What Is the Past Tense? (with Examples)

The past tense describes a past event or a state of being. For example:

• I jumped in the lake.
(past event)
• I was happy.
(past state of being)

The tense of a verb is determined by when the action took place. The three main tenses are:

• past tense
• present tense
• future tense

Examples of the Types of Past Tenses

The past tense is categorized further depending on whether the action was in progress or has been completed. The four past tenses are:

The 4 Past Tenses	Examples	Uses
simple past tense	I went. The Martians landed near the aqueduct.	The simple past tense is used to describe a completed activity that started in the past and ended in the past.
past progressive tense	I was going. He was painting the door when a bird struck the window.	The past progressive tense is used to describe an on-going activity in the past. Often, it is used to set the scene for another action.
past perfect tense	I had gone. Silverfinger had taken the pill before the team reached him.	The past perfect tense is used to emphasize that an action was completed before another took place.
past perfect progressive	I had been going. She had been painting the door before the dog scratched it.	The past perfect progressive tense is used to show that an on-going action in the past has ended.

Diagrams for the Four Past Tenses

The infographics below show how each past tense is formed and a quick overview of how each one is used:

Simple Past Tense

 
For example:

• I played when I was younger.

Past Progressive Tense

 
For example:

• I was playing for an hour.

Past Perfect Tense

 
For example:

• I had played already.

Past Perfect Progressive Tense

 
For example:

• I had been playing since I was ten.

Tense
What is Tense? Type of tense Table of English Tenses	Tense at a glance Structure of All Tense
Present Tense
What Is the Present Tense? Simple Present Tense Present Continuous Tense	Present Perfect Tense Present perfect continuous tense Present Conditional Tense
Past Tense
What Is the Past Tense? Simple Past Tense Past Continuous Tense	Past Perfect Tense Past Perfect Continuous Tense
Future Tense
Future Tense Simple Future Tense Future Continuous Tense	Future Perfect Tense Future Perfect Continuous Tense Conditional Sentences