Helping Hints for the Past
Auxiliary Verbs Used with Past Tenses
Knowledge of auxiliary verbs used in various tenses is the key to correct tense conjugation. Here is a review of auxiliary verbs for past tenses:
Past Simple:
Use 'did' in the question and negative form to express something that happened at a specific moment in the past. Use no auxiliary verb in the positive form.
Example:
The widow didn't have a beneficiary.
Did they use pension funds for the exclusive purpose of financing pension plan benefits in this bank?
BUT:
Kevin spent all day invoicing and didn't get to write the report.
Past Continuous:
Use 'was / were' in the past tense for the positive, negative and question forms in the past continuous tense to express what was happening at a specific moment in the past.
Example:
We were discussing a partnership when the corporate office came in with a hostile takeover.
Who was the endorser talking to while she was signing the check?
Past Simple Passive:
Use 'was / were' in the past for positive, negative and question in the past simple passive to express a past passive operation. Remember that the passive takes the participle form of the principal verb.
Example:
The spreadsheet wasn't updated yesterday.
Our meeting with the loan officer to discuss escrow was cancelled.
Past Perfect:
Use 'had' in the past for the positive, negative and question forms for the past perfect tense to express something that had happened before another action occurred in the past.
Example:
What raw materials were purchased before the manufacturing of this product ceased?
They hadn't been using that credit card account long when they used up their card's limit.
Past Perfect Continuous:
Use the verb 'had been' in the past perfect for the positive, negative and question forms for the past perfect tense to express the duration of something that had been happening up to another past moment in time.
Example:
How often had you been checking your safety deposit box prior to the break-in?
How long had you been studying information technology before you decided to switch to finance?