GRAMMAR

PAST TENSE CONTRAST

PAST PERFECT PAST SIMPLE PAST CONTINUOUS
Công (+) S + had + V3/ed (+) S+ was/ were (+) S+ was/ were + V-ing
thức (-) S + had not (hadn’t) + (-) S + was not/ were not (-) S + was not/ were not
V3/ed (?) Was/ were + S? +V-ing
(?) Had + S + V3/ed? (?) Was/ were + S + V-ing?
(+) S + V2/ed
(-) S + didn’t + V0
[while, at that time, at 7
(?) Did + S + V0?
yesterday…]
Cách Diễn tả hoạt động đã xảy ra và Diễn tả hành động đã xảy ra Diễn tả hành động đang xảy ra
dùng hoàn thành trước một hành trong quá khứ, đã kết thúc và tại 1 thời điểm trong quá khứ
động khác/ thời điểm trong quá biết rõ thời gian
khứ We were having our final test
Mary went to Vietnam last at this time three weeks ago.
The plane had left by the time summer.
I arrived at the airport. At 10 a.m yesterday, she was
I worked at MN company two watching TV.
We had had that car for ten years ago.
years before it broke down. Diễn tả hành động đang xảy ra
thì có hành động khác xen vào

While we were having dinner, the phone rang.

When he came home I was reading a book.

(Thì quá khứ đơn diễn tả 1 hành động xen vào 1 hành động khác
trong quá khứ, hành động dài hơn chia thì hiện tại tiếp diễn)

Past perfect vs past simple

had left
1. Almost everybody (leave)…………………………. arrived
by the time we (arrive)…………………………..

2. He (wonder)…………………………. had left

wondered whether he (leave)…………………………. his wallet at home.
hadn’t left
3. The secretary (not leave)…………………………. finished
until she (finish)…………………………. her work.
had entered the house when they (begin)………………………….
4. The couple scarcely (enter)…………………………. began
to argue.
asked
5. The teacher (ask)…………………………. hadn’t done
the boy why he (not do)…………………………. his homework.
 had posted
6. She already (post)…………………………. realized
the letter when she (realize)…………………………. she
had sent
(send)…………………………. it to the wrong address.
had
7. Hardly gone
the car (go)…………………………. had
a mile when it (have)…………………………. a flat tyre.
was
8. The weather (be)…………………………. had expected
far worse than we (expect)…………………………..
had married for five years when thy finally (have)………………………….
9. They (be married)…………………………. had a

child.
had sold
10. No sooner they (sell)…………………………. regreted
their car than they (regret)…………………………. having

done so.
had finished her work she (go)………………………….
11. When she (finish)…………………………. went to the cinema.
hadn’t eaten until his parents (come)………………………….
12. He (not eat)…………………………. came home.
told
13. She (tell)…………………………. had never met him.
me she never (meet)………………………….
had done
14. He (do)…………………………. went
her homework before he ( go)…………………………. out.
went
15. The lights (go)…………………………. had gotten into the cinema.
out the moment he (get)………………………….

16. Hardly the holiday (begin)…………………………. left

had began when they (leave)…………………………. the town.
had been
17. They (be)…………………………. started
out for an hour when it (start)…………………………. to rain.
left
18. They (leave)…………………………. boutgh
the shop as soon as they (buy)…………………………. everything

they (need)…………………………..
needed
19. The house (burn)…………………………. to the ground buy the time the firemen
arrived v
(arrive)…………………………..
had done
20. As he (do)…………………………. was
a lot of work that day he (be)…………………………. very tired.
had heard
21. I already (hear)…………………………. told
about the accident when he (tell)…………………………. me

about it.

had lived
22. He (live)…………………………. in the country for ten years when he first
came
(come)…………………………. to London.
didn’t talk
23. I (not talk)…………………………. arrived
to him because when I (arrive)…………………………. he already
had left
(leave)…………………………..
went
24. When we (go)…………………………. out again, the wind (stop)…………………………..

25. He (think)…………………………. he (win)…………………………. in the lottery but he (not

have)…………………………. of course.
26. No sooner the bell (ring)…………………………. when the pupils (go)…………………………. out to

play.

27. Before you (mention)…………………………. his name, I never (hear)…………………………. of this

poet.

28. Our guests (be)…………………………. still here when he (come)…………………………. back from

school.

29. The same day he (arrive)…………………………. I (receive)…………………………. a postcard from him.

30. They just (close)…………………………. the shop when I (get)…………………………. there.

Past simple and past continuous

1. While Tom (read) __________________, Amely (watch) __________________a documentary on TV.

2. Marvin (come) __________________ home, (switch) __________________on the computer and (check)

__________________ his emails.

3. The thief (sneak) __________________ into the house, (steal) __________________ the jewels and (leave)

__________________ without a trace.

4. Nobody (listen) __________________ while the teacher (explain) __________________ the tenses.

5. While we (do) __________________ a sight-seeing tour, our friends (lie) __________________ on the

beach.

6. He (wake) __________________ up and (look) __________________ at his watch.

7. The receptionist (welcome) __________________ the guests and (ask) __________________ them to fill in

the form.

8. The car (break) __________________ down and we (have) __________________ to walk home.

9. The boys (swim) __________________ while the girls (sunbathe) __________________ .

10. My father (come) __________________ in, (look) __________________ around and (tell)

__________________ me to tidy up my room.

11. As long as one group (prepare) __________________ dinner, the others (collect) __________________

wood for their campfire.

12. While the parents (have) __________________ breakfast, their children (run) __________________ about.

13. Martha (turn) __________________ off the lights and (go) __________________ to bed.

14. When I (do) __________________ the washing-up, I (break) __________________ a plate.

15. While Tom (play) __________________ the piano, his mother (do) __________________ the washing-up.

16. He (drink) __________________ some juice and then he (eat) __________________ a few chips.

17. I (have) __________________ dinner when I suddenly (hear) __________________ a loud bang.

18. When my father (work) __________________ in the garden, an old friend (pass) __________________ by

to see him.

19. She (go) __________________ to school, (take) __________________ out her textbook and (begin)

__________________ to learn.

20. When it (start) __________________ to rain, our dog (want) __________________ to come inside.