The past

The past

26 When talking about the past, an adjunct of time or other time expression is necessary to specify the particular time in the past you are referring to. The time reference can be established in a previous clause, and the verbs in the following clauses are therefore put in the past tense.

It was very cold that night. Over my head was a gap in the reed matting of the roof.

I was talking to one of them yesterday. She said she got roast and Yorkshire pudding.

Stating a definite time in the past: the simple past

27 If you want to say that an event occurred or that something was the case at a particular time in the past, you use the simple past.

The Israeli Prime Minister flew into New York yesterday to start his visit to the US.

Our regular window cleaner went off to Canada last year.

On 1 February 1968 he introduced the Industrial Expansion Bill.

I remember the time when Bill Tilden, about fifty years ago, threw his racquet at Wimbledon.

28 If you want to say that a situation existed over a period of time in the past, you also use the simple past.

He lived in Paris during his last years.

Throughout 1954 he assiduously studied peerage law.

29 If you are talking about something that happened in the past, and you mention a situation that existed at that time, you use the simple past. You can do this whether or not the situation still exists.

All the streets in this part of Watford looked alike.

About fifty miles from the university there was one of India's most famous and ancient Hindu temples.

30 If you want to talk about an activity that took place regularly or repeatedly in the past, but which no longer occurs, you use the simple past.

We walked a great deal in my boyhood.

Each week we trekked to the big house.

'Would' and 'used to' can also be used to say that something happened regularly in the past but no longer does so. See paragraphs 115 and 259 for more information.

Accent on the past: the past continuous

31 If you want to talk about continued states or repeated actions which occurred in the past, you use the past continuous.

Her tooth was aching, her burnt finger was hurting.

He was looking ill.

Everyone was begging the captain to surrender.

I was meeting thousands of people and getting to know no one.

contrasting events 32 If you want to contrast a situation with an event which happened just after that situation existed, you use the past continuous to describe the first situation. You then use the sample past to describe and draw attention to the event which occurred after it.

We were all sitting round the fire waiting for my soldier brother to come home. He arrived about six in the evening.

I was waiting angrily on Monday morning when I saw Mrs. Miller.

The past in relation to the present: the present perfect

33 If you want to mention something that happened in the past but you do not want to state a specific time, you use the present perfect tense.

They have raised 180 for a swimming pool.

I have noticed this trait in many photographers.

WARNING 34 You cannot use adjuncts which place the action at a definite time in the past with the present perfect. You cannot say 'I have done it yesterday'.

You can, however, use an adjunct of duration.

The settlers have left the bay forever.

I have often criticized the standards of cleanliness and punctuality on the trains.

Adjuncts of duration are explained and listed in paragraphs 123 to 142.

You can also use 'since' and 'for' with the present perfect because when they are used in this way they refer to a definite time.

They have been back every year since then.

It was the only record to have stayed in the American charts for a full six weeks.

For more information on 'since' see paragraph 137. Other uses of 'for' are explained in paragraphs 125 to 128.

situations that still exist 35 If you want to talk about an activity or situation that started at some time in the past, continued, and is still happening now, you use the present perfect or the present perfect continuous.

All my adult life I have waited for the emergence of a strong centre party.

She's always felt that films should be entertaining.

National productivity has been declining.

Caroline Johnstone is 26 and has been cooking for a bank for five years.

emphasizing duration of event 36 If you want to emphasize the duration of a recent event, you use the duration present perfect continuous.

She's been crying.

It will no doubt be argued by some that I have been describing is not a crisis of industry.

The Department of Aboriginal Affairs has recently been conducting a survey of Australian Aborigines.

Events before a particular time in the past: the past perfect

37 If you want to talk about a past event or situation that occurred before a particular time in the past you use the past perfect.

One day he noticed that a culture plate had become contaminated by a mould.

By dusk tear gas had spread through the south campus.

She had lost her job as a real estate agent and was working as a waitress.

I detested any form of games and had always managed to avoid children's parties.

38 If you want to emphasize the recentness and the duration of a continuous activity which took place before a particular time in the past, you use the past perfect continuous.

Until now the rumours that had been circulating were exaggerated versions of the truth.

The doctor had been working alone.

He arrived back in Munich from Rome where he had been meeting other OAS leaders.

They had been hitting our trucks regularly.

39 If you want to say that something was expected, wished for, or intended before a particular time in the past, you use the past perfect or the past perfect continuous to show that it has not yet happened.

She had naturally assumed that once there was a theatre everybody would want to go.

It was the remains of a ten-rupee note which she had hoped would last till the end of the week.

