Grammar-Quizzes › Verb Phrases › Verbs › Past Tense
Past Tense
Summary of Practices
Past Diagnostic: identify specific points that need review
This is a grammar diagnostic page with study links.
Quiz 1: beginning – intermediate
Quiz 2: intermediate – advanced
Past vs. Past Progressive: refer to earlier occurrences
Beginning– Intermediate ESL, Native Speakers–spelling
Past vs. Past Progressive (time lines)
Verbs of Short of Long Duration
Practice 1 – multiple choice
Practice 2 – correct / incorrect
Practice 3 – edit sentence
Jack received a speeding ticket on June 16th.
Jack was receiving a speeding ticket when a friend drove by.
Past Progressive: report past temporary, repeated, or background activity
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
More Permant vs Temporary Change
Practice – read and complete sentences (MC)
Alison lived in San Francisco after she finished school.
Alison took the train while she was living in San Francisco.
We saw two cars crash.
As we were walking along the sidewalk, we saw two cars crash.
Progressive: express duration or repetition
Intermediate – Advanced ELL
Present vs. Progressive (mixed tenses)
Verbs of Short and Long Duration
Situations (states, actions activities, processes)
We have been reading the news online every morning for many years. (indefinite timing)
Yesterday, the four of us were reading the same story on different websites. (definite timing)
As we were sharing details from our websites, we realized that the details differed. (backgrounding)
We fact-checked, discussed and determined how much truth the article presented. (series of events)
"Where did you read that?" he asked. (source, origin question)
Would vs. Used to: report past behavior or past habits
Intermediate–Advanced ESL
We would go to the beach after school.
We used to go to the beach after school. (earlier stage of life)
She used to have a surf board. (state of possession)
She would have an amazing tan by the time summer ended. (conditioned outcome)
Past — Source or Emotional Impact: report a past activity (not its timing)
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
Source vs. Duration – past vs. present perfect
Practice – complete the sentence (MC)
Where did you get those jeans?
Where have you been? (for the past few hours)
Wow! He did a back flip! (emotional response)
He has done lots of back-flips in his career.
Past — Series: report a sequence of past events
Intermediate– Advanced ESL, Native Speakers
I got in my car, headed for the highway, drove several miles.
I looked behind me a saw a police car. He had been following me for a mile.
Past Perfect: contrast earlier from later events
Intermediate– Advanced ESL, Native Speakers
Practice 1 – complete the sentence (MC)
Practice 2 – complete the sentence (MC)
After we had ordered from the menu, we began to talk.
First, we ordered from the menu. Then, we began to talk.
We had just ordered from the menu when the electricity went off.
Would vs. Used to: narrate past behavior or past habits
Intermediate– Advanced ESL
We would go to the beach after school.
We used to go to the beach after school. (earlier stage of life)
She used to have a surf board. (state of possession)
She would have an amazing tan by the time summer ended. (conditioned outcome)
Irreg Verb Forms 1: Review past and participle verb forms (A – L)
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
awake, beat begin, bite, blow, bring, buy, choose, cost, dig, draw, drive, fall, feel, find, fly, get, go, hang, hear, hit, hold, hurt, know, lay,
Jaycee (spinned, span, spun?) _____the ball on his toe last night.
Irreg Verb Forms 2: Review past and participle verb forms (L –W)
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
let, lie, lose, loosen, meet, put, read, ring, run, see, send, shake, shut, sit, slide, spend, stand, stick, swear, swim, teach, tell, throw, upset wear,
Jamie (let) _____the ball drop in yesterday's final play.
Been / Being: contrast the sounds of been and being
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
Practice – complete the sentence (MC)
We've been quiet. (present perfect - active)
We're being quiet. (present progressive - active)
We've been seen by Dr. Allen. (present perfect - passive)
We 're being seen by Dr. Allen (present progressive - passive)