I will discuss …
• In the next chapter, I discuss …

To refer back to information already covered, such as summaries of discussions that have already taken place or conclusions to chapters/sections, use the past tense:

• Chapter 1 contained my original discussion of the research questions.
• In summary, in this section, I presented information on…

Simple Past Versus the Present Perfect

Rules for the use of the present perfect differ slightly in British and American English. Researchers have also found that among American English writers, sometimes individual preferences dictate whether the simple past or the present perfect is used. In other words, one American English writer may choose the simple past in a place where another American English writer may choose the present perfect.

Keep in mind, however, that the simple past is used for a completed action.  It often is used with signal words or phrases such as "yesterday," "last week," "1 year ago," or "in 2015" to indicate the specific time in the past when the action took place.

• I went to China in 2010 .
• He completed the employee performance reviews last month .

The present perfect focuses more on an action that occurred without focusing on the specific time it happened. Note that the specific time is not given, just that the action has occurred.

• I have travelled to China.

The present perfect focuses more on the result of the action.

• He has completed the employee performance reviews.

The present perfect is often used with signal words such as "since," "already," "just," "until now," "(not) yet," "so far," "ever," "lately," or "recently."

• I have already travelled to China.
• He has recently completed the employee performance reviews.
• Researchers have used this method since it was developed.

Summary of English Verb Tenses

The 12 main tenses:

• Simple present : She writes every day.
• Present progressive: She is writing right now.
• Simple past : She wrote last night.
• Past progressive: She was writing when he called.
• Simple future : She will write tomorrow.
• Future progressive: She will be writing when you arrive.
• Present perfect : She has written Chapter 1.
• Present perfect progressive: She has been writing for 2 hours.
• Past perfect: She had written Chapter 3 before she started Chapter 4.
• Past perfect progressive: She had been writing for 2 hours before her friends arrived.
• Future perfect: She will have written Chapter 4 before she writes Chapter 5.
• Future perfect progressive: She will have been writing for 2 hours by the time her friends come over.

Conditionals:

Zero conditional (general truths/general habits).

• Example: If I have time, I write every day.

First conditional (possible or likely things in the future).

• Example: If I have time, I will write every day.

Second conditional (impossible things in the present/unlikely in the future).

• Example : If I had time, I would write every day.

Third conditional (things that did not happen in the past and their imaginary results)

• Example : If I had had time, I would have written every day.

Subjunctive : This form is sometimes used in that -clauses that are the object of certain verbs or follow certain adjectives. The form of the subjective is the simple form of the verb. It is the same for all persons and number.

• Example : I recommend that he study every day.
• Example: It is important that everyone set a writing schedule.

Verbs Video Playlist

Note that these videos were created while APA 6 was the style guide edition in use. There may be some examples of writing that have not been updated to APA 7 guidelines.

• Grammar for Academic Writers: Common Verb Tenses in Academic Writing (video transcript)
• Grammar for Academic Writers: Verb Tense Consistency (video transcript)
• Grammar for Academic Writers: Advanced Subject–Verb Agreement (video transcript)
• Mastering the Mechanics: Helping Verbs (video transcript)
• Mastering the Mechanics: Past Tense (video transcript)
• Mastering the Mechanics: Present Tense (video transcript)
• Mastering the Mechanics: Future Tense (video transcript)

Related Resources

Knowledge Check: Verb Tenses

Didn't find what you need? Email us at [email protected] .

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Verb Tenses

What this handout is about.

The present simple, past simple, and present perfect verb tenses account for approximately 80% of verb tense use in academic writing. This handout will help you understand how to use these three verb tenses in your own academic writing.

Click here for a color-coded illustration of changing verb tenses in academic writing.

Present simple tense

The present simple tense is used:

In your introduction, the present simple tense describes what we already know about the topic. In the conclusion, it says what we now know about the topic and what further research is still needed.

“The data suggest…” “The research shows…”

“The dinoflagellate’s TFVCs require an unidentified substance in fresh fish excreta” (Penrose and Katz, 330).

“There is evidence that…”

“So I’m walking through the park yesterday, and I hear all of this loud music and yelling. Turns out, there’s a free concert!” “Shakespeare captures human nature so accurately.”

Past simple tense

Past simple tense is used for two main functions in most academic fields.

“…customers obviously want to be treated at least as well on fishing vessels as they are by other recreation businesses. [General claim using simple present] De Young (1987) found the quality of service to be more important than catching fish in attracting repeat customers. [Specific claim from a previous study using simple past] (Marine Science)

We conducted a secondary data analysis… (Public Health) Descriptional statistical tests and t-student test were used for statistical analysis. (Medicine) The control group of students took the course previously… (Education)

Present perfect tense

The present perfect acts as a “bridge” tense by connecting some past event or state to the present moment. It implies that whatever is being referred to in the past is still true and relevant today.

“There have been several investigations into…” “Educators have always been interested in student learning.”

Some studies have shown that girls have significantly higher fears than boys after trauma (Pfefferbaum et al., 1999; Pine &; Cohen, 2002; Shaw, 2003). Other studies have found no gender differences (Rahav and Ronen, 1994). (Psychology)

Special notes

Can i change tenses.

Yes. English is a language that uses many verb tenses at the same time. The key is choosing the verb tense that is appropriate for what you’re trying to convey.

What’s the difference between present simple and past simple for reporting research results?

• Past simple limits your claims to the results of your own study. E.g., “Our study found that teenagers were moody.” (In this study, teenagers were moody.)
• Present simple elevates your claim to a generalization. E.g., “Our study found that teenagers are moody.” (Teenagers are always moody.)

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Biber, Douglas. 1999. Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English . New York: Longman.

Hawes, Thomas, and Sarah Thomas. 1997. “Tense Choices in Citations.” Research into the Teaching of English 31 (3): 393-414.

Hinkel, Eli. 2004. Teaching Academic ESL Writing: Practical Techniques in Vocabulary and Grammar . Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Penrose, Ann, and Steven Katz. 2004. Writing in the Sciences: Exploring the Conventions of Scientific Discourse , 2nd ed. New York: Longman.

Swales, John, and Christine B. Feak. 2004. Academic Writing for Graduate Students: Essential Tasks and Skills , 2nd ed. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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• Writing Tips

Grammar Tips: Using the Past Tense

3-minute read

• 13th March 2018

The past includes everything that has ever happened . And with every second that passes, the past gets bigger and bigger! As such, there’s plenty of stuff in the past we might want to write about .

Lucky for us, then, we have the past tense to talk about things in the past. But to make sure your work is error free , you need to know how to use the different forms of this tense. We explain all here (with a little help from Isaac Newton).

