Past Perfect continuous (practice)-1



Q1) Translate following Sentences into your mother tongue.

1)      He had been building a house since January.
2)      She had been standing on the bus stand for one hour.
3)      Had you not been suffering from malaria since March.?
4)      He had been panting a picture for one hour.
5)      She had been learning how to cook for two weeks.
6)      Mason had been erecting a statue since morning.
7)      Soldiers had been marching to border for two days.
8)      Traffic signal had not been working since June.
9)      She had been wearing sarees since her Marriage.
10)   He had been doing overtime for one month.
11)  Birds had been flying to south since beginning of winter.
12)  India had been making progress since independence.
13)  He had been burning in revenge since his defeat in war.
14)  His work had been pending for one month.
15)  You had been talking for one hour.

Q2) Write 15 sentences in past perfect continuous (Practice)-2

For further practice see

Past Perfect continuous



Past Perfect Continuous Tense

The Past Perfect Continuous tense indicates ongoing actions in the past that were not completed and had a specific starting time or duration. This article delves into its usage, rules, and sentence structures.

Key Rules:

  1. Verb Form: Use the first form of the verb with 'ing' added.
  2. Helping Verb: Utilize 'had been' with all subjects.
  3. Time Indicators: Employ 'since' for the starting time of an action and 'for' for the duration of an action.

Sentence Structures:

  1. Affirmative Sentence: Subject + had been + verb + object.
  2. Negative Sentence: Subject + had not been + verb + object.
  3. Interrogative Sentence: Had + subject + been + verb + object?
  4. Negative Interrogative Sentence: Had + subject + not been + verb + object?

Examples:

Affirmative:

  1. He had been working here since 1959.
  2. They had been playing soccer for two hours.
  3. She had been studying English for a year.
  4. The birds had been chirping since dawn.
  5. We had been waiting for the train for an hour.

Negative:

  1. She had not been sleeping for 2 hours.
  2. He had not been working on the project since last week.
  3. They had not been practicing the piano for long.
  4. The children had not been playing outside all day.
  5. I had not been reading the book for very long.

Interrogative:

  1. Had they been swimming for a long time?
  2. Had she been waiting for the bus since morning?
  3. Had you been playing the guitar for hours?
  4. Had the flowers been blooming in the garden all day?
  5. Had he been searching for his keys for ages?

Negative Interrogative:

  1. Had you not been trying to climb the tree for half an hour?
  2. Had they not been studying for the exam since yesterday?
  3. Had she not been practicing ballet for long?
  4. Had he not been preparing for the interview for weeks?
  5. Had we not been waiting for the concert for hours?

FAQ:

  1. Can contractions be used in the Past Perfect Continuous tense?
    • Yes, contractions like 'hadn't been' (had not been) can be used in negative sentences for informal writing or speech.
  2. Are there specific time indicators used with the Past Perfect Continuous tense?
    • Yes, specific time indicators like 'since' for the starting time of an action and 'for' for the duration of an action are often used with the Past Perfect Continuous tense.
  3. Can adverbs of frequency be used with the Past Perfect Continuous tense?
    • Yes, adverbs of frequency like 'always,' 'often,' 'sometimes,' etc., can be used with the Past Perfect Continuous tense to describe the frequency of ongoing actions in the past.
  4. Can the Past Perfect Continuous tense be used for actions happening simultaneously?
    • No, the Past Perfect Continuous tense is used to describe ongoing actions in the past that were not completed and had a specific starting time or duration, not for simultaneous actions.
  5. How does the Past Perfect Continuous tense differ from the Past Perfect tense?
    • The Past Perfect Continuous tense describes ongoing actions in the past that were not completed, while the Past Perfect tense describes completed actions in the past before another past action or a specific point in time.
  6. Can the Past Perfect Continuous tense be used for interrupted actions?
    • Yes, the Past Perfect Continuous tense can be used to describe ongoing actions in the past that were interrupted by another action or event.
  7. Can the Past Perfect Continuous tense be used for background actions in a story?
    • Yes, the Past Perfect Continuous tense can be used to describe ongoing background actions or events that occurred before the main events of a story.

