ALL English Past Tenses Explained in 12 Minutes [including USED TO and WOULD!]

Learn all about English past tenses in 12 minutes: how and when to use them, and the differences between the different past tenses. In this video, we're going to discuss the following past tenses in English: the past simple, the past continuous, the past perfect, the past perfect continuous, and the phrases 'used to' and 'would'.
We will also look at the differences between them, to make sure you're not mixing them up.
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Here's a quick look at what each of the English past tenses looks like. To learn how to use them, watch the video :)
Past simple:
I played tennis last week. ('play + ed' is a regular past simple form)
I went to the cinema last night. ('went' is an irregular past simple form, the present tense form is 'go')
To ask a question, use 'did' + present tense form:
Did you play tennis last week?
Did you go to the cinema last night?
To make it into a negative sentence, use 'did not' + present tense form:
I did not play tennis.
I did not go to the cinema.
Past continuous:
I was playing tennis between 8 and 9 this morning.
So, it's 'was' or 'were' + verb + ing
To ask a question, invert 'was'/'were' and the subject:
Was I playing tennis between 8 and 9 this morning?
To make it negative, add 'not' after 'was'/'were':
I was not playing.
Past perfect:
When I went to London, I realised I had been there before.
So, you need 'had' and the past participle form (third form). 'Been' is the past participle form of the verb 'to be'.
To ask a question, invert 'had' and the subject:
Had you been to London before we travelled there together?
To make it negative, add 'not' after 'had':
I had not been to London.
Past perfect continuous:
We had been talking when you arrived.
You need 'had' + 'been' + verb + ing
To ask a question, invert 'had' and the subject:
Had you been talking when I arrived?
To make it negative, add 'not' after 'had':
We had not been talking.
Used to:
I used to like spaghetti when I was a child.
'Used to' is followed by a verb in the present tense.
To ask a question, do it in the same way you do it in the past simple tense. So:
Did + subject + use to + verb
Did you use to like spaghetti when you were a child?
To make it into a negative sentence, say:
I didn't use to like spaghetti.
Would:
We would go to the seaside a lot when we were younger.
Use 'would' and a verb in the present tense.
To ask a question, invert 'would' and the subject:
Would you go to the seaside a lot when you were younger?
To make it into a negative sentence, say:
We wouldn't go to the seaside much when we were younger.
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Пікірлер: 243

  • @alendolicanin4771
    @alendolicanin47713 ай бұрын

    And I have to say, and I mean it sincerely, that no English teacher has explained the past tenses better than you. Everything is crystal clear to me now. Thank you and I won't unlink from your channel. 😊😊😊

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    3 ай бұрын

    That is nice to hear, thank you for your feedback

  • @sangarefassou3211

    @sangarefassou3211

    3 ай бұрын

    Hello my dearest... Thanks for everything you do for us, thanks again, there is something about present perfect,, For example, I am at the hospital I didn't return yet in this case, is better to say that: I have gone to the hospital, or I am at the hospital.. Thanks for everything

  • @alib5503
    @alib5503 Жыл бұрын

    It's just like putting on glasses for the first time in your whole life

  • @arkanmounir5441
    @arkanmounir54417 ай бұрын

    Although I am a beginner in English, I can understand your explanation. Thank you so much. Simple and effective methodology From Algeria

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    7 ай бұрын

    Glad it was helpful!

  • @Sandeepaexpect.3307
    @Sandeepaexpect.33078 ай бұрын

    Beautiful lesson ☺️. Love this lesson ❤

  • @EarfulEye
    @EarfulEye10 ай бұрын

    Brilliant explanation!! Thank you!!

  • @ukaszgonera1814
    @ukaszgonera18147 ай бұрын

    Thanks for explaining, it’s very clear and repeats a few times so that helps a lot.

  • @milicadjurdjev2927
    @milicadjurdjev29272 ай бұрын

    Thank you very much for the clearly made distinction between the past tenses!!!

