Past Time
PAST SIMPLE
Single completed actions: Hành động đã hoàn thành và chấm dứt trong quá khứ có thgian xác định
→ Eg: Sony and Philips invented the CD in the early 1980s.
Repeated or habitual actions in the past: Các hành động lặp đi lặp theo thói quen trong QK
→ Eg: We moved house a lot when I was a kid.
General truths about the past: Sự thật hiển nhiên trong QK
→ Eg: Early clocks were usually very unreliable.
Permanent situations and states in the past: Tình huống và trạng thái lâu dài trong QK
→ Eg: Did the ancient Egyptians have more advanced technology than other civilizations?
The main events in a story: Sự kiện chính trong một câu chuyện
→ Eg: Frank turned on the TV and sat on the sofa.
The present in conditional type 2 and after “wish, it’s time, would rather, etc”
→ Eg: +) If we didn’t have computers, what would the world be like?
+) I’d rather Michael didn’t waste so much time playing video games.
PAST SIMPLE VS PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
- The past simple is used to refer to periods of time or moments which are finished
- The present perfect is used to refer to periods of time which continue up to the present
→ Eg: +) The nineteenth century saw many technological advances, such as camera and the electric light bulb.
+) There have been many technological advances in recent years, the most
important being the spread of the Internet.
- The past simple is used to refer to events at a specific time in the past.
- The present perfect is used when the specific time smt happened isn’t important or relevant, or when the present result of a past event is important.
→ Eg: +) I sent my first e-mail six months ago.
+) Have you ever sent an e-mail before?
PAST CONTINUOUS
Action in progress at a particular moment in the past: Hành động tiếp diễn tại một thời điểm trong QK
→ Eg: Were you chatting to Matt online at midnight last night?
Actions in progress around a particular moment in the past: Hành động tiếp diễn trong
một khoảng tgian cụ thể trong QK
→ Eg: At the turn of the twentieth century, many discoveries were being made in physics and other sciences
Temporary situations and series of actions in the past: Các hành động tạm thời và chuỗi hành động trong QK
→ Eg: At the time, I was working for a large software company in California.
Changing and developing situations in the past: Các tình huống thay đổi và phát triển trong QK
→ Eg: I was getting frustrated with my internet provider so I decided to change.
Annoying or amusing past habits ( usually with always ): Thói quen xấu trong QK
→ Eg: When she was young, Tina was always taking things apart to see how they worked.
Background information in a story: Thông tin nền, cơ sở cho câu chuyện
→ Eg: It was raining outside and people were making their way home after work.
Actions in progress over a period of time: Các hành động vẫn còn diễn ra trong một tgian dài
→ Eg: Were you writing e-mails all yesterday morning?
Two actions in progress at the same time: Hai hành động đang diễn biến cùng thời điểm trong QK
→ Eg: While I was playing a computer game, my brother was doing his homework,
The present and the future ( in conditional sentences ): Sử dụng trong câu điều kiện để chỉ hiện tại, tương lai
→ Eg: Would you be happier if you were studying computer science?
The present and the future ( after “wish, it’s time, would rather, etc” ): Sử dụng trong câu ước “it’s time, would rather,..” để diễn tả sự việc ở hiện tại hoặc tương lai
→ Eg: I wish we were going to the computer fair next weekend.
PAST CONTINUOUS VS PAST SIMPLE
We often use the past continuous to describe background events in progress and the past simple for the main events ( kiểu như một hành động đang diễn ra thì một hành động khác xen vào )
→ Eg: We were talking about MP3s when Andrea mentioned her new music website.
We normally use the past simple to describe regular or repeated actions in the past, not the past continuous
→ Eg: When I was a child, I visited my grandmother every week.
PAST CONTINUOUS VS PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
The past continuous is used to refer to actions in progress during periods of time or at moments which are finished: Các hành động trong QK đang diễn ra và đã hoàn thành
The present perfect continuous is used to refer to actions in progress during periods of time that continue up to the present: Các hành dộng vẫn còn tiếp tục cho đến thời điểm hiện tại
→ Eg: +) We were working on my computer for 4 hours yesterday.
+) We have been working on my computer for 4 hours so far.
PAST PERFECT SIMPLE
Situations and states before the past: Các tình huống và trạng thái diễn ra trước hành động hoặc trạng thái khác trong QK
→ Eg: Had you had your computer long before it broke down?
Completed actions before a moment in the past: Các hành động hoàn thành trước một thời điểm trong QK
→ Eg: +) When talking films appeared, the cinema had already become a popular form of entertainment.
+) When Anna called, I had managed to fix her computer.
A series of actions continuing up to a moment in the past: Nhiều hành động diễn ra liên tục trước một thời điểm trong QK
→ Eg: By the time of his death, Thomas Edison had invented a number of things that changed everyday life.
Completed actions where the important thing is the result at a moment in the past: Các hành động diễn ra liên tục trước một thời điểm trong QK
→ Eg: I beat Jason at International Captain because I’d played it a lot with my brother.
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
Actions and situations continuing up to a moment in the past ( or just before moment in the past ): Các hành động và tình huống vẫn còn tiếp diễn trước một thời điểm trong QK
→ Eg: She had been writing computer games for over ten years before she finally had moment in the past.
USED TO - BE USED TO - GET USED TO
Used to: past habits and states, particularly for distant past
→ Eg: It used to seem strange to be able to communicate over long distances.
Be used to: a situation that is now familiar or no longer strange
→ Eg: At first, people found it strange sending messages by mobile, but now everyone’s used to it.
Get used to: the process of becoming familiar with a situation
→ Eg: It’s surprising how quickly people in the nineteenth century got used to travelling by train.
