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:
BP didn't release a transparent production statement in May.
Where did they install the automated storage and retrieval system?
BUT:
GM improved their production standards last year.
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:
How were you storing waste goods when the inspector arrived?
Tom was working in the warehouse in secret when the night janitor fell.
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:
Our work order cost was calculated on an abacus.
Our production manager was trained in Indonesia.
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:
Had you calculated the true production potential of the plant before starting production?
She had been working on lowering production prices for two months when the committee demanded an answer.
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:
We hadn't be speaking long on the phone long before we realized they couldn't manufacture an assemble-to-order product.
How many years had you been working the assembly before you were promoted?