For practice see


Past Perfect (practice)-2



Q1) Translate following sentences into your mother tongue.

1)      Petrol price has risen again.
2)       An idea has come to his mind.
3)      Had the landlord gone to the city?
4)      Seeds had germinated after the rain.
5)      He had skinned the apple.
6)      Children had plucked many flowers from the garden.
7)       Many herbs had extinct.
8)      You had made a cot from bamboo.
9)      They had caught in the desert.
10)  Crowd had burnt a public vehicle.
11)  Many mangoes had fallen from the tree.
12)   Tress had shed their leaves in autumn.
13)  Drivers had gone to strike.
14)  Cook had cooked the food.
15)  Wind had become cold during night.

Q2) write 15 sentences is Past Perfect tense.

Past perfect (practice)-1



Q1) Translate following sentences into your mother tongue.

1)      Birds had return to their nests.
2)      Father had gone to the office.
3)      Had the child fallen in the river?
4)      We had not purchased new clothes for the party.
5)      Rain had started.
6)      Grandfather had read the newspaper.
7)      Boat had capsized.
8)      Military had reached for help.
9)      We had defeated the enemy.
10)  Doctor had examined ten patients.
11)  Had the bad time passed?
12)  Cobbler had sewn the shoes.
13)  He had decided in his mind.
14)  We had defeated the enemy.
15)  Court had banned the use of Polythene.

Q2) write 15 sentences in Past Perfect tense.

For further Practice see Past Perfect (practice)-2

Past Perfect



Past Perfect Tense

The past perfect tense signifies completed actions in the past. It indicates that the action denoted by the verb has been finished. This article explores its usage, rules, and sentence structures.

Key Rules:

  1. Verb Form: Utilize the third form of the verb.
  2. Helping Verb: Use "had" with all subjects.

Sentence Structures:

  1. Affirmative Sentence: Subject + had + verb + object.
  2. Negative Sentence: Subject + had not + verb + object.
  3. Interrogative Sentence: Had + subject + verb + object?
  4. Negative Interrogative Sentence: Had + subject + not + verb + object?

Examples:

Affirmative:

  1. He had completed his work.
  2. She had sung a beautiful song.
  3. The team had won the match.
  4. The flowers had bloomed in the garden.
  5. They had finished their dinner before the movie.

Negative:

  1. They had not fulfilled their duty.
  2. He had not received the email.
  3. She had not visited her grandparents last weekend.
  4. The cat had not caught the mouse.
  5. We had not expected such a surprise.

Interrogative:

  1. Had you gone mad?
  2. Had she finished her homework?
  3. Had they arrived before the storm?
  4. Had the train departed when you reached the station?
  5. Had he completed the project on time?

Negative Interrogative:

  1. Had we not observed the traffic rules?
  2. Had they not received the invitation?
  3. Had she not finished her chores?
  4. Had you not visited the museum before?
  5. Had the flowers not bloomed in time for the event?

FAQ:

  1. Can contractions be used in the past perfect tense?
    • Yes, contractions like "hadn't" (had not) can be used in negative sentences for informal writing or speech.
  2. Are there any specific time indicators used with the past perfect tense?
    • Specific time indicators like "before," "already," and "by the time" are often used with the past perfect tense to indicate the timing of the completed action.
  3. Can adverbs of frequency be used with the past perfect tense?
    • Yes, adverbs of frequency like "always," "often," "sometimes," etc., can be used with the past perfect tense to describe the frequency of completed actions in the past.
  4. Can the past perfect tense be used for actions happening simultaneously?
    • No, the past perfect tense is used to indicate actions completed before another past action or a specific point in the past, not for simultaneous actions.
  5. How does the past perfect tense differ from the past indefinite tense?
    • The past perfect tense indicates actions completed before another past action, while the past indefinite tense describes completed actions without specifying their relationship to other past events.
  6. Can the past perfect tense be used for interrupted actions?
    • Yes, the past perfect tense can be used to describe actions that were completed before an interruption occurred in the past.

Example: Before the phone rang, she had already finished writing the report.

For practice see


Past continuous



Past Continuous Tense

The past continuous tense indicates ongoing actions that were happening at a specific moment in the past. This article explores its usage, rules, and structures.

