Past Tenses The Past Indefinite Tense

Pattern: Yesterday Jane went to the cinema.

This tense is used to denote actions or facts, taking place in the past.

Markers: yesterday, last week, a month (year, week, two days) ago, on Sunday, in 1995, the other day.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was an Austrian musician and composer. He lived from 1756 to 1791. He started composing at the age of five and wrote more than 600 pieces of music.

was, lived, started, wrote – are all Past Indefinite (Simple)

The forms of the Past Indefinite Tense:

affirmative:	Sub V2	Helen went to school yesterday.
negative:	Sub did not V1	Helen did not go to school yesterday.
interrogative	Did Sub V1 ?	Did Helen go to school yesterday? Yes, she did. No, she did not. (No, she didn’t)

The form of the Past Indefinite Tense is made up with the help of the second form of the verb.

The Past Simple Tense is formed
Regular verbs	Irregular verbs
V+ed patted, learned, started, lived, expected, noticed, liked, studied, agreed, created.	The forms of such verbs must be learnt by heart: to begin (began), to forgive (forgave), to fall (fell), to catch (caught), to hold (held), to shoot (shot), to speak (spoke), to meet (met), to think (thought)

Spelling Rules of Past Form of Regular Verbs:

1. PAT + ED = PATTED

(we double the letter “t” to preserve the closed syllable, otherwise the word would have a different variant of pronunciation from that of the infinitive )

BUT: in the word OPEN, there is no use to change anything as the first syllable is stressed and the addition of –ed doesn’t influence anything.

OPEN + ED = OPENED

2. STUDY + ED = STUDIED

In such verbs as to study, where Y is the last letter, the letter Y is replaced by I

3. CLOSE + ED = CLOSED

If there is “E” at the end of a verb, it shouldn’t be preserved after the addition of - ed

Exercise 1. Consult the dictionary and give 4 forms of the following verbs:

To stand, to sit, to depart, to get, to write, to give, to work, to walk, to cry, to leave, to expect, to manage, to have, to try, to understand, to close, to draw, to choose, to succeed, to wonder, to mean, to sell, to swim, to buy, to greet, to fill, to feel, to progress.

Exercise 2. Make up interrogative and negative variants of the sentences:

Model: I watched the film two years ago.

Did I watch the film two years ago?

No, I didn’t. I didn’t watch the film two years ago.

1. She worked at the library last year.

2. He spent his winter vacation in Moscow.

3. She brought me three magazines yesterday.

4. My sister studied French at school.

5. My pupils asked me a lot of questions at the last lesson.

6. My mother bought a new trouser-suit last week.

7. My brother left for Karelia yesterday.

8. He got up at ten o’clock yesterday.

9. My uncle taught me to swim in my childhood.

Exercise 3. Read what 11-year-old Helen is saying about her typical working day.

1. Write out all the verbs and put down 4 forms of each of the verbs.

I usually get up at seven o’clock and have a substantial breakfast. After that, I go to my bed-room and make my bed. I study in the first shift and that is why I have quite enough time before I go to school. I always try to do my best to help my mother about the house. So I clean my room, sweep the floor, dust the furniture, water the flowers, collect the dirty linen and take it to the laundry, which is situated just round the corner. I am a hardworking and brisk person, and I can do everything in no time, that is why I even have some time to read a book before I start for school. Usually I have four classes a day, and when I return home, I do not feel tired, as I love to study. After a short rest, I call my best friend Stacy and we go for a walk together.

2. Yesterday was a typical day for Helen. Write what she did and didn’t do yesterday.

Model: Yesterday Helen got up at seven o’clock and had a substantial breakfast…

Exercise 4. Read Jason’s story about his going shopping with his girlfriend.

1. Open the brackets and put the verbs into the correct form:

Model: Last Saturday my girlfriend and I spent much time in the shopping center.

Last Saturday my girlfriend and I (to spend) much time in the shopping center. Jessica (to want) to renew her wardrobe according to the latest fashion, and we (to be going) to spend the whole day in the supermarket. First we (to make up) our minds to go to a shoe department. My girl friend (to be afraid) to buy footwear of the wrong size. She (to try on) many pairs of shoes. All of them (to suit) her perfectly well, at last she (to decide) on high-heeled stiletto shoes. I (to get) tired in the end. Then Jessica (to understand) that she (to need) to find a new handbag to match her new shoes. She (to buy) it only 30 minutes later as the choice (to surprise) her immensely. No wonder Jessica (to be puzzled) what to take. It (to be) late evening when we (to leave) the store.

2. Jason’s girl-friend, Jessica, adores to contradict her friend, that’s why her version of their going is an opposite one. Make up her version.

Remember that she is eager to deny everything Jason says:

Model: Last Saturday my boyfriend and I didn’t spend a lot of time in the shopping center.

Exercise 5. Read the story about the Browns’ housecleaning, using the Past Indefinite tense.

1. Open the brackets:

Ann and her mother (to get up) early in the morning on Saturday. They (to change) bedclothes and (to make) the beds. After that they (to open) the windows and (to let in) some fresh air and (to get down) to tidying the rooms. They (to dust) and (to polish) the furniture, (to wash) the floor, (to clean) the carpet, (to beat out) the door mat.

As for the father and the son, they (not to do) much. Ann’s brother (to put) all his toys into a special box. Ann’s father (to fix) electrical appliances and (to hang) a marvelous picture on the wall.

2. Make up all types of questions to the text: