Questions tagged [past-tense]
This tag is for questions related to usage of the past tense in English.
872
questions
-1
votes
0answers
24 views
I was working while I was studying at college [migrated]
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 ...
-1
votes
0answers
23 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 ...
0
votes
1answer
31 views
Can You help me with my english? [closed]
Is It correct to say: "I had been his wife before he got married with her."?
0
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0answers
27 views
Why is it supposed to be “couldn't get” instead of “couldn't got”? [migrated]
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?
1
vote
0answers
48 views
Which is correct “get” or “got” in this context? [closed]
You know what it feels like to be ignored and you got angry
[referring to a previous event in the past]
You know what it feels like to be ignored and you get angry
[~it is not nice to be ...
0
votes
0answers
60 views
“He walked in the room” or “He was walking in the room”
So I've been arguing with anon about the difference between "walk in" and "walk into".
He says "Walk in the room" means pretty much the same as if a person was physically walking in the room.
What ...
1
vote
0answers
43 views
Life was OR Life were [closed]
Life was beautiful without the internet.
OR
Life were beautiful without the internet.
which one is correct sentence? or sentence need some changes?
Should I consider 'life' as singular or plural ?...
0
votes
1answer
35 views
Verb tense when comparing two different time frames in a sentence
I'm trying to contrast how I'm doing different things in two different times. My sentence is:
"Then and now I (am/was) doing different things."
Which form of "be" is correct in this case? Or are ...
0
votes
0answers
6 views
Questions about 'if' [migrated]
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 ...
0
votes
0answers
23 views
Use of “then-current” in hypothetical past from the perspective of a hypothetical future
Would this be possible? It feels odd to me because using "then-current" feels like it is implying it actually happened and is being at that moment viewed in retrospect, when it is really a ...
1
vote
1answer
63 views
How can I express in a sentence something that happened in the past but that has an impact on the present?
Given that English is not my first language, I was wondering how to express a verb that started and ended in the past but that has a repercussion in the present moment...
Is it correct to say “spent ...
0
votes
0answers
70 views
Use of Tenses: Stating a still-true fact in a memoir-styled story
I’m trying to translate a story into English, but I got stuck on tenses a lot. I did some research, but those cases aren’t quite the same as mine.
Question: When telling a true story that happened in ...
1
vote
0answers
26 views
“I was going to do,but something happened”, “I was to do,but something happened” and “I was about to do,but something happened”have the same meaning?
Do "I was going to do,but something happened", "I was to do,but something happened" and "I was about to do,but something happened"have the same meaning?.I'm so confused right now.
Please give me some ...
0
votes
0answers
33 views
Using “are” or “were” in a past tense and third person
Given that London currently has thirty-two boroughs, are both of these examples considered "past tense/third person"?
1.
There were precisely thirty-two known boroughs in London. However, tucked ...
3
votes
1answer
88 views
The ways to indicate a state or an action which lasted and then ended at or before some point in the past?
I feel quite confused. If I want to say that something was true or was happening for a while before some point in the past, what ways does English give me to express that?
If I want to express that ...
0
votes
2answers
36 views
Stateing Past Actions With Specified Time
When we specify the time with past tense do we state the final point of the action or the time interval in which the action happend (started and ended)?
For example I started washing our car at 11:00 ...
0
votes
1answer
49 views
Actions That Terminate At Present Moment
Which tense should I use for actions which terminate exactly at the present time and the final point of the action is the present moment ? Can present perfect be used for this type of situation?
Let'...
2
votes
2answers
134 views
Using Past Simple when talking about an event which was happening for a while before another event
I always thought when a person is speaking of two past events, they should use the Past Perfect tense for the earlier event. Like this:
"I had been explaining (Past Perfect) this rule to you for ...
-1
votes
0answers
37 views
Grammar: Past perfect or Past simple or something else entirely?
Is this sentence grammatically correct?
He left before she had finished her sentence.
I have already read multiple articles on this and i know that past perfect is used when there are two actions with ...
-1
votes
0answers
22 views
past VS past perfect tense
I am reading a new report and there is a sentence
"In the accident three men and three women died, while 10 men and 5 women were injured."
why died is in past tense while injure is in past perfect?
0
votes
1answer
32 views
Stressing innovative studies has or have had? [duplicate]
I am unsure whether the sentence would make grammatical sense as has or have had. Is this sentence fragment considered singular or plural? Is stressing a gerund that makes it singular? Because ...
0
votes
1answer
64 views
Past Simple and Present Perfect
In the book Grammar Lab, there were examples of words that would give away the tense, for example, the words "yesterday, last week, the last time, when, etc" and "since, for, yet, still, so far, etc" ...
-1
votes
1answer
90 views
Modal verbs and Past Perfect
Is it possible to use modal verbs in Past Perfect?
I know we can use modal verb + perfect infinitive to talk about the past, e.g. I shouldn't have said that. This is Past Simple tense, isn't it?
I ...
0
votes
1answer
55 views
Wanted to make sure you “had” or “have” what you need to make a start [closed]
Would you be able to explain which one is grammatically correct, or whether both can be grammatically correct depending on the context?
1
vote
1answer
106 views
Is the wording “haven't have had” correct?
The other day I started looking for the time of this sentence, I ended up wondering if it is right. I believe I've seen it in some literature, possibly in a movie, but I don't remember the scene or ...
-1
votes
1answer
42 views
For a month vs. A month, Past Tense?
What is the difference between these two sentences?
My expensive shoes only lasted a month.