Simple Past Tense

The most basic form is the simple past tense. We use this to discuss something that both began and ended in the past:

Isaac Newton invented the cat flap.

Here, for example, we use the simple past tense verb “invented” to show that the act of invention occurred entirely in the past.

Most simple past tense verbs are, like “invented,” formed by adding “-ed” to the end of a base verb (e.g., invent → invented ). However, you need to watch out for irregular verbs that don’t fit this pattern, such as “swim” (simple past tense = swam ).

Past Continuous Tense

As the name suggests, the past continuous tense is used to refer to an ongoing action in the past:

Newton was sitting under a tree.

The key phrase here is “was sitting,” which combines the simple past tense “was” with the present participle “sitting.” This gives us a sense of a continuous action (“sitting”) occurring in the past.

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The past continuous tense can also be used to frame another action:

Newton was sitting under a tree when an apple fell to the ground.

The past continuous “was sitting” here describes an action that is then interrupted by something else. We can therefore see the difference between the ongoing “was sitting” and the sudden fall of the apple, which is described using the past simple verb “fell.”

Past Perfect Tense

We use the past perfect tense to describe something that happened before, up until, or since something else. It is formed by combining the word “had” with a past participle :

Newton had studied many subjects by the time he graduated.

The key here is a sense of completion: the past perfect phrase “had studied” implies that the action had finished by the point the second part of the sentence occurred.

Past Perfect Continuous Tense

The past perfect continuous tense combines the past perfect and past continuous tenses. It is therefore most commonly used to describe an ongoing action that occurred before something else. We form the past perfect continuous tense by combining “had been” and a present participle:

Newton had been acting as Master of the Royal Mint for five years when he was knighted.

Here, we get the sense of a continuous action from the present participle “acting.” But the “had been” gives it a sense of completion similar to the perfect tense. The result is that “had been acting” frames the later action of being “knighted.”

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• Knowledge Base
• Simple Past Tense | Examples & Exercises

Past Simple | Examples & Exercises

Published on 28 August 2023 by Eoghan Ryan . Revised on 30 October 2023.

The past simple tense is a verb form used to refer to an action or series of actions that were completed in the past.

The past simple tense of regular verbs is formed by adding “-ed” to the infinitive form of the verb (e.g., “cook” becomes “cooked”). Most verbs in the simple past take the same form regardless of the subject (e.g., “He worked/we worked”).

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Table of contents

How to use the past simple, present perfect vs past simple, simple past vs past perfect, how to form negatives, how to form questions, how to form the passive voice, exercises: past simple tense, other interesting language articles, frequently asked questions about the simple past tense.

The past simple tense (also called the simple past or preterite ) is used to describe an action or series of actions that occurred in the past.

The past simple of regular verbs is typically formed by adding “-ed” to the end of the infinitive (e.g., “talk” becomes “talked”).

Irregular verbs don’t follow a specific pattern: some take the same form as the infinitive (e.g., “put”), while others change completely (e.g., “go” becomes “went”).

Most verbs in the simple past tense don’t follow subject-verb agreement (i.e., they don’t change form depending on the subject).

Ariana rented a car and drove to the coast.

We visited a museum, walked the Champs-Élysées, and dined at a fancy restaurant.

Forming the simple past

The simple past of regular verbs is usually formed by adding “-ed” to the end of the verb (e.g., “guess” becomes “guessed”). However, this can vary depending on the verb’s ending.

Irregular verb: “be”

The stative verb “be” in the simple past tense is used to describe unchanging past conditions (e.g., “My father was a good man”) and temporary past situations (e.g., “The children were tired”). Unlike other verbs in the simple past, “be” changes form depending on the subject, as shown in the table below.

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Both the present perfect and past simple tenses are used to refer to past action. However, they serve different purposes:

• The present perfect is used to refer to an action that began in the past and may continue or to an action that took place in the past and has present consequences.
• The past simple is typically used to describe an action that was completed in the past and is not ongoing.

I have run a marathon before. [I may run a marathon again]

I was a vegetarian when I was younger.

While the past simple is used to describe an action or series of actions that occurred in the past, the past perfect is used to indicate that an action was completed before another past action began.

In the past simple tense, negative statements are formed by adding “did not” (or the contraction “didn’t”) between the subject and the infinitive form of the verb.

For the verb “be,” negative statements are formed by adding “was not/were not” (or the contractions “wasn’t/weren’t”) after the subject .

To ask a yes–no question using the simple past, add “did” before the subject and the infinitive form of the verb.

To ask a question starting with a wh-word (an interrogative pronoun like “who” or an interrogative adverb like “where”), follow the same word order as above, but add the pronoun or adverb at the start of the sentence.

Why did Eva leave so early?

Passive sentences are ones in which the subject is not the person or thing performing the action. Instead, the subject is the person or thing being acted upon.

In the past simple, passive constructions are formed using a subject , “was”/“were”, and the past participle of the verb.

Maria was ignored by the salesman.

Practise using the past simple correctly with the exercises below. In the blank space in each sentence, fill in the correct past simple form based on the subject and verb specified (e.g., “[he / talk]” becomes “he talked”). Some answers may also be negative statements or questions.

• Practice questions
• Answers and explanations
• __________ [you / go] to the shop this morning.
• __________ [they / play] a board game.
• __________ [my son / not / study] for the exam.
• __________ [the band / rehearse] every day this week.
• __________ [I / plan] to be home by six!
• When __________ [you / travel] to France?
• The past simple form of the irregular verb “go” is “went”.
• The past simple form of the regular verb “play” is “played”.
• In the past simple tense, negative statements are formed by adding “did not” (or the contraction “didn’t”) between the subject (“my son”) and the infinitive form of the verb (“study”).
• The past simple form of the regular verb “rehearse” is “rehearsed”.
• For short verbs, where the last three letters follow a consonant-vowel-consonant pattern (e.g., “plan”), you double the final consonant and add “-ed”.
• To ask a question starting with a wh-word, add the wh-word at the start of the sentence, followed by “did”, the subject (“you”), and the infinitive form of the verb (“travel”).

If you want to know more about commonly confused words, definitions, common mistakes, and differences between US and UK spellings, make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.

Nouns & pronouns

• Common nouns
• Proper nouns
• Collective nouns
• Personal pronouns
• Uncountable and countable nouns
• Verb tenses
• Phrasal verbs
• Sentence structure
• Active vs passive voice
• Subject-verb agreement
• Interjections
• Determiners
• Prepositions

The simple past tense of the verb “read” is “read” (e.g., “I read a book last week”).

While “read” is spelled the same in both its past and present forms, its pronunciation differs depending on the tense :

• The simple present form is pronounced “reed”.
• The simple past form is pronounced “red”.

The simple past tense of the verb “teach” is “taught” (e.g., “You taught me a lesson”).

While the simple past of a regular verb is typically formed by adding “-ed” to the end of the infinitive (e.g., “talk” becomes “talked”), irregular verbs like “teach” don’t follow a specific pattern.

The simple past tense of the verb “go” is “went” (e.g., “Ava went to Spain”).

While the simple past of a regular verb is typically formed by adding “-ed” to the end of the infinitive (e.g., “jump” becomes “jumped”), irregular verbs like “go” don’t follow a specific pattern.

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Ryan, E. (2023, October 30). Past Simple | Examples & Exercises. Scribbr. Retrieved 15 July 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/verb/past-simple/

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Verbs are direct, vigorous communicators. Use a chosen verb tense consistently throughout the same and adjacent paragraphs of a paper to ensure smooth expression.

Use the following verb tenses to report information in APA Style papers.

Verb tense is covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Section 4.12 and the Concise Guide Section 2.12

From the APA Style blog

Check your tone: Keeping it professional

When writing an APA Style paper, present ideas in a clear and straightforward manner. In this kind of scholarly writing, keep a professional tone.

The “no second-person” myth

Many writers believe the “no second-person” myth, which is that there is an APA Style guideline against using second-person pronouns such as “you” or “your.” On the contrary, you can use second-person pronouns in APA Style writing.

The “no first-person” myth

Whether expressing your own views or actions or the views or actions of yourself and fellow authors, use the pronouns “I” and “we.”

Navigating the not-so-hidden treasures of the APA Style website

This post links directly to APA Style topics of interest that users may not even know exist on the website.

Welcome, singular “they”

This blog post provides insight into how this change came about and provides a forum for questions and feedback.

Tense Use in Academic Writing

Flipped learning module.

Each Flipped Learning Module (FLM) is a set of short videos and online activities that can be used (in whole or in part) to free up class time from content delivery for greater student interaction. At the end of the module, students are asked to fill out a brief survey, in which we adopt the minute paper strategy . In this approach, students are asked to submit their response to two brief questions regarding their knowledge of the module.

In this FLM, students are asked to complete a fill-in-the-blank outline which accompanies all three videos, covering the topics of common verb tense use in academic writing. The completed outline will enhance the students’ note-taking skills and will serve as a summary of the FLM that they may refer to in the future.

present simple, past simple, present perfect, appropriate use in context

Module Overview Tense use in Academic Writing Common Verb Tenses in Academic Writing Present Simple Tense The Past Tenses Past Simple Tense Present Perfect Tense The Use of Tenses in a Given Text The Three Tenses in an Academic Text Download Video Transcripts

Worksheet: Tense Use in Academic Writing Module Outline

• __________________________________________________
• The most typical verb tense in academic writing is: _______________________, and it is usually in the following paragraphs of an academic essay: _____________________________.
• The Present Simple Tense is used to:__________________________________________________.
• (Function 1):__________________________________________________
• (Function 2):__________________________________________________
• In academic papers, the present perfect tense is used when: __________________________________________________________________________.

Download Outline

Video 1: Tense use in Academic Writing

Tense use in academic writing online activity 1.

In support of his argument, Wasserstrom provides the example of Mickey Mouse, the arrival of which he experiences firsthand in China.

Video 2: The Past Tenses

Tense use in academic writing online activity 2.

Computer-mediated communication (CMC) has developed at an astonishing rate in its short history. With the launch of the World Wide Web in 1990 and the mass popularization of the Internet, many forms of CMC became widely used. These different types of CMC can be differentiated on two parameters: (1) the number of recipients of a message and (2) the synchronicity of the communicative event. Though it is possible to have multiple recipients in instant messaging IM, (it is primarily used for one-to-one dialogue. IM is also synchronous, since participants are “electronically present at the same time” (Paolillo 1999). Instant (or near-instant) reply is the norm, as spontaneous, real-time dialogue takes place. IM is unique in that it is the only one-to-one synchronous type of CMC.

Adapted from “Linguistic ruin? Lol! Instant messaging and teen language” by Sali Tagliamonte and Derek Denis (2008)

Video 3: The Use of Tenses in a Given Text

Tense use in academic writing survey.

• What was the one most important thing you learned from this module?
• Do you have any unanswered questions for me?

Tense Use in Academic Writing In-Class Activity

Based on what you have learned about the three most frequently used tenses in academic writing, here is an exercise for you to complete. We will be watching this TED Talk during class (You may watch it in advance, if you wish, but it is not a requirement).

Summarize the talk in a paragraph written with your assigned group. When you summarize, make sure to use a range of tenses in an academic context.

Download Worksheet

Download Digital Implementation of the Activity

Hacker, Diana. The Bedford Handbook . Bedford St./Martin’s, 2016.

“ Verb Tenses .” The Writing Center , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

See all Writing Program Flipped Learning Modules

What Is The Past Tense?

• I jumped in the lake.
• I was happy.

Table of Contents

Video Lesson

The four past tenses explained, simple past tense, examples of the simple past tense, past progressive tense, examples of the past progressive tense, past perfect tense, examples of the past perfect tense, past perfect progressive tense, examples of the past perfect progressive tense, interactive verb conjugation tables.

Are you a visual learner? Do you prefer video to text? Here is a list of all our grammar videos .

More about the Four Past Tenses

• I played when I was younger.
• I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free. (Italian sculptor Michelangelo)
• Drawing on my fine command of the English language, I said nothing. (Actor and comedian Robert Benchley)
• Every man is guilty of all the good he did not do . (French writer Voltaire)
• I wanted to buy a candle holder, but the store didn't have one. So I got a cake. (Comedian Mitch Hedberg)
• I have never played a hero before so I jumped at the chance. (Actor Adrian Edmondson)
• My fake plants died because I did not pretend to water them.