  • @idabagusdarmaputra125
    @idabagusdarmaputra1255 ай бұрын

    As usual I'm able catch very easy what are you explaining about..thank you Agnieszka...you're so great really❤❤❤

  • @abdulfathah1812
    @abdulfathah18125 ай бұрын

    Incredible- I heard plenty of classes explaining all these points but in a paragraph as you said not even delivered in such an incredible way.. I am subscribed.. that's the only one I can do for you! Hats off you.

  • @orhanyildiz834
    @orhanyildiz8342 ай бұрын

    Thanks a lot, it is very informing ! Very clear and connected examples which made things more understandable . ☺️

  • @Learningtogether09
    @Learningtogether09Ай бұрын

    Thank you so much for your time to teach us 💕

  • @forawhale2475
    @forawhale24755 ай бұрын

    That straightforward explanation! thank you!

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    5 ай бұрын

    Amazing, glad you found it useful!

  • @mohamedabdiali7313
    @mohamedabdiali7313 Жыл бұрын

    Very useful, Thanks for helping us

  • @premjitmissal6302
    @premjitmissal63029 ай бұрын

    Thanks for the clear teaching of Past tense, Madam. Indeed I enjoyed learning. Please keep teaching us. God bless

  • @cemal8121
    @cemal81217 ай бұрын

    Excellent!

  • @ollybaloyi4406
    @ollybaloyi4406 Жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the lesson, my difficulties was using the past perfect in constructing a sentence.

  • @divinelyprotected2957
    @divinelyprotected2957Ай бұрын

    Thanks for lovely lesson ❤

  • @oleggolokhvastov2671
    @oleggolokhvastov2671 Жыл бұрын

    Amaizing content! really cool. Thank You

  • @takiyathyekini8728
    @takiyathyekini872811 ай бұрын

    Thank you it's clear

  • @Training.Engineering
    @Training.Engineering6 ай бұрын

    Thank you so much a very useful video and it's perfect.

  • @Kotyamba389
    @Kotyamba3893 ай бұрын

    Thanks a lot!!!! It was useful!

  • @suadalahmadi3188
    @suadalahmadi3188 Жыл бұрын

    Very detailed explanation for showing the differences of different past tenses. Thank you

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    11 ай бұрын

    You're welcome!

  • @chathurawarnasekara3345
    @chathurawarnasekara33452 жыл бұрын

    Wow teacher❤.. You nailed it.made it look so easy. Thank you heaps.

  • @Brixton864
    @Brixton8643 ай бұрын

    I really enjoyed it you’re lifesaver

  • @tanyasemenova7310
    @tanyasemenova73102 жыл бұрын

    Clear expectations! Got it 👍 Thank you so much 🌺

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    2 жыл бұрын

    I’m glad I could help! Any other topics you’d like to see?

  • @myatlaymaunglaymaung6998
    @myatlaymaunglaymaung69989 ай бұрын

    Excellent thank you

  • @mikaz76
    @mikaz76 Жыл бұрын

    This lesson is perfect! You are so good teacher!

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    Жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much - glad you found the lesson useful :)

  • @TheYurma
    @TheYurma Жыл бұрын

    Very well done 👏👏❤

  • @AncestorsWatchingEthiopiaIsCal
    @AncestorsWatchingEthiopiaIsCal8 ай бұрын

    Thank you very much, extremely useful

  • @ThanomsriSangho
    @ThanomsriSangho6 ай бұрын

    Very thanks for video

  • @avelinohuetelleixa1390
    @avelinohuetelleixa1390 Жыл бұрын

    Brilliant lesson about past tenses , thank you , Dziekuje bardzo !