My expensive shoes only lasted for a month.
Could we omit “for“?
Does the phrase “a month” always ...
0
votes
2answers
51 views
When to use and not to use Past Perfect
This question has probably been asked many times, so I apologize in advance. I also apologize if it's too long and may not abide by all the rules. After seeing many examples of past perfect and past ...
1
vote
1answer
228 views
He was studying or he studied? [closed]
Is it correct to say "Jimmy learned how to rock climb when he was studying at Carleton College" or is it better to say "Jimmy learned how to rock climb when he studied at Carleton College"?
0
votes
1answer
55 views
After + past simple, is the action always completed?
In the following sentence:
After I read the magazine, I decided to go out.
For native speakers, does it mean:
that I read the whole magazine and then went out
that I read some pages and after a ...
0
votes
1answer
34 views
used to or past simple
Which of the sentences below is correct?
My son used to play video games a lot when he was a child.
My son played video games a lot when he was a child.
Are they both correct? If not, is there a ...
-1
votes
1answer
75 views
What is an archaic, rare noun or word for an archetypal, vengeant, past tensive male character who is of the past that many aspire to be like?
What I mean is "someone of old" that people could be drawn to. One who is stuck in the past and in his ways and dislikes the future.
Something like:
• an originator
• an innovator
• a predecessor
• ...
2
votes
2answers
35 views
Past tense/present tense: Found out Vs. Finding out
Recently, one of my project mates corrected my writing, but I'm not sure if it has been corrected in the right way.
Would you be kind to read it and tell me if it's correct in the native English ...
1
vote
1answer
96 views
While + Past Simple + Past Simple vs. While + Past Continues + Past Simple
We can use these two tenses together as below, for example:
While she was walking on a sunny beach, Amy slowly read an
extremely long book about justice.
I was wondering under what conditions we ...
1
vote
2answers
94 views
Present tense of “unassigned”?
Why is there no present tense of unassigned? We have assign and assigned, so why is unassign not a proper word when we have unassigned?
19
votes
1answer
4k views
Why is the past tense of vomit generally spelled 'vomited' rather than 'vomitted'? [duplicate]
"Vomit" is not a recent addition to English, and nor does it have a peculiar pronunciation. Yet, the past tense of vomit does not follow the notion that a vowel followed by a consonant and emphasis on ...
0
votes
1answer
41 views
Grammar present perfect past perfect
This is kind of confusing for me. Would be happy to get the answer and find out the right way of using these constructions:)
Is this correct and if not how I can use present and past perfect in one ...
1
vote
1answer
65 views
Confused between Past continuous and Past perfect continuous
In these following sentences, which one is grammatically correct?
They were playing football since 10 o'clock.
They had been playing football since 10 o'clock.
According to this reference ...
0
votes
1answer
37 views
Past and when should i use what? [duplicate]
English grammar has been confusing me for a long time, so I want to ask some questions about the past and how you use it. I'm more interested in information about British English.
When and how do you ...
1
vote
1answer
188 views
I was lucky to have had / I was lucky I had [duplicate]
Which one is correct, if I am talking about something that happened in the past and already ended? This is in the context of having a good friend:
I was lucky to have had one back then
OR
I was ...
1
vote
0answers
29 views
Can “earlier this year” be used with past progressive?
I am struggling with the correct tense for the following sentence:
Some of you might know me already as I was interning for six months at this company earlier this year.
Since "earlier this year" ...
1
vote
0answers
58 views
Past tense questions in Middle English
I am attempting to ask a question that would be in past tense using middle English. The specific question is of the form “Person, where did you find this thing?” I was not able to find much about ...
1
vote
0answers
36 views
A specific example about past tense in subordinate clause
I've read several posts about "main clause past tense, can I use simple present tense in the subordinate clause?" and I think I get the basic idea.
General truth can use present.
He didn't know ...
0
votes
4answers
773 views
Past tense of “greenlight” [closed]
Is it greenlighted or greenlit? Is there a correct one or are both acceptable?
0
votes
0answers
28 views
Accredited Certification - past tense
Certified is the past tense of certify, associated with the noun Certification.
What would the past tense associated with Accredited Certification be?
'Accredited Certified' seems wrong.
'Certified ...
0
votes
1answer
41 views
The perspective of people in the future looking back at now
My student came to me with this sentence that we disagree on.
"People in the future will wonder why we have many traffic accidents today."
I think 'have' should be 'had'.
i.e. "People in the future ...
0
votes
1answer
85 views
Present perfect and simple past in same sentence “have” and “had” [closed]
I have seen the other questions similar to this topic, but they all explain how the sentence is in present perfect and simple past. My question is, I would like to know why, or what the grammatical ...
0
votes
2answers
79 views
Past tense of past tense
If a book is written in past tense, how do you describe something which was in the past?
For example:
I was waiting in the back of the line because I "punched" the son of the principal.
The verb "...
1
vote
1answer
47 views
“The cohort were followed up at 2 months” or “The cohort was followed up at 2 months” [duplicate]
Here, cohort is a group of 12-13 year olds.
0
votes
1answer
48 views
If the flow “were” working or “was”
I'm trying to understand why the plural is used in this case instead of the singular. The sentence uses the plural version of the past tense of "be" when referring to "the flow".
Why is the sentence ...
0
votes
0answers
18 views
Why do this book telling a story in the past but they use present tense? [duplicate]
I was reading a book "Call me by your name" and I was so confused by the tense they use in the book. It is obviously the story they tell happens in the past but they use present tense. I am trying to ...
