TENSE

a. for actions that happen now.

For example:

- I watch television.

- I wash my face.

b. for actions that happen again and again.

For example:

- I watch television every night.

- I wash my face every morning.

c. When we talk about facts.

For example:

- Samad likes football.

- Atiqah loves ice cream.

d. When we give instructions.

For example:

- 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.

For example:

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.

For example:

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.

For example:

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.

For example:

- Once upon a time there was an ugly duckling.

- I saw her yesterday afternoon.

- Last month, a fisherman saved a dolphin.