  • @LinBeReal
    @LinBeReal5 ай бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @Fatimabful
    @Fatimabful Жыл бұрын

    Thank you 🙏🏽

  • @donnaw9668
    @donnaw966810 ай бұрын

    This was very well explained and helpful. It’s ok when you know automatically which tense to use, but explaining it isn’t so easy, so thank you for your excellent and clear explanations. 😊

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    10 ай бұрын

    Thank you so much for your comment - glad I couls help!

  • @artinshorttime5604

    @artinshorttime5604

    7 ай бұрын

    . My best teacher in all time.Thank you for your interest in my messages

  • @princeKB360
    @princeKB3604 ай бұрын

    Simply Great 🎉

  • @sandramancera6580
    @sandramancera658011 ай бұрын

    Hello, thanks for the lesson, for me the most difficult past tenses are: past perfect, past perfect continuous.

  • @artinshorttime5604

    @artinshorttime5604

    7 ай бұрын

    Thank you for your interest in my messages

  • @walesonmelo4637
    @walesonmelo46377 ай бұрын

    You speak slowly and clearly, you won another one subscriber ❤

  • @sheniulanova790
    @sheniulanova790 Жыл бұрын

    Excellent explanation. The most difficult for me is Past perfect and sometimes past perfect continues.

  • @ottoflower4395
    @ottoflower43953 ай бұрын

    Thank you Aga ,You are amazing ✨

  • @tabitha378
    @tabitha3784 ай бұрын

    Thank you very much . Very clear explanation and helpful.Past perfect and past perfect continuous is difficult

  • @artinshorttime5604
    @artinshorttime56047 ай бұрын

    thank you my best teacher in all time. the diffcult in the past tenses is the word would because i learned from other english language teacher they have been using would same as will .and same thing for shall and should .

  • @randomlifevideos3271
    @randomlifevideos32714 ай бұрын

    We can also use Past Continuous to talk about past events that happen at the same time (or events that are interrupted). I was cooking the dinner when my cat came in. (two past event that happen at the same time) Past Progressive Continuous (to emphasize duration, to show interruption). I had been cooking the dinner for 2 hours when my cat came in.

  • @user-jm9eh4wb9j

    @user-jm9eh4wb9j

    2 ай бұрын

    That's something invented - 'Past Progressive Continuous' ))) Maybe you meant Past Perfect Continuous (or Past Perfect Progressive)?

  • @user-pc3kg2uu5s
    @user-pc3kg2uu5s Жыл бұрын

    Thanks teacher

  • @user-yl3li4if7g
    @user-yl3li4if7g8 ай бұрын

    Thank you, it's getting clearer to me now about every english past tenses, after watching this video. I had understood about all the english past tenses, but I still get confused to pick the appropriate tenses every time i talk to someone, and since english is not my main language, when i speak english i oftenly convert my language first to english in my mind, and the result usually not very good. (i think i should memorize them more, and practice more, watching more english videos). But, as i said before, your video is very helpfull to me. Thank's again!

  • @mustapha2
    @mustapha211 ай бұрын

    This is the clearest way to explain grammar, thank you 🎉

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    11 ай бұрын

    Thank you! Glad you found it useful!

  • @SankarP11
    @SankarP116 ай бұрын

    Thanks Teacher🎉

  • @nitinadars9335
    @nitinadars93355 күн бұрын

    Thank you very much mam. Very helpful. My favorite and kind English teacher.

  • @alemuwude7201
    @alemuwude72014 ай бұрын

    You are an excellent English teacher. Best example!

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    4 ай бұрын

    Thank you so much!

  • @peterjohn8259
    @peterjohn82593 ай бұрын

    Thank you so Much for your teaching English. I like the way you teach.❤

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    2 ай бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @aliciabouckaert
    @aliciabouckaert7 ай бұрын

    Wow, OMG these videos are so good; I really love them. You often start- certainly in your Shorts- with 'What's the difference between ...', then I'll pause the video, and try to explain it for myself before I listen further to your explanation. Excellent: question, reflection, correct answer. BTW you have a captivating smile; definitely, one of my best online teachers. Before, I never wanted to learn the English Tenses in a systematic way, because I thought of going into it in a more intuitive manner. Now, I'm really studying these tenses with you next to me and that is so comforting. I've now underpinned my intuitive approach with a more systematic understanding. Really great. Thanks a lot. Best regards from Belgium (Bruges!). If you ever come to Belgium, please give me a ring, I can show you around if you like. Best regards!