PAST SIMPLE
Single completed actions: Hành động đã hoàn thành và chấm dứt trong quá khứ có thgian xác định
→ Eg: Sony and Philips invented the CD in the early 1980s.
Repeated or habitual actions in the past: Các hành động lặp đi lặp theo thói quen trong QK
→ Eg: We moved house a lot when I was a kid.
General truths about the past: Sự thật hiển nhiên trong QK
→ Eg: Early clocks were usually very unreliable.
Permanent situations and states in the past: Tình huống và trạng thái lâu dài trong QK
→ Eg: Did the ancient Egyptians have more advanced technology than other civilizations?
The main events in a story: Sự kiện chính trong một câu chuyện
→ Eg: Frank turned on the TV and sat on the sofa.
The present in conditional type 2 and after “wish, it’s time, would rather, etc”
→ Eg: +) If we didn’t have computers, what would the world be like?
+) I’d rather Michael didn’t waste so much time playing video games.
PAST SIMPLE VS PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
- The past simple is used to refer to periods of time or moments which are finished
- The present perfect is used to refer to periods of time which continue up to the present
→ Eg: +) The nineteenth century saw many technological advances, such as camera and the electric light bulb.
+) There have been many technological advances in recent years, the most
important being the spread of the Internet.
- The past simple is used to refer to events at a specific time in the past.
- The present perfect is used when the specific time smt happened isn’t important or relevant, or when the present result of a past event is important.
→ Eg: +) I sent my first e-mail six months ago.
+) Have you ever sent an e-mail before?
PAST CONTINUOUS
Action in progress at a particular moment in the past: Hành động tiếp diễn tại một thời điểm trong QK
→ Eg: Were you chatting to Matt online at midnight last night?
Actions in progress around a particular moment in the past: Hành động tiếp diễn trong
một khoảng tgian cụ thể trong QK
→ Eg: At the turn of the twentieth century, many discoveries were being made in physics and other sciences
Temporary situations and series of actions in the past: Các hành động tạm thời và chuỗi hành động trong QK
→ Eg: At the time, I was working for a large software company in California.
Changing and developing situations in the past: Các tình huống thay đổi và phát triển trong QK
→ Eg: I was getting frustrated with my internet provider so I decided to change.
Annoying or amusing past habits ( usually with always ): Thói quen xấu trong QK
→ Eg: When she was young, Tina was always taking things apart to see how they worked.
Background information in a story: Thông tin nền, cơ sở cho câu chuyện
→ Eg: It was raining outside and people were making their way home after work.
Actions in progress over a period of time: Các hành động vẫn còn diễn ra trong một tgian dài
→ Eg: Were you writing e-mails all yesterday morning?
Two actions in progress at the same time: Hai hành động đang diễn biến cùng thời điểm trong QK
→ Eg: While I was playing a computer game, my brother was doing his homework,
The present and the future ( in conditional sentences ): Sử dụng trong câu điều kiện để chỉ hiện tại, tương lai
→ Eg: Would you be happier if you were studying computer science?
The present and the future ( after “wish, it’s time, would rather, etc” ): Sử dụng trong câu ước “it’s time, would rather,..” để diễn tả sự việc ở hiện tại hoặc tương lai
→ Eg: I wish we were going to the computer fair next weekend.
PAST CONTINUOUS VS PAST SIMPLE
We often use the past continuous to describe background events in progress and the past simple for the main events ( kiểu như một hành động đang diễn ra thì một hành động khác xen vào )
→ Eg: We were talking about MP3s when Andrea mentioned her new music website.
We normally use the past simple to describe regular or repeated actions in the past, not the past continuous
→ Eg: When I was a child, I visited my grandmother every week.
PAST CONTINUOUS VS PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
The past continuous is used to refer to actions in progress during periods of time or at moments which are finished: Các hành động trong QK đang diễn ra và đã hoàn thành
The present perfect continuous is used to refer to actions in progress during periods of time that continue up to the present: Các hành dộng vẫn còn tiếp tục cho đến thời điểm hiện tại
→ Eg: +) We were working on my computer for 4 hours yesterday.
+) We have been working on my computer for 4 hours so far.
PAST PERFECT SIMPLE
Situations and states before the past: Các tình huống và trạng thái diễn ra trước hành động hoặc trạng thái khác trong QK
→ Eg: Had you had your computer long before it broke down?
Completed actions before a moment in the past: Các hành động hoàn thành trước một thời điểm trong QK
→ Eg: +) When talking films appeared, the cinema had already become a popular form of entertainment.
+) When Anna called, I had managed to fix her computer.
A series of actions continuing up to a moment in the past: Nhiều hành động diễn ra liên tục trước một thời điểm trong QK
→ Eg: By the time of his death, Thomas Edison had invented a number of things that changed everyday life.
Completed actions where the important thing is the result at a moment in the past: Các hành động diễn ra liên tục trước một thời điểm trong QK
→ Eg: I beat Jason at International Captain because I’d played it a lot with my brother.
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
Actions and situations continuing up to a moment in the past ( or just before moment in the past ): Các hành động và tình huống vẫn còn tiếp diễn trước một thời điểm trong QK
→ Eg: She had been writing computer games for over ten years before she finally had moment in the past.
USED TO - BE USED TO - GET USED TO
Used to: past habits and states, particularly for distant past
→ Eg: It used to seem strange to be able to communicate over long distances.
Be used to: a situation that is now familiar or no longer strange
→ Eg: At first, people found it strange sending messages by mobile, but now everyone’s used to it.
Get used to: the process of becoming familiar with a situation
→ Eg: It’s surprising how quickly people in the nineteenth century got used to travelling by train.