It was not as nice on the terrace as Clarissa had expected.

I had been expecting some miraculous obvious change.

Emphasizing time in the past: using adjuncts

40 When you are using past tenses, you normally use an adjunct of time at some point to indicate that you are talking about the past.

At one time the arts of reading and writing were classed among the great mysteries of life for the majority of people.

I've made some poor decisions lately, but I'm feeling much better now.

It was very splendid once, but it's only a ruin now.

It's Mark who lost his wife. A year last January.

It was terribly hot yesterday.

41 Adjuncts of time can refer either to a specific time, or to a more general indefinite period of time.

The lists below give the most common adjuncts of indefinite time which are used mainly with past tenses. With the exception of 'since' and 'ever since' which come at the end of a clause, you put them after the auxiliary or modal in a verb group which has more than one word. If you use them with the simple past, you put them in front of the verb.

The words in the following list can be used with all past tenses:

The words in the following list can be used with all past tenses except the present perfect:

Note that 'once' here means 'at some time in the past'. For its uses as an adverb of frequency, see paragraph 11

For the uses of 'since' as a preposition in adjuncts of time, see paragraph 5,137.

Some adjuncts used with past tenses are more specific. If you want to be more exact about the time reference, you use adjuncts which include the word 'yesterday', and those involving time expressions such as 'ago', 'other', and 'last'. Note that 'ago' is placed after the noun group.

I saw him yesterday evening.

We bought the house from her the day before yesterday.

Three weeks ago I was staying in San Francisco.

I saw my goddaughter the other day.

It all happened a long time ago.

WARNING 42 You say 'last night', not 'yesterday night'.

used for emphasis 43 There are some cases where adjuncts have to be used to specify the time reference. In other cases, you may simply want to make the action clear, or emphatic. These uses are described below.

used with the simple past 44 When you use the simple past to describe habitual of regular activities, you can use an adjunct of frequency to indicate the regularity or repetition of the activity.

He often agreed to work quite cheaply.

Sometimes he read so much that he became confused.

Etta phoned Guppy every day.

The use of the simple past to describe habitual actions is explained in paragraph 30.

used with the past continuous 45 If you are using the past continuous to talk about repeated actions, you can add an adjunct of frequency such as 'always' or 'forever' after the auxiliary to emphasize the frequency of the action or to express your annoyance about it.

In the immense shed where we worked, something was always going wrong.

Ellen was always answering the door, talking to the coalman.

Her eyes squeezed up and ran with tears, so that she was forever wiping them.

The use of the past continuous to describe repeated actions is explained in paragraph 31.

46 When you use the present perfect to mention something that relevant to the present, you can add an adjunct of frequency to indicate that the action was repeated.

I've often wondered why we didn't move years ago.

Britain and other Western nations have frequently told South Africa that they want Mandela released.

The use of the present perfect to talk about situations which are still relevant is explained m paragraph 33,

47 Note that if you are talking about a quality, attitude, or possession that still exists or is still relevant, you need to use the present perfect with an adjunct of duration.

We've had it for fifteen years.

He's always liked you, you know.

l have known him for years.

My people have been at war since 1917.

48 If you use the present perfect and the present perfect continuous to mention a continuing activity that began in the past, you can add an adjunct of duration to indicate how long it has been going on.

For many years, the TUC has been advocating child care facilities at work.

They have been meeting together weekly now for two years.

He has looked after me well since his mother died.

The use of the present perfect and the present perfect continuous to talk about activities that began in the past is explained in paragraph 3

49 When you use the past perfect to describe a repeated event that took place before a particular time in the past, you use an adjunct of frequency to indicate how often it was repeated.

Posy had always sought her out even then.

The house keeper mentioned that the dog had attacked its mistress more than once.

The use of the past perfect to describe events that occurred before a particular time in the past are explained in paragraph 37.

50 If you are using the past perfect to talk about a situation which did not change in the past, you use an adjunct of duration to emphasize the length of time during which it existed.

They weren't really our aunt and uncle, but we had always known them.

All through those many years he had never ever lost track of my father.

His parents had been married for twelve years when he was born.

51 If you are using the past perfect continuous to mention a recent, continuous activity, you can specify when it began by using an adjunct.

The Home Office had until now been insisting on giving the officers only ten days to reach a settlement.

Since then, the mother had been living with her daughter.

Adjuncts of frequency or duration can also be added for emphasis.

The drive increased the fatigue she had been feeling for hours.

The rain had been pouring all night.

The use of the past perfect continuous to talk about a recent, continuous activity is explained in paragraph 38.