Past & future tenses
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How do you form the past continuous?
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All Flashcards in Topic 3.2
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3.2.114 cards
How do you form the past continuous?
was / were + the -ing form: I was reading, they were waiting.
When do you use 'was' vs 'were'?
was with I/he/she/it; were with you/we/they.
What does the past continuous mean?
An action that was in progress (not yet finished) at a moment in the past.
Make the past continuous negative.
Add not: wasn't / weren't + -ing (I wasn't sleeping, they weren't listening).
Form a past-continuous question.
Put was/were first: Was she working? Were they waiting?
Spelling: write + -ing
writing — drop the silent final -e before -ing.
Spelling: run + -ing
running — double the final consonant after a short stressed vowel.
Spelling: lie + -ing
lying — final -ie becomes -ying.
Which tense for a long action interrupted by a short one?
The long action = past continuous; the short interruption = past simple. 'I was reading when the phone rang.'
What goes with 'while' and what with 'when'?
'while' + the long action (past continuous); 'when' + the short action (past simple).
Two main jobs of the past continuous.
Setting the scene/background, and two actions happening at the same time.
Can you use the past continuous for a finished action?
No — a completed action takes the past simple (I finished, not 'I was finishing and stopped').
Can state verbs go in the past continuous?
No — verbs like know, want, like, believe take the past simple: 'I knew', not 'I was knowing'.
'It ___ (rain) when we ___ (leave) the house.'
It was raining when we left the house — background (past continuous) + interruption (past simple).
3.2.214 cards
How do you form the past perfect?
had + past participle (e.g. had finished, had gone) — 'had' is the same for every subject.
What does the past perfect show?
That one past event happened BEFORE another past event — the 'past-in-the-past'.
finish → past perfect (I)
I had finished (regular: had + -ed participle).
go → past perfect (she)
she had gone (irregular participle 'gone', not 'went').
eat → past perfect (they)
they had eaten (irregular participle 'eaten', not 'ate').
write → past perfect (he)
he had written (irregular participle 'written', not 'wrote').
Negative past perfect of 'see' (we)
we hadn't seen (had not + participle 'seen').
Question form: 'you / finish' (past perfect)
Had you finished? (invert 'had' and the subject).
What does the contraction 'd mean here?
'd + past participle = had (I'd gone = I had gone); 'd + base verb = would.
Which event takes the past perfect?
The EARLIER of the two past events; the later/main one stays in the simple past.
Name two marker words for the past perfect.
before, after, by the time, already, just, never — they often signal an earlier event.
Reported speech: 'I lost my keys' → he said…
He said he had lost his keys (past statement → past perfect in reporting).
Common error: 'had went' — fix it.
had gone — after 'had' use the past participle, never the simple past.
Do ordered actions ('I got up, ate, left') need the past perfect?
No — a clear sequence takes the simple past; use the past perfect only to step back to an earlier event.
3.2.314 cards
How is the 'will' future formed?
will + the base verb (same for every person): I will go, she will help. Negative: won't.
How is 'be going to' formed?
am/is/are + going to + base verb: I'm going to study, they're going to travel.
How is the present continuous formed for the future?
am/is/are + the -ing form: I'm meeting, we're leaving.
When do you use the present simple for the future?
For timetables and schedules: 'The train leaves at 6:55.', 'The shop opens at ten.'
When do you use 'will'?
Predictions ('It will rain'), decisions made now ('I'll get it'), promises and offers.
When do you use 'be going to'?
Plans/intentions decided before now, and predictions based on present evidence ('Look at the clouds — it's going to rain').
When do you use the present continuous for the future?
For fixed arrangements with a time or place: 'I'm meeting Anna at six.'
will or going to — how do you choose?
Decide AS you speak → will ('OK, I'll do it'). Already decided before now → going to ('I'm going to do it tomorrow').
What comes after 'will' and 'going to'?
Always the BASE verb — never -s or -ing: 'she will go', not 'she will goes'.
Fix: 'She will to help you.'
Drop the 'to' — 'will' is never followed by 'to': 'She will help you.'
Fix: 'I will meet the dentist at four.' (it's booked)
For a booked diary time, prefer the present continuous: 'I'm meeting the dentist at four.'
Give the negative and the contraction of 'will'.
Negative: won't ('I won't be late'). Contraction: I'll, she'll, we'll.
"The film ___ at eight." Which form, and why?
starts (present simple) — it is a fixed timetable / schedule.
Name the four English future forms.
will (+ base), be going to (+ base), present continuous (am/is/are + -ing), present simple.
3.2.414 cards
used to + base verb
a PAST habit or a PAST state that is no longer true — I used to smoke; we used to live abroad
would + base verb
a repeated, typical past ACTION only — every winter we would go skiing
Can 'would' describe a past STATE?
No. Use 'used to' for states: 'I used to have a dog' (NOT 'I would have a dog').
How do you write 'used to' in the NEGATIVE?
didn't use to — drop the -d, because 'did' already carries the past.
How do you write the QUESTION form?
Did you use to…? — no -d on 'use' (Did you use to play the piano?).
Which form for a SINGLE finished past event?
The past simple — 'Last year I broke my arm' (NOT 'I used to break my arm').
I ___ be afraid of the dark. (used to / would)
used to — 'be afraid' is a state, so 'would' is impossible.
Every Sunday we ___ visit my aunt. (one answer that always works)
used to — and 'would' also works, because it is a repeated action.
What follows 'used to' and 'would'?
The base form of the verb (the infinitive without 'to'): used to GO, would GO.
Spell the positive correctly: 'I ___ to play tennis.'
used (with -d): I used to play tennis.
A good way to add range when describing the past?
Open with 'used to' to set the scene, then use 'would' for the repeated details.
State or action: be, have, like, live, know?
States — use 'used to', never 'would'.
State or action: play, go, visit, walk, eat (repeatedly)?
Repeated actions — both 'used to' and 'would' work.
Fix the error: 'She didn't used to like coffee.'
She didn't use to like coffee — drop the -d after 'didn't'.
Topic 3.2 study notes
Full notes & explanations for Past & future tenses
English B exam skills
Paper structures, command terms & tips
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