Key Rules:

  1. Verb Form: Utilize the first form of the verb with 'ing' added.
  2. Helping Verbs: Use 'was' for singular subjects and 'were' for plural subjects.

Sentence Structures:

  1. Affirmative Sentence: Subject + was/were + verb + object.
  2. Negative Sentence: Subject + was/were + not + verb + object.
  3. Interrogative Sentence: Was/were + subject + verb + object?
  4. Negative Interrogative Sentence: Was/were + subject + not + verb + object?

Examples:

Affirmative:

  1. She was cooking the food.
  2. They were playing in the park.
  3. The birds were singing melodiously.
  4. He was reading a book in the library.
  5. The sun was shining brightly in the sky.

Negative:

  1. We were not going abroad.
  2. She was not listening to the music.
  3. They were not attending the meeting.
  4. The cat was not chasing the mouse.
  5. He was not wearing his glasses.

Interrogative:

  1. Were you building a house?
  2. Was she cooking dinner for the family?
  3. Were they playing football in the yard?
  4. Was he reading a newspaper?
  5. Were the birds singing in the morning?

Negative Interrogative:

  1. Was he not climbing the mountain?
  2. Were they not attending the party?
  3. Was she not listening to the music?
  4. Were they not going to the cinema?
  5. Was the cat not chasing the mouse?

FAQ:

  1. When do we use the past continuous tense?
    • The past continuous tense is used to describe ongoing actions or events that were happening at a specific time in the past.
  2. Can contractions be used in the past continuous tense?
    • Yes, contractions like 'wasn't' (was not) and 'weren't' (were not) can be used in negative sentences for informal writing or speech.
  3. Are there any specific time indicators used with the past continuous tense?
    • Specific time indicators like 'at,' 'when,' or 'while' are often used with the past continuous tense to indicate the time frame of the ongoing action.
  4. Can adverbs of frequency be used with the past continuous tense?
    • Yes, adverbs of frequency like 'always,' 'often,' 'sometimes,' etc., can be used with the past continuous tense to describe the frequency of past actions.
  5. Can the past continuous tense be used for actions happening simultaneously?
    • Yes, the past continuous tense can be used to describe actions happening simultaneously in the past.
  6. How does the past continuous tense differ from the past indefinite tense?
    • The past continuous tense describes ongoing actions at a specific moment in the past, while the past indefinite tense describes completed actions in the past.
  7. Can the past continuous tense be used for interrupted actions?
    • Yes, the past continuous tense can be used to describe interrupted actions in the past.
  8. Can the past continuous tense be used for background actions in a story?
    • Yes, the past continuous tense can be used to describe background actions or events happening while another action is taking place in a story.

For practice see


Past indefinite (practice)-2

Rules of Past Indefinite tense

Q1) Translate following sentences into your mother tongue.

1)      Fox saw a bunch of grapes.
2)      He picked the pebbles one by one and threw in the post.
3)      I purchased a pair of shoes from Chandni Chowk.
4)      Child drew a beautiful painting.
5)      He felt insulted.
6)      He did not like to lie.
7)      Did you spend the whole night in the open?
8)      Mother laid the bed.
9)      Child lost in the fair.
10)  Did you beat that minor child?
11)  Prince put his thoughts in the conference.
12)  He paid for his laziness.
13)  Suddenly God appeared before him.
14)  Truck carried goods to the market.
15)  We listened to teacher very carefully.

Q2) Write 15 sentences in Past Indefinite tense.

Past indefinite (practice)-1

Rules of past indefinite tense

Q1) Translate following sentences into your mother tongue.

1)      He went in a forest.
2)      He saw his shadow in the water.
3)      She became sad.
4)      Woodcutter sat under a tree.
5)      He saw up with surprise.
6)      He held his breadth.
7)      Fox tried many times to catch the grapes.
8)      His friend came down from the tree.
9)      Dog stole a piece of bread.
10)  He adopted many methods.
11)  Monkeys imitated him.
12)  This time he passed through the forest.
13)  Fox closed the door of cage immediately.
14)  Ten people injured and two died in the accident.
15)  People carried the injured to the hospital.

