a. for actions that happen now.
For example:
- I watch television.
- I wash my face.
b. for actions that happen again and again.
- I watch television every night.
- I wash my face every morning.
c. When we talk about facts.
- Samad likes football.
- Atiqah loves ice cream.
d. When we give instructions.
- Close the door.
- Open the window!
REMEMBER THIS!
The verb must agree with the subject of the sentence.
Add “-d” or “-ed” to change some verbs into the past tense.
a. Work = Worked
b. Ask = Asked
c. Enter = Entered
d. Love = Loved
'Was' shows past tense. Use it for singular nouns which means for one person, one place or one thing.
a. He was happy.
- Meaning: Now he is not happy.
b. She was at the market.
- Meaning: Now she is not at the market.
'Were' shows past tense. Use it for plural nouns which means more than one person, more than one place or more than one thing.
a. Siti and Senah were hungry.
- Meaning: Now they are not hungry.
b. They were sad.
- Meaning: Now they are not sad.
Words like Once upon a time, Yesterday, Last month, Long ago and Years ago tell us that we have to use the simple past tense.
- Once upon a time there was an ugly duckling.
- I saw her yesterday afternoon.
- Last month, a fisherman saved a dolphin.
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