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    7 ай бұрын

    Thank you so much for your comment 😊 It’s interesting to hear about how you’re watching and making the most of my videos! Good luck! 😀

  • @cyber400-yt7zt
    @cyber400-yt7ztАй бұрын

    Thank you teacher I understood well❤

  • @pollykhan7478
    @pollykhan7478 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you

  • @wiewi89
    @wiewi892 жыл бұрын

    Gosh, this lesson is Perfect! :D I would like to see more of them ;)

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    2 жыл бұрын

    Glad you liked it! What other topics would you like to learn about?

  • @hanadhussein9047
    @hanadhussein9047Ай бұрын

    Thanks for your teaching, its understandable lesson thanks👍

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    Ай бұрын

    You’re welcome! 😊

  • @abundancemindshift
    @abundancemindshift21 күн бұрын

    Thank you very much for the explanation ! Finally I understand some things here ! Where do we position the present perfect into that ?

  • @saurabhpurohit5810
    @saurabhpurohit58107 ай бұрын

    Thank you mam for giving me knowledge & teaching me tenses

  • @AtakltiSolomon
    @AtakltiSolomon5 ай бұрын

    I thank you teacher!

  • @senamilla
    @senamilla4 ай бұрын

    i've never understood this subject so clearly before. thank you so much!! 🎉

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    4 ай бұрын

    Glad to hear that! 😊

  • @humyralamia9089
    @humyralamia90893 ай бұрын

    Fantastic dear

  • @jeangermain4391
    @jeangermain43915 ай бұрын

    For me, the most difficult tense to learn is the"Past Perfect Continuous" Thank you for the lesson

  • @user-gd3ih9xj4o
    @user-gd3ih9xj4o7 ай бұрын

    Really, I appreciate a lot.

  • @bobychrisify
    @bobychrisify24 күн бұрын

    As a near native englisch speaker it is difficult for me to tell you what is the most difficult past tense form for me. I just speak and I am not conscious about the tenses at all. When doing an English test online, just for fun, most of the times my results vary between 89 or 90 percent and sometimes even a 100 percent. But at the moment I do prepare a little bit for an English test with Lufthansa regarding a job as a flight attendant. In the comments of applicants I’ve read that even native speakers sometimes don’t reach the 100 percent. My compliments to you ! You’re doing a great job and you’re doing it very sympathetically.

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    24 күн бұрын

    Thank you so much! I wish you all the best with the exam!

  • @zanarasoul
    @zanarasoul7 ай бұрын

    Clear explanation thank you, the difficult tenses is past perfect continuous .

  • @alemuwude7201
    @alemuwude72014 ай бұрын

    I love the way you teach English

  • @josegimo8532
    @josegimo85326 ай бұрын

    Thank you very much, again, madame for teaching me English. Special using good way to make it easy to me.

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    6 ай бұрын

    You are welcome!

  • @SanjaySanju-fn7bo
    @SanjaySanju-fn7bo9 ай бұрын

    I have to thank you for this wonderful and useful 12:33 minutes. ❤learned something deeply with correct examples. I already know abt past tenses but not this much detailed level..

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    9 ай бұрын

    So glad I could help!

