Examples of Past tense

Past indefinite tense

1. I saw a movie yesterday.
2. I didn't see a play yesterday.
3. Last year, I traveled to Japan.
4. Last year, I didn't travel to Korea.
5. Did you have dinner last night?
6. She washed her car.
7. He didn't wash his car.

Past continuous tense

1. I was watching TV when she called.
2. When the phone rang, she was writing a letter.
3. While we were having the picnic, it started to rain.
4. What were you doing when the earthquake started?
5. I was listening to my iPod, so I didn't hear the fire alarm.
6. You were not listening to me when I told you to turn the oven off.
7. While John was sleeping last night, someone stole his car.
8. Sammy was waiting for us when we got off the plane.
9. While I was writing the email, the computer suddenly went off.

Future perfect tense

1. You had studied English before you moved to New York.
2. Had you studied English before you moved to New York?
3. You had not studied English before you moved to New York.
4. I had never seen such a beautiful beach before I went to Kauai.
5. I did not have any money because I had lost my wallet.
6. Tony knew Istanbul so well because he had visited the city several times.
7. Had Susan ever studied Thai before she moved to Thailand?
8. She only understood the movie because she had read the book.
9. Kristine had never been to an opera before last night.

Past perfect continuous tense

1. They had been talking for over an hour before Tony arrived.
2. She had been working at that company for three years when it went out of business.
3. How long had you been waiting to get on the bus?
4. Mike wanted to sit down because he had been standing all day at work.
5. James had been teaching at the university for more than a year before he left for Asia.
6. You had been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived.
7. Had you been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived?
8. You had not been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived.