CPE Unit 4: past tenses

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 4,5

CPE unit 4: Past tenses

Focus on the news

You know when 

to use which 

past tense 

Watching a video on the Queen's life: what will be definitely in it?

I used to have porridge for breakfast as a kid, now I cannot even stand its smell....

1. This sentence has a past tense
2. This sentence has NO past tense

Complete: Before I went to visit her at the hospital, I ...

1. bought her a present.
2. had bought her a present.
3. used to buy her a present

Which statement is false?

1. This sentence contains a passive past tense.
2. This sentence contains a past continuous.
3. This sentence contains a past perfect.

You're girl/boyfriend is upset because you told her/him

1. I loved my ex.
2. I have loved my ex.

Other structures to refer to past events

Something happened regularly or habitually in the past

would (for actions)

My granny was wonderful. Each time we stayed at her place, she would hide treats under our pillows.

used to (for actions and situations)

As a teenager I used to walk to my friends, nowadays I always go by car.

There used to be an old hospital here, but it has been replaced by a new one.

As a kitten she used to be very naughty, but now she is a sweet, old cat.

Speculating about the past

To express certainty: must + have + past participle

I loved the first Harry Potter. I must have read it at least three times!

To express uncertainty: could/may/might + have + past participle

Tim is not sure about his decision to buy the house. He could have done more research to make sure he did the right thing.  

To express impossiblity: can't/couldn't + have + past participle
The wind was so strong; she can't have made it in time cycling all the way from the city centre back to her office!

Want to practise?

https://www.grammarbank.com/verb-tenses-mixed-exercise.html

https://www.english-4u.de/en/tenses-exercises/tenses2.htm

https://www.esl-lounge.com/student/grammar/4g4-past-tenses-exercise.php

Continue working on your weektask (see studyplanner on magister CSP 5)