• I was playing for an hour.
• I was falling asleep when the phone rang.
• We were preparing a picnic, and then it started to rain.
• I feel like I sort of missed the eighties. At the time, we didn't know we were having fun, which is probably the way it always is. (Novelist Tama Janowitz)
• She was seeing a psychiatrist, two plumbers, and a bartender. (Comedian Rodney Dangerfield)
• I told my therapist I was having nightmares about nuclear explosions. He said don't worry it's not the end of the world. (Comedian Jay London)
• I have an idea that the phrase 'weaker sex' was coined by some woman to disarm the man she was preparing to overwhelm. (Poet Ogden Nash)
• I was having trouble making ends meet, and my beginnings weren't meeting either. (Author Allan Sherman)

• I had played already.
• I had crossed the line. I was free, but there was no one to welcome me to the land of freedom. I was a stranger in a strange land. (Political activist Harriet Tubman)
• I had seen birth and death but had thought they were different. (Poet T S Eliot)
• There are so many things that we wish we had done yesterday, so few that we feel like doing today. (Journalist Mignon McLaughlin)
• I phoned my dad to tell him I had stopped smoking. He called me a quitter.
• When I was younger, I could remember anything, whether it had happened or not.
• If we had had more time for discussion we should probably have made a great many more mistakes. (Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky)
• What a wonderful life I've had! I only wish I' d realized it sooner. (Author Sidonie Gabrielle Colette)
• I had always seen myself as a star; I wanted to be a galaxy. (Dancer Twyla Tharp)

• I had been playing since I was ten.
• I had been weeding my garden for weeks, but I just surrendered to the weeds in the end.
• The jury had been considering its verdict for several hours when the judge effectively ordered them to find Jones guilty.
• I was coming home from kindergarten. Well, they told me it was kindergarten. I found out later I had been working in a factory for ten years. (Comedian Ellen DeGeneres)
• I had been writing fiction since I was in eighth grade, because I loved it. (Author Thomas Perry)
• I thought that I was learning how to live, but I had been learning how to die. (Polymath Leonardo da Vinci)
• Even though I had been boxing for three years, I had no idea that I could beat somebody in the ring.
• Many people had been asking me to write an autobiography. I thought I'd better tell my story before other people told it for me. (Comedian Michael Palin)
• It was funny to read a script that was so similar to what had been going on in my life. (Actress Piper Perabo)
• I' d been shouting and shouting and no one wanted to hear me. (Singer Brenda Fassie)

Top 10 Regular Verbs

Top 10 Irregular Verbs

All 4 Past Tenses

All 4 Present Tenses

All 4 Future Tenses

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The Past Simple Tense

Perfect english grammar.

(also called the simple past tense)

Click here to learn about how to USE the past simple.

It's similar to the present simple because it has different rules for the verb 'be', which becomes 'was' or 'were':

The Past Simple with 'be'

Here's how to make the positive:

To make the negative with 'be', just add 'not':

Here's an exercise to practise the positive and negative forms with 'be'

To make a question, just like the present simple, we change the position of 'was / were' and the subject.

Here are the past simple 'yes / no' questions with 'be':

And the 'wh' questions with 'be' (the question word just goes at the beginning, everything else is the same):

And here's an exercise for 'wh' and 'yes / no' questions

Hello! I'm Seonaid! I'm here to help you understand grammar and speak correct, fluent English.

Read more about our learning method

The Past Simple (Simple Past) with Other Verbs

The positive:

We usually make the positive by adding '-ed' to the infinitive. For example, 'play' becomes 'played'. However, there are some irregular verbs , for example 'go' becomes 'went' and 'run' becomes 'ran'.

(Here's some help if you are not sure how to pronounce '-ed' at the end of a verb).

Click here for a list of 50 common irregular verbs (PDF file)

Click here for an exercise about irregular verbs in this verb tense

Click here for another irregular verb exercise

In the negative there aren't any irregular verbs. All verbs use 'did not (didn't) + infinitive':

Here's an exercise about the negative form

Questions are also very easy. Just put 'did' before the subject, and the infinitive after it.

Here are the 'yes / no' questions:

And here's an exercise about 'yes / no' questions

To make a 'wh' question, of course, put the question word at the beginning of the sentence:

And here's an exercise about 'wh' questions

Here are some exercises about making all the forms: Mixed Exercise 1 Mixed Exercise 2 Mixed Exercise 3 Mixed Exercise 4

Click here to learn about when we use this tense

Essay Past Tense

essayed past tense of essay is essayed.

Essay verb forms

Conjugation of Essay

• What is the past tense of euchre in English?
• What is the second form of verb euhemerize?
• What is the third form of verb eulogise in English?
• What is the conjugation of eulogize in English?
• Conjugate eunuchate in English?

PastTenses is a database of English verbs. One can check verbs forms in different tenses. Use our search box to check present tense, present participle tense, past tense and past participle tense of desired verb.

Essay Past Tense: Verb Forms, Conjugate ESSAY

The past tense of essay is essayed

The Forms of Essay

Conjugate essay, essay in present simple (indefinite) tense, essay in present continuous (progressive) tense, essay in present perfect tense, essay in present perfect continuous tense, essay in past simple (indefinite) tense, essay in past continuous (progressive) tense, essay in past perfect tense, essay in past perfect continuous tense, essay in future simple (indefinite) tense, essay in future continuous (progressive) tense, essay in future perfect tense, essay in future perfect continuous tense.

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Past Tense Errors

You have already learned that time is a very important element of verbs. There are three main time frames in English: Past, Present, and Future. The following information concerns some problems writers occasionally have with the past and future.

Present:  Indicates experiences and events that are occurring now. It is also the tense we use to express opinions and state facts.

Past:  Indicates experiences and events that are over and done with in the past. Regular past tense verbs have an -ed ending.

Examples of Regular Present and Past Verb Forms

Present past.

ask asked grab grabbed* start started stop stopped walk walked  

There are also many irregular verbs.

Examples of Irregular Present and Past Verb Forms

is/am was are were has/have had do did get got leave left teach taught think thought

Past Tense Exercise:

Look up the following verbs in the dictionary and put the correct form of the past tense in the blank:

• Speak 
• Discuss 
• Write 
• Catch  

Past Tense Proofreading:  When you write about your experiences in the past, you need to check and make sure all the verbs are in the correct past form.

Common Past Tense Verb Errors

• One problem is that people tend to use the present tense to tell about personal experiences in the past. If you are writing about an experience that occurred in the past, use the past tense. Using present is fine when you talk, but writing is more formal, so you need to follow the rules and keep the verb tenses consistent.
• A second common error is when students use would + verb to describe an event that happened in the past. This is fine in speech but it is not correct in writing.

When I was younger, I would go to school everyday with my friend Vi.

Sometimes we didn't quite make it. We would walk to the front of the school and

then we would race to the back playground. Our teacher would call our parents

and our parents would come to the school and make us go to class. We would be

good for a few weeks and then it would happen again.   

Correcting Subjects and Verbs

Past tense exercise.

Remember that you should not use the present tense unless you are writing about something that is fact, opinion, currently in existence, or habit. The following paragraph is a story of something that happened to someone in the past. All the verbs should be in the past tense. Underline all of the verbs in the following passage and check to see if they are in the correct past tense or if they need to be corrected. Use your dictionary to check the correct forms.