Q2) Write 15 sentences in past indefinite tense.

For further practice see

Past Indefinite



Past Indefinite Tense


The past indefinite tense, also known as the simple past tense, is used to describe actions or events that occurred at a specific point in the past and are now completed.

We use the past indefinite tense in the following situations:

a)    Narrating Past Events: The past indefinite tense is commonly used to narrate or describe completed actions or events that happened in the past.

a.    Example: "She visited Paris last summer."

b)    Talking About Past Habits or Routines: When discussing habits or routines that were regular occurrences in the past, we use the past indefinite tense.

a.    Example: "He played tennis every Saturday morning."

c)    Describing Past Actions with Specific Time References: When referring to actions or events that happened at a definite point in the past, the past indefinite tense is used.

a.    Example: "They arrived at the airport at 9 PM."

Overall, the past indefinite tense is utilized to convey actions, habits, events, or states that occurred and were completed in the past, with a specific focus on their completion and past occurrence.

 Key Rules:

  1. Verb Form: Employ the second form of the verb.
  2. Negative Sentences: Use "did not" for negation.
  3. Interrogative Sentences: Start with "Did."
  4. Verb Form in Negative and Interrogative Sentences: Use the first form of the verb.

Sentence Structures:

  1. Affirmative Sentence: Subject + verb + object.
  2. Negative Sentence: Subject + did not + verb + object.
  3. Interrogative Sentence: Did + subject + verb + object?
  4. Negative Interrogative Sentence: Did + subject + not + verb + object?

Examples:

Affirmative:

  1. He crossed the river in half an hour.
  2. She danced at the party.
  3. They finished their homework yesterday.
  4. The cat chased the mouse.
  5. We watched the movie last night.

Negative:

  1. She did not like long journeys.
  2. He did not complete the project on time.
  3. They did not attend the meeting.
  4. The dog did not bark all night.
  5. We did not receive the package.

Interrogative:

  1. Did you like to go to the dance club?
  2. Did she finish her homework?
  3. Did they visit their grandparents last weekend?
  4. Did the cat catch the mouse?
  5. Did you watch the movie?

Negative Interrogative:

  1. Did you not cook the food?
  2. Did she not attend the meeting?
  3. Did they not finish their work?
  4. Did the dog not bark all night?
  5. Did you not receive the package?

How useful is this tense?

We can make many write-ups by using only past indefinite tense. In the following example see that most of the sentences are of past indefinite tense.


Title: The Hare and the Tortoise

Once upon a time, in a big forest, there was a fast hare.
He liked to tell everyone how fast he was.
The slow tortoise heard him and wanted to race.
The hare agreed, thinking it would be an easy win.
They started the race, and the hare ran very fast.
He thought he would win easily and took a nap.
The tortoise kept going slowly but steadily.
When the hare woke up, he saw the tortoise near the finish line.
He ran as fast as he could, but the tortoise won.
The animals were surprised and cheered for the tortoise.
The hare felt sorry and learned not to be too proud.
He respected the tortoise and never bragged again.
From then on, everyone knew to be patient and steady.

 

FAQ:

  1. How do we form interrogative sentences in the past indefinite tense?
    • Interrogative sentences in the past indefinite tense begin with 'Did' followed by the subject and then the verb.
  2. Can contractions be used in the past indefinite tense?
    • Yes, contractions like 'didn't' (did not) can be used in negative sentences of the past indefinite tense for informal writing or speech.
  3. Are there any specific time indicators used with the past indefinite tense?
    • No specific time indicators are required, but adverbs of time can be used to provide context.
  4. What is the difference between the past indefinite tense and the present perfect tense?
    • The past indefinite tense refers to completed actions in the past, while the present perfect tense indicates actions that occurred at an unspecified time before the present.
  5. Can we use adverbs of frequency with the past indefinite tense?
    • Yes, adverbs of frequency like 'always,' 'often,' 'sometimes,' etc., can be used with the past indefinite tense to describe the frequency of past actions.
  6. Do we always need to use 'did' in negative and interrogative sentences of the past indefinite tense?
    • Yes, 'did' is necessary to form negative and interrogative sentences in the past indefinite tense.

For practice see