The Master of Tense
By
Mohammed Mohsin ( M.A in English Literature J.U)and B.Ed 1st Class.( N.U)
Mobile: +8801814-22 25 07/ +8801850-14 97 02.
All The Past Forms
1.Past Indefinite/Simple:
Denotes an action having occurred in the past.
How to know the Bangla sentences: লাম, লে, ল , লি, লেন, তাম, তে, ত, তি, তেন
Structure:
sub + the past form of the verb + obj/ext/complement.
Examples: I did the work. You played football.
Uses of the simple past:
- Sentences having yesterday, ago, long ago, long since, long long ago, once, once upon a time, last night, previous day etc are in the past indefinite. Such as: Once there lived a king in China. Father came home yester day.
- The simple Past is also used for past habits: He studied many hours every day.
2.Past continuous:
Denotes an action that was going on in the past.
How to know the Bangla sentences: তেছিল , তেছিলা, তেছিলে, তেছিলেন ,চ্ছিল, চ্ছিলা, চ্ছিলে, চ্ছিলেন থাকে ।
Structure:
sub + was/were + verb-ing +obj/ext/complement.
Example: I was doing the work. They were playing football.
3.Past Perfect:
Denotes an action completed before a certain moment in the past.
How to know the Bangla sentences: লাম, লে, ল , লি, লেন, তাম, তে, ত, তি, তেন
Structure:
sub + had + past participle form + obj/ ext/complement.
Examples: I had done the work. You had finished the work.
Note: if there are two actions in the same sentence, one is in the past simple, the other part must be in the past perfect. Here we see “Before/After” Before is preceded by past perfect and followed by a simple past while after is preceded by a simple past and followed by a past perfect.
4.Past Perfect Continuous:
Denotes an action that had been going on in the past for a period of time or a point of time.
How to know the Bangla sentences: as said in the past continuous.
Structure:
Sub + had been + verb-ing + obj/ext/complement.
Note: “for” indicates a period of time and “since” indicates a point of time.
Examples: I had been reading for two hours. It had been raining since morning.