 When I was in elementary school people starts to alienated me because of how I look. I am alienated because of the way I looks. I am skinny. In elementary school I am teased about my weight. People use to call me all kinds of names. For example, they calls me chopstick, light pole, 2 by 4 and so on. As I go on with my school people still calls me names. It don't stop in elementary. It goes right on to junior high and high school. Throughout these years my feelings would be hurt. I don't say anything because if I does then they would say more about me. So I would say nothing throughout my school years. But it doesn't stop there either. It still go on after I get out of high school. So every time I meet someone they would say something about my weight. So that's why I stay quiet most of the time. But I still get the feeling that if I go somewhere there are people talking about the way I look. That gets on my nerves. But I don't say anything because I am really not sure what they are talking about.  So I told myself that I'm not going to take it any more. So I decide that I was going to change the way I look. I start to worked out and start to eat some food to make me gain weight. I was hoping that in two years I'm going to be a different person. But by the time I am in 3rd grade I would still be skinny.

50 Verbs of Analysis for English Academic Essays

Note: this list is for advanced English learners (CEFR level B2 or above). All definitions are from the Cambridge Dictionary online . 

Definition: to have an influence on someone or something, or to cause a change in someone or something.

Example: Experts agree that coffee affects the body in ways we have not yet studied.

Definition: to increase the size or effect of something.

Example: It has been shown that this drug amplifies the side effects that were experienced by patients in previous trials.

Definition: to say that something is certainly true .

Example: Smith asserts that his findings are valid, despite criticism by colleagues.

Characterizes

Definition: Something that characterizes another thing is typical of it.

Example: His early paintings are characterized by a distinctive pattern of blue and yellow.

Definition: to say that something is true or is a fact , although you cannot prove it and other people might not believe it.

Example: Smith claims that the study is the first of its kind, and very different from the 2015 study he conducted.

Definition: to make something clear or easier to understand by giving more details or a simpler explanation .

Example: The professor clarified her statement with a later, more detailed, statement.

Definition: t o collect information from different places and arrange it in a book , report , or list .

Example: After compiling the data, the scientists authored a ten-page paper on their study and its findings.

Definition: to judge or decide something after thinking carefully about it.

Example: Doctor Jensen concluded that the drug wasn’t working, so he switched his patient to a new medicine.

Definition: to prove that a belief or an opinion that was previously not completely certain is true .

Example: This new data confirms the hypothesis many researchers had.

Definition: to join or be joined with something else .

Example: By including the criticisms of two researchers, Smith connects two seemingly different theories and illustrates a trend with writers of the Romanticism period.

Differentiates

Definition: to show or find the difference between things that are compared .

Example: Smith differentiates between the two theories in paragraph 4 of the second part of the study.

Definition: to reduce or be reduced in s i ze or importance .

Example: The new findings do not diminish the findings of previous research; rather, it builds on it to present a more complicated theory about the effects of global warming.

Definition: to cause people to stop respecting someone or believing in an idea or person .

Example: The details about the improper research done by the institution discredits the institution’s newest research.

Definition: to show.

Example: Smith’s findings display the effects of global warming that have not yet been considered by other scientists.

Definition: to prove that something is not true .

Example: Scientists hope that this new research will disprove the myth that vaccines are harmful to children.

Distinguishes

Definition: to notice or understand the difference between two things, or to make one person or thing seem different from another.

Example: Our study seems similar to another one by Duke University: how can we distinguish ourselves and our research from this study?

Definition: to add more information to or explain something that you have said.

Example: In this new paper, Smith elaborates on theories she discussed in her 2012 book.

Definition:  to represent a quality or an idea exactly .

Example: Shakespeare embodies English theater, but few can understand the antiquated (old) form of English that is used in the plays.

Definition: to copy something achieved by someone else and try to do it as well as they have.

Example: Although the study emulates some of the scientific methods used in previous research, it also offers some inventive new research methods.

Definition: to improve the quality , amount , or strength of something.

Example: The pharmaceutical company is looking for ways to enhance the effectiveness of its current drug for depression.

Definition: to make something necessary , or to involve something.

Example: The scientist’s study entails several different stages, which are detailed in the report.

Definition: to consider one thing to be the same as or equal to another thing.

Example: Findings from both studies equate; therefore, we can conclude that they are both accurate.

Establishes

Definition: to discover or get proof of something.

Example: The award establishes the main causes of global warming.

Definition: to make someone remember something or feel an emotion .

Example: The artist’s painting evokes the work of some of the painters from the early 1800s.

Definition: to show something.

Example: Some of the research study participants exhibit similar symptoms while taking the medicine.

Facilitates

Definition: to make something possible or easier .

Example: The equipment that facilitates the study is expensive and of high-quality.

Definition: the main or central point of something, especially of attention or interest .

Example: The author focuses on World War II, which is an era she hasn’t written about before.

Foreshadows

Definition: to act as a warning or sign of a future event .

Example: The sick bird at the beginning of the novel foreshadows the illness the main character develops later in the book.

Definition: to develop all the details of a plan for doing something.

Example: Two teams of scientists formulated the research methods for the study.

Definition: to cause something to exist .

Example: The study’s findings have generated many questions about this new species of frog in South America.

Definition:   to attract attention to or emphasize something important .

Example: The author, Dr. Smith, highlights the need for further studies on the possible causes of cancer among farm workers.

Definition: to recognize a problem , need, fact , etc. and to show that it exists .

Example: Through this study, scientists were able to identify three of the main factors causing global warming.

Illustrates

Definition:   to show the meaning or truth of something more clearly , especially by giving examples .

Example: Dr. Robin’s study illustrates the need for more research on the effects of this experimental drug.

Definition: to communicate an idea or feeling without saying it directly .

Example: The study implies that there are many outside factors (other than diet and exercise) which determine a person’s tendency to gain weight.

Incorporates

Definition: to include something as part of something larger .

Example: Dr. Smith incorporates research findings from 15 other studies in her well-researched paper.

Definition: to show, point , or make clear in another way.

Example: Overall, the study indicates that there is no real danger (other than a lack of sleep) to drinking three cups of coffee per day.

Definition: to form an opinion or guess that something is true because of the information that you have.

Example: From this study about a new medicine, we can infer that it will work similarly to other drugs that are currently being sold.

Definition: to tell someone about parti c ular facts .

Example: Dr. Smith informs the reader that there are some issues with this study: the oddly rainy weather in 2017 made it difficult for them to record the movements of the birds they were studying.

Definition: to suggest , without being direct , that something unpleasant is true .

Example: In addition to the reported conclusions, the study insinuates that there are many hidden dangers to driving while texting.