  • @bobychrisify
    @bobychrisify20 күн бұрын

    Hi Aga, you’re just great!!! At the first moment I thought to myself "she must be original British - no doubt, because her accent sounds sooo British". In the whole tutorial there is just one little moment, it's the moment when you say the word "that", that gives you away. Instead of pronouncing a “th”, you tend to say a “d”. I am pretty sure you have noticed this tiny little thing in your video. I mean, actually it' s clear to me that there must be another linguistic background because of your name. But, all my respect to you because of your wonderful British accent! I am Andy. My Dad was American and my Mom German. I got to know my father late, I must have been 11 or 12 years old when I met him first. So, it was just the right time for me to become a near native speaker. But as you can imagine probably, I more or less caught up this typical American mid western accent from my Dad. He lived in Kansas City at that time. Many years later I started to work as a flight attendant with Lufthansa. When I was employed with Lufthansa, I shared an apartment together with a colleague and she had been engaged with a British guy. At first I was laughing when hearing this funny British accent. It sounded strange to me. But I more and more began loving it. So I started imitating this “funny” accent - just for fun at the beginning. And later on I was so deep in there, that suddenly I started doing on board announcements with a real British accent. I remember a situation. I had just finished the boarding announcement and I went into the cabin offering beverages as a guy about my age asked me: “was it you? the one who just did the announcements?” “Yes, I answered”. “Come on he said, now when doing the service you sound like a mid western guy and before, I thought you were British because of your accent - that’s incredible he added. Today I am actually happy about the fact, that nobody recognizes where I’m originating from. At least nobody recognizes the fact that I am German. And that makes me happy with my English. Am I in England, people ask me “where are you from? From Australia? Am I in the US, the ask me, are u British? And these questions are compliments. Once an English professor told me not to play with my nice American accent, but I did - for fun. So, now it is like it is. Sometimes when visiting my American relatives they ask me: “Did you turn being British now?” Your tutorial about how to adopt a real British accent is exactly that what I was doing many years ago. Thanks again for your brilliant British tutorials. Please don’t hesitate correcting my lines to you. You might use them for another tutorial demonstrating the wrong tenses I might have used. Best regards - Andy.

  • @venkatsuubramanyam733
    @venkatsuubramanyam7338 ай бұрын

    awesome teacher you are

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    8 ай бұрын

    Thank you! 😃

  • @jinderbhatti3857
    @jinderbhatti38578 ай бұрын

    It's very helpful for learners thanks for made this vedio 🎉

  • @dainajosejose2347
    @dainajosejose234728 күн бұрын

    You are amazing 👏

  • @mkanil65
    @mkanil652 ай бұрын

    Your teaching genius is truly exceptional, words can’t fully capture its brilliance. ❤

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    2 ай бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @manojmurmu5267
    @manojmurmu52675 ай бұрын

    Thanks .

  • @mohammednaeemshekh2448
    @mohammednaeemshekh24489 ай бұрын

    Very nice

  • @sashasirghii2729
    @sashasirghii2729 Жыл бұрын

    Past perfect and past perfect continues . Thanks 👍

  • @mubarakzubairu3608
    @mubarakzubairu36087 ай бұрын

    This is great. Can please make a video on the use of “will and would”

  • @user-bn8gy8in9i
    @user-bn8gy8in9i5 күн бұрын

    the most common difficult tense for me ,is past perfect tense

  • @ericarubiu3647
    @ericarubiu36477 ай бұрын

    Thanks

  • @danielindon576
    @danielindon5768 ай бұрын

    Thank you, that I have found you, I have learnt a lot

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    8 ай бұрын

    Wonderful!

  • @amirdanaei3014
    @amirdanaei30142 ай бұрын

    Perfect

  • @mushtaqmushtaq4703
    @mushtaqmushtaq470310 ай бұрын

    Thank you,

  • @Idi2704

    @Idi2704

    8 ай бұрын

    it is exactly the same

  • @zorigiderzana4426
    @zorigiderzana44267 ай бұрын

    Best explanation

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    7 ай бұрын

    Glad you think so!

  • @user-nd9ds6yc1k
    @user-nd9ds6yc1kАй бұрын

    very useful video

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    Ай бұрын

    Glad you think so!

  • @girishkrishna4654
    @girishkrishna46546 ай бұрын

    Thank you Agnieszka Murdoch ❤

  • @hanialihassan4847
    @hanialihassan4847 Жыл бұрын

    Thanks teacher for your simple explanation The most dificulty is past perfect tense

  • @idabagusdarmaputra125
    @idabagusdarmaputra1252 ай бұрын

    Great lesson over past tenses in English..thanks..I started learning English when I entered yunior high school in 1968,but just a little and then was continued when I was studying in senior high school...so when I started study in university I had studied about basics of English..then I had been learning of English befire I met you in yutube...I used to make travelling abroad with bad English..next I would like make travelling abroad with good enough in English..hopefully

  • @magretpremalatha1581
    @magretpremalatha15815 ай бұрын

    My lovely teacher Aga, even after an year l found your lessons on this vedio. Your beautifl face and it's smile. Such a calm look. i appriciate it. Youe clear pronunciation I love it. Good luck!❤️❤️❤️

  • @a.ctmaster
    @a.ctmaster2 жыл бұрын

    I got it, tnx 🌺

  • @khaledalassaf4323
    @khaledalassaf432316 күн бұрын

    Ilove you ,als l had thought that past perfect continuous is the most difficult one but after your video l found it very easy

  • @Ilovenature12.3
    @Ilovenature12.33 ай бұрын

    Omg 😳😳 this video is perfect!!!! Thank you so much!!!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰. And you are so pretty btw 🤭

  • @farisomar7407
    @farisomar74072 жыл бұрын

    Thank you ..

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    2 жыл бұрын

    You’re welcome! Any other topics you’d like to see?

  • @user-eb5sk5qe3e
    @user-eb5sk5qe3eАй бұрын

    This video made my day I have understood very clearly. I have been watching this video for 3 times because I wasn’t able to clear the past perfect and perfect continuous now I understood properly ❤ thank you so much mam. This is my first video that I have watched on your channel, I’m your new subscriber from India ❤

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    Ай бұрын

    Thank you for your feedback and for subscribing!

  • @turboo1957
    @turboo19575 ай бұрын

    I just want to say thank you ❤

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    5 ай бұрын

    You’re welcome! 😊

  • @mohamedhussein2001
    @mohamedhussein20012 жыл бұрын

    The hardest grammatical structure is Past Perfect. Thanks for your brilliant explanation ~ I can't wait your next tips.

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    2 жыл бұрын

    It’s hard, I know! What else wiuld you like me to teach?

  • @davidpineros5106
    @davidpineros51067 ай бұрын

    Well, hearing your class, your voice, I got traveling on the time, many years ago, I was luckly to life for a short time y Canterbury and made short trips to Wistable Beach. [Sorry for my grammar, I'm still trying improve it.]

  • @mankiniprabhakar6245
    @mankiniprabhakar62452 ай бұрын

    We have to learn more from you.

  • @ammaraammara6715
    @ammaraammara671510 ай бұрын

    I like your English ❤

  • @afghanfans455
    @afghanfans4552 жыл бұрын

    Hi dear teacher it’s Abdul. This lesson is perfect and I’ve problems with the past perfect and past had been and have been I need to see more lesson and thank u so much

  • @english_with_aga

    @english_with_aga

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for your comment Abdul! I have a video coming up where I explain ‘have been’ (the present perfect). What else would you like to see?

  • @afghanfans455

    @afghanfans455

    2 жыл бұрын

    I would like to see more vocabulary

  • @lulutessua2465
    @lulutessua24653 ай бұрын

    I like it so captain teacher 😊

  • @garynilesunson848
    @garynilesunson8482 ай бұрын

    Thank you very much, the best teacher! LET THE ALMIGHTY CREATOR BLESS YOU 🙏🙏🙏🙏

  • @AY-fh8po
    @AY-fh8po7 ай бұрын

    Great