Definition: to combine two or more things in order to become more effective .

Example: The study about the popularity of social media integrates Facebook and Instagram hashtag use.

Definition: to not have or not have enough of something that is needed or wanted .

Example: What the study lacks, I believe, is a clear outline of the future research that is needed.

Legitimizes

Definition: to make something legal or acceptable .

Example: Although the study legitimizes the existence of global warming, some will continue to think it is a hoax.

Definition: to make a problem bigger or more important .

Example: In conclusion, the scientists determined that the new pharmaceutical actually magnifies some of the symptoms of anxiety.

Definition: something that a copy can be based on because it is an extremely good example of its type .

Example: The study models a similar one from 1973, which needed to be redone with modern equipment.

Definition: to cause something to have no effect .

Example: This negates previous findings that say that sulphur in wine gives people headaches.

Definition: to not give enough c a re or attention to people or things that are your responsibility .

Example: The study neglects to mention another study in 2015 that had very different findings.

Definition: to make something difficult to discover and understand .

Example: The problems with the equipment obscures the study.

Definition: a description of the main facts about something.

Example: Before describing the research methods, the researchers outline the need for a study on the effects of anti-anxiety medication on children.

Definition:   to fail to notice or consider something or someone.

Example: I personally feel that the study overlooks something very important: the participants might have answered some of the questions incorrectly.

Definition: to happen at the same time as something else , or be similar or equal to something else .

Example: Although the study parallels the procedures of a 2010 study, it has very different findings.

Converse International School of Languages offers an English for Academic Purposes course for students interested in improving their academic English skills. Students may take this course, which is offered in the afternoon for 12 weeks, at both CISL San Diego and CISL San Francisco . EAP course graduates can go on to CISL’s Aca demic Year Abroad program, where students attend one semester at a California Community College. Through CISL’s University Pathway program, EAP graduates may also attend college or university at one of CISL’s Pathway Partners. See the list of 25+ partners on the CISL website . Contact CISL for more information.  

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Verb Tense Consistency

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Throughout this document, example sentences with nonstandard or inconsistent usage have verbs in red .

Controlling shifts in verb tense

Writing often involves telling stories. Sometimes we narrate a story as our main purpose in writing; sometimes we include brief anecdotes or hypothetical scenarios as illustrations or reference points in an essay.

Even an essay that does not explicitly tell a story involves implied time frames for the actions discussed and states described. Changes in verb tense help readers understand the temporal relationships among various narrated events. But unnecessary or inconsistent shifts in tense can cause confusion.

Generally, writers maintain one tense for the main discourse and indicate changes in time frame by changing tense relative to that primary tense, which is usually either simple past or simple present. Even apparently non-narrative writing should employ verb tenses consistently and clearly.

General guideline: Do not shift from one tense to another if the time frame for each action or state is the same.

Explains is present tense, referring to a current state; asked is past, but should be present ( ask ) because the students are currently continuing to ask questions during the lecture period.

CORRECTED: The instructor explains the diagram to students who ask questions during the lecture.

Darkened and sprang up are past tense verbs; announces is present but should be past ( announced ) to maintain consistency within the time frame.

CORRECTED: About noon the sky darkened , a breeze sprang up , and a low rumble announced the approaching storm.

Walk is present tense but should be past to maintain consistency within the time frame ( yesterday ); rode is past, referring to an action completed before the current time frame.

CORRECTED: Yesterday we walked to school but later rode the bus home.

General guideline: Do shift tense to indicate a change in time frame from one action or state to another.

Love is present tense, referring to a current state (they still love it now;) built is past, referring to an action completed before the current time frame (they are not still building it.)

Began is past tense, referring to an action completed before the current time frame; had reached is past perfect, referring to action from a time frame before that of another past event (the action of reaching was completed before the action of beginning.)

Are installing is present progressive, referring to an ongoing action in the current time frame (the workers are still installing, and have not finished;) will need is future, referring to action expected to begin after the current time frame (the concert will start in the future, and that's when it will need amplification.)

Controlling shifts in a paragraph or essay

General guideline: Establish a primary tense for the main discourse, and use occasional shifts to other tenses to indicate changes in time frame.

• Rely on past tense to narrate events and to refer to an author or an author's ideas as historical entities (biographical information about a historical figure or narration of developments in an author's ideas over time).
• Use present tense to state facts, to refer to perpetual or habitual actions, and to discuss your own ideas or those expressed by an author in a particular work. Also use present tense to describe action in a literary work, movie, or other fictional narrative. Occasionally, for dramatic effect, you may wish to narrate an event in present tense as though it were happening now. If you do, use present tense consistently throughout the narrative, making shifts only where appropriate.
• Future action may be expressed in a variety of ways, including the use of will, shall, is going to, are about to, tomorrow and other adverbs of time, and a wide range of contextual cues.

Using other tenses in conjunction with simple tenses

It is not always easy (or especially helpful) to try to distinguish perfect and/or progressive tenses from simple ones in isolation, for example, the difference between simple past progressive ("She was eating an apple") and present perfect progressive ("She has been eating an apple"). Distinguishing these sentences in isolation is possible, but the differences between them make clear sense only in the context of other sentences since the time-distinctions suggested by different tenses are relative to the time frame implied by the verb tenses in surrounding sentences or clauses.

Example 1: Simple past narration with perfect and progressive elements

On the day in question...

By the time Tom noticed the doorbell, it had already rung three times. As usual, he had been listening to loud music on his stereo. He turned the stereo down and stood up to answer the door. An old man was standing on the steps. The man began to speak slowly, asking for directions.

In this example, the progressive verbs had been listening and was standing suggest action underway at the time some other action took place. The stereo-listening was underway when the doorbell rang. The standing on the steps was underway when the door was opened. The past perfect progressive verb had been listening suggests action that began in the time frame prior to the main narrative time frame and that was still underway as another action began.

If the primary narration is in the present tense, then the present progressive or present perfect progressive is used to indicate action that is or has been underway as some other action begins. This narrative style might be used to describe a scene from a novel, movie, or play, since action in fictional narratives is conventionally treated as always present. For example, we refer to the scene in Hamlet in which the prince first speaks (present) to the ghost of his dead father or the final scene in Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing , which takes place (present) the day after Mookie has smashed (present perfect) the pizzeria window. If the example narrative above were a scene in a play, movie, or novel, it might appear as follows.

Example 2: Simple present narration with perfect and progressive elements

In this scene...

By the time Tom notices the doorbell, it has already rung three times. As usual, he has been listening to loud music on his stereo. He turns the stereo down and stands up to answer the door. An old man is standing on the steps. The man begins to speak slowly, asking for directions.

In this example as in the first one, the progressive verbs has been listening and is standing indicate action underway as some other action takes place. The present perfect progressive verb has been listening suggests action that began in the time frame prior to the main narrative time frame and that is still underway as another action begins. The remaining tense relationships parallel those in the first example.

In all of these cases, the progressive or -ing part of the verb merely indicates ongoing action, that is, action underway as another action occurs. The general comments about tense relationships apply to simple and perfect tenses, regardless of whether there is a progressive element involved.

It is possible to imagine a narrative based on a future time frame as well, for example, the predictions of a psychic or futurist. If the example narrative above were spoken by a psychic, it might appear as follows.

Example 3: Simple future narration with perfect and progressive elements

Sometime in the future...

By the time Tom notices the doorbell, it will have already rung three times. As usual, he will have been listening to loud music on his stereo. He will turn the stereo down and will stand up to answer the door. An old man will be standing on the steps. The man will begin to speak slowly, asking for directions.

In this example as in the first two, the progressive verbs will have been listening and will be standing indicate ongoing action. The future perfect progressive verb will have been listening suggests action that will begin in the time frame prior to the main narrative time frame and that will still be underway when another action begins. The verb notices here is in present-tense form, but the rest of the sentence and the full context of the narrative cue us to understand that it refers to future time. The remaining tense relationships parallel those in the first two examples.

General guidelines for use of perfect tenses

In general the use of perfect tenses is determined by their relationship to the tense of the primary narration. If the primary narration is in simple past, then action initiated before the time frame of the primary narration is described in past perfect. If the primary narration is in simple present, then action initiated before the time frame of the primary narration is described in present perfect. If the primary narration is in simple future, then action initiated before the time frame of the primary narration is described in future perfect.

Past primary narration corresponds to Past Perfect ( had + past participle) for earlier time frames

Present primary narration corresponds to Present Perfect ( has or have + past participle) for earlier time frames

Future primary narration corresponds to Future Perfect ( will have + past participle) for earlier time frames

The present perfect is also used to narrate action that began in real life in the past but is not completed, that is, may continue or may be repeated in the present or future. For example: "I have run in four marathons" (implication: "so far... I may run in others"). This usage is distinct from the simple past, which is used for action that was completed in the past without possible continuation or repetition in the present or future. For example: "Before injuring my leg, I ran in four marathons" (implication: "My injury prevents me from running in any more marathons").

Time-orienting words and phrases like before, after, by the time , and others—when used to relate two or more actions in time—can be good indicators of the need for a perfect-tense verb in a sentence.

• By the time the senator finished (past) his speech, the audience had lost (past perfect) interest.
• By the time the senator finishes (present: habitual action) his speech, the audience has lost (present perfect) interest.
• By the time the senator finishes (present: suggesting future time) his speech, the audience will have lost (future perfect) interest.
• After everyone had finished (past perfect) the main course, we offered (past) our guests dessert.
• After everyone has finished (present perfect) the main course, we offer (present: habitual action) our guests dessert.
• After everyone has finished (present perfect) the main course, we will offer (future: specific one-time action) our guests dessert.
• Long before the sun rose (past), the birds had arrived (past perfect) at the feeder.
• Long before the sun rises (present: habitual action), the birds have arrived (present perfect) at the feeder.
• Long before the sun rises (present: suggesting future time), the birds will have arrived (future perfect) at the feeder.

Sample paragraphs

The main tense in this first sample is past. Tense shifts are inappropriate and are indicated in bold .

(adapted from a narrative)

Inappropriate shifts from past to present, such as those that appear in the above paragraph, are sometimes hard to resist. The writer becomes drawn into the narrative and begins to relive the event as an ongoing experience. The inconsistency should be avoided, however. In the sample, will should be would , and rise should be rose .

The main tense in this second sample is present. Tense shifts—all appropriate—are indicated in bold.

(adapted from an article in the magazine Wilderness )

This writer uses the present tense to describe the appearance of a dragonfly on a particular July morning. However, both past and future tenses are called for when she refers to its previous actions and to its predictable activity in the future.

Click here for exercises on verb tense.

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APA 7: Verb Tense and Reporting Verbs

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The past tense or present perfect tense are appropriate when discussing a researcher’s work. Use the past or present perfect tenses in your in-text citations.

Berry (2022) and Gimmel et al. (2020) discovered that young people in foster care are at high risk for psychiatric disorders and poor long-term functional outcomes.

Wood (2018) and Winter (2008) used tribal critical race theory to explore the necessity and importance of letting Native people be the authority on their culture’s representation and allowing them to center their lived experiences and speak for themselves.

Present Perfect

Researchers have discovered that young people in foster care are at high risk for psychiatric disorders and poor long-term functional outcomes ( Berry, 2022; Gimmel et al., 2020) .

Other scholars have used tribal critical race theory to explore the necessity and importance of letting Native people be the authority on their culture’s representation and allowing them to center their lived experiences and speak for themselves (Wood, 2018; Writer, 2008).

Common Verbs (Reporting Verbs) Used in Academic Writing

Reporting verbs are used to convey what someone else has said or written. We use these in in-text citations to describe the ideas we are citing from authors’ works.

Tentative Reporting Verbs

Reporting Verb Handout

• Verb Tense & Reporting Verbs

The information on this page formatted as a handout that can be printed for convenient reference as you write.

Neutral Reporting Verbs

Strong Reporting Verbs

Adapted from American Psychological Association publication manual (7th ed.).

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Irregular Past Tense Verbs | 75+ Important Irregular Verbs List

Irregular past tense verbs are an essential part of the English language. These verbs do not follow the typical pattern of adding “-ed” to the base form of the verb to form the past tense. Instead, they have unique forms that must be memorized to use them correctly. Irregular verbs are used frequently in everyday conversation and written communication, making it essential to understand them.

Learning irregular past tense verbs can be challenging, but it is an essential part of mastering the English language. By memorizing the unique forms of these verbs, individuals can communicate more effectively and avoid common grammatical errors. In the following article, we will explore the most common irregular verbs and provide examples of their usage to help learners understand them better.

Understanding Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs are a special type of verb that do not follow the standard rules for creating past tense and past participle forms. While most English verbs follow a predictable pattern of adding “-ed” to the base form of the verb to create the past tense and past participle, irregular verbs have unique forms that must be memorized.

There are hundreds of irregular verbs in the English language, and they can be challenging to learn. However, it is essential to understand irregular verbs because they are used frequently in everyday communication.

Here are some key things to know about irregular verbs:

• Irregular verbs do not follow a consistent pattern. Some irregular verbs have unique past tense forms, while others have unique past participle forms, and some have both.
• Many common verbs are irregular. Some examples of irregular verbs include “go,” “eat,” “see,” “do,” and “have.”
• There is no easy way to predict which verbs are irregular. However, many irregular verbs are among the most commonly used words in the English language.
• Regular verbs are easier to learn than irregular verbs because they follow a predictable pattern. However, irregular verbs are essential to learn because they are used frequently in everyday communication.

Unlike regular verbs , these verbs that undergo substantial changes when changing forms between tenses are irregular verbs. The changed forms of these verbs are often unrecognizably different from the originals. For example:

There is no way to tell what form an irregular verb is going to take in a changed tense; the only option for an English speaker is to commit the changes to memory. With practice, it will become a matter of habit .

Common Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs are verbs that do not follow the standard rules of conjugation for their past tense and past participle forms. They are often used in everyday English and can be difficult to memorize due to their unique forms. In this section, we will discuss the most common irregular verbs in English and how they are used.

Action Verbs

Action verbs are verbs that describe an action or a physical movement. Some of the most common irregular action verbs in English include:

• Bought : He bought a new car last week.
• Did : She did her homework before dinner.
• Found : They found a lost dog on the street.
• Gave : He gave her a present for her birthday.
• Had : She had a headache yesterday.
• Met : They met at the park for a picnic.
• Ran : He ran a marathon last year.
• Said : She said she would be here at 2 pm.
• Saw : They saw a movie last night.
• Sent : He sent an email to his boss this morning.
• Spoke : She spoke to her parents on the phone yesterday.
• Took : He took the train to work this morning.
• Thought : She thought about her future plans all day.

State Verbs

State verbs are verbs that describe a state of being or a condition. Some of the most common irregular state verbs in English include:

• Are : They are not happy with the new policy.
• Become : She became a doctor after years of studying.
• Begin : He began his new job last month.
• Break : She broke her leg skiing last winter.
• Bring : He brought his own lunch to work today.
• Build : They built a new house in the countryside.
• Buy : She bought a new dress for the party.
• Choose : He chose the red car instead of the blue one.
• Drive : She drove to the beach for the weekend.
• Give : They gave him a warm welcome when he arrived.
• Hear : She heard a strange noise in the middle of the night.
• Hold : He held her hand during the scary movie.
• Keep : She kept the secret to herself for years.
• Lay : He laid the book on the table and went to bed.
• Let : She let her sister borrow her car for the day.
• Lose : He lost his keys and couldn’t find them anywhere.
• Make : She made a cake for her friend’s birthday.
• Meet : They met at the coffee shop for a chat.
• Pay : He paid the bill with his credit card.
• Read : She read a book before going to sleep.
• Ring : They rang the doorbell but nobody answered.
• Run : He ran a mile in under 5 minutes.
• Say : She said goodbye and left the room.
• See : They saw a shooting star in the sky.
• Sell : He sold his old car for a good price.
• Send : She sent a postcard to her family from her trip.
• Sing : He sang a song at the karaoke bar.
• Speak : She spoke in front of a large audience.
• Stand : He stood up to give his speech.
• Take : She took a picture of the sunset on the beach.
• Teach : He taught English in Japan for two years.
• Tell : She told him the truth about what happened.
• Understand : They understood the instructions clearly.
• Wear : She wore a red dress to the party.
• Win : He won the game with a last-minute goal.
• Write : She wrote a novel in just three months.

Auxiliary Verbs

Auxiliary verbs are verbs that are used to form different verb tenses or to express modality. Some of the most common irregular auxiliary verbs in English include:

• Be : She was tired after a long day at work.
• Do : He did his best to finish the project on time.
• Have : They have been married for 10 years.

Overall, irregular verbs are an important part of English grammar and vocabulary. By memorizing the most common ones, learners can improve their fluency and accuracy in spoken and written English.

Irregular Past Tense Verbs List

Here is a list of commonly used irregular verbs with their base form, simple past form and the past participle.

Using Irregular Verbs in Sentences

Irregular verbs are verbs that do not follow the normal patterns for tense and past participle. They have their own unique tense forms and past participles. Using irregular verbs in sentences can be tricky, but with practice, it becomes easier.

One way to use irregular verbs in sentences is by using the simple past tense. For example, “She ran to the store.” In this sentence, “ran” is the irregular past tense form of the verb “run.” Similarly, “He bet on the wrong horse” uses the irregular past tense form of the verb “bet.”

Another way to use irregular verbs in sentences is by using the present perfect tense. For example, “They have caught many fish.” In this sentence, “caught” is the irregular past participle form of the verb “catch.” Similarly, “She has drunk too much water” uses the irregular past participle form of the verb “drink.”

It is important to note that irregular verbs do not follow a set pattern, so it is important to memorize them individually. Here is a table of some common irregular verbs and their past tense and past participle forms:

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some common irregular past tense verbs?

There are many irregular past tense verbs in English. Some of the most common ones include “go” (went), “eat” (ate), “see” (saw), “have” (had), “do” (did), “say” (said), “make” (made), “take” (took), “give” (gave), and “get” (got).

Can you give me examples of irregular verbs in past tense?

Sure, here are a few examples of irregular verbs in past tense:

• “She ate breakfast this morning.”
• “He went to the store yesterday.”
• “They saw a movie last night.”
• “I had a great time at the party.”
• “She did her homework before dinner.”

How do you form the past tense of irregular verbs?

The past tense of irregular verbs is formed differently than regular verbs. While regular verbs add “-ed” to the base form to create the past tense, irregular verbs have their own unique past tense forms that must be memorized. For example, the past tense of “go” is “went,” and the past tense of “eat” is “ate.”

What distinguishes irregular verbs from regular verbs?

The main difference between irregular and regular verbs is the way they form their past tense and past participle forms. Regular verbs add “-ed” to the base form to create the past tense and past participle, while irregular verbs have their own unique forms that must be memorized.

What are the most important irregular verbs to know?

There are many irregular verbs in English, but some of the most important ones to know include “be” (was/were), “have” (had), “do” (did), “go” (went), “see” (saw), “say” (said), “make” (made), “take” (took), and “get” (got).

Why is it important to learn irregular past tense verbs?

Learning irregular past tense verbs is important for effective communication in English. Using the correct past tense form can help convey accurate information and prevent confusion. Additionally, many common verbs in English are irregular, so knowing their past tense forms is essential for everyday conversation and writing.

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Table of irregular verbs

Note that be has several irregular forms:

Present: ( I ) am , ( she, he, it ) is , ( you , we , they ) are

Past: ( I, she, he, it ) was , ( you , we , they ) were

-ed form: been

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