Common errors in the use of past tense and aspects in active voice by the 11th grade students thanh ba high school

HANOI PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY No.2
FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

NGUYEN THI TU

COMMON ERRORS IN THE USE OF PAST TENSE
AND ASPECTS IN ACTIVE VOICE BY THE 11TH –
GRADE STUDENTS AT THANH BA HIGH SCHOOL
(SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF
THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF ARTS IN ENGLISH)

SUPERVISOR: NGUYEN THI MEN, M.A.

Hanoi, 2013


ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to take this chance to express my deepest gratitude to Mrs.
Nguyen Thi Men, M.A., my supervisor, for her patience in providing continuous
and careful guidance as well as encouragement, indispensable suggestions and
advice.
I am greatly indebted to the teachers of English at Thanh Ba High School,
in Thanh Ba district, Phu Tho province; especially Mrs. Đào Thị Quyết for her
help and guidance while I was carrying out the survey.
I wish to thank all the teachers at Hanoi Pedagogical University No.2,
especially the teachers at the Foreign Language Faculty who helped me
completing my research.
Constantly, rather than finally, I want to send my thankful words to my
family, for their whole – hearted encouragement and endless support.

I


ABSTRACT

The past tense and aspects are forms of a verb that show the time,
continuance or completion of an action or a state that is expressed in connection
with the past at which a statement is made about it. However, the uses of the
past tense aspects that are referred to in some books have not been dealt with
adequately and sometimes cause confusion to learners of English.
As a result, learners of English often make errors when they use the past
tense and aspects. Therefore, this research work entails studying the uses of the
past tense aspects and conducting a survey for error analysis.
Based on the results of the survey, the types of errors and causes have
found. Solutions to the problems have been suggested.

II


STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP

Title: COMMON ERROS IN THE USE OF PAST TENSE AND
ASPECTS IN ACTIVE VOICE BY THE 11TH-GRADE STUDENTS
AT THANH BA HIGH SCHOOL

I certify that no part of this report has been copied or reproduced by me
from any other person’s work without acknowledgement and that the report is
originally written by me under strict guidance from my supervisor.

Date submitted: May, 2013

Student

Supervisor

Nguyen Thi Tu

Nguyen Thị Men, M.A.

III


TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ................................................................................ I
ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................... II
STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP ............................................................... III
TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................... IV

PART ONE
INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale ........................................................................................................ 1
2. Research objectives ........................................................................................ 2
3. Research questions ......................................................................................... 2
4. Research scope ............................................................................................... 2
5. Research tasks ................................................................................................ 3
6. Research method ............................................................................................ 3
7. Significance of the propose research .............................................................. 3
8. Design of the research work ........................................................................... 4

PART TWO

DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER ONE
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
1.1. LITERATURE REVIEW IN BRIEF ........................................................... 6
1.2 PAST TENSE AND ASPECTS ................................................................... 7
1.2.1. The simple past tense aspect ..................................................................... 8
1.2.1.1. Form of the simple past tense aspect with regular verbs ........................ 8
1.2.1.1.1. Positive form ...................................................................................... 8
1.2.1.1.2. Negative and interrogative forms ........................................................ 8
IV


1.2.1.2. Form of the simple past tense aspect with irregular verbs ...................... 8
1.2.1.2.1. Form of the simple past tense aspect: positive .................................... 8
1.2.1.2.2. Form of the simple past tense aspect: negative and interrogative forms
........................................................................................................................... 9
1.2.1.3. The regular past simple verbs: pronunciation and spelling ................... 10
1.2.1.3.1. Pronunciation of the regular past simple verbs.................................. 10
1.2.1.3.2. Spelling of the regular past simple verbs .......................................... 11
1.2.1.4. Note on the past simple form of irregular verbs ................................... 12
1.2.1.5. Uses of the simple past tense aspect..................................................... 13
1.2.1.5.1. Completed actions ............................................................................ 13
1.2.1.5.2. Past habit .......................................................................................... 14
1.2.1.5.3. Immediate past ................................................................................. 14
1.2.1.5.4. Polite inquiries .................................................................................. 14
1.2.1.6. Adverbials with the simple past tense aspect ....................................... 14
1.2.1.7. Past simple tense aspect in typical contexts ......................................... 15
1.2.2. The past progressive tense aspect ........................................................... 15
1.2.2.1. Form of the past progressive tense aspect ............................................ 15

1.2.2.2. Spelling: How to add “-ing” to a verb .................................................. 16
1.2.2.3. Stative verbs ........................................................................................ 17
1.2.2.4. Uses of the past progressive tense aspect ............................................. 17
1.2.2.4.1. Actions in progress in the past .......................................................... 17
1.2.2.4.2. Actions which began before something else happened and were still in
progress ............................................................................................................ 18
1.2.2.4.3. Parallel actions ................................................................................. 18
1.2.2.4.4. Repeated actions - criticism .............................................................. 19
1.2.2.4.5. Polite inquiries .................................................................................. 19
1.2.2.4.6. Using for plans ................................................................................. 19
1.2.3. The simple past perfect tense aspect ....................................................... 20
1.2.3.1. Form of the simple past perfect tense aspect ........................................ 20
1.2.3.2. Uses of the simple past perfect tense aspect ......................................... 20
V


1.2.3.2.1 The simple past perfect referring to an earlier past............................. 20
1.2.3.2.2. The past perfect as the past equivalent of the present perfect ............ 20
1.2.3.2.3. The past perfect for unfulfilled hopes and wishes ............................. 21
1.2.3.3. Obligatory and non – obligatory uses of the past perfect ..................... 21
1.2.3.4. Simple past and simple past perfect in typical contexts........................ 22
1.2.4. The past perfect progressive tense aspect................................................ 22
1.2.4.1. Form of the past perfect progressive tense aspect ................................ 22
1.2.4.2. Uses of the past perfect progressive tense aspect ................................. 23
1.2.4.2.1. Actions in the progress throughout a period ...................................... 23
1.2.4.2.2. The past perfect progressive for repeated actions ............................. 23
1.2.4.2.3. The past perfect progressive for drawing conclusions ....................... 23
1.2.4.3. The past perfect simple and past perfect progressive tense aspect in
comparison ....................................................................................................... 24

CHAPTER TWO
COMMON ERRORS IN THE USE OF PAST TENSE AND ASPECTS
2.1. SURVEY................................................................................................... 25
2.1.1. Purpose of the survey ............................................................................. 25
2.1.2. Population of the survey ......................................................................... 26
2.1.3. Type of the survey .................................................................................. 26
2.1.4. Construction of the survey ...................................................................... 26
2.1.5. Preparation of the survey ........................................................................ 27
2.1.5.1. Test items. ........................................................................................... 27
2.1.5.2. Arrangement of the survey .................................................................. 28
2.1.6. Administration of the try – out................................................................ 28
2.1.6.1. Preparation of the try – out .................................................................. 28
2.1.6.2. Try – out .............................................................................................. 29
2.1.7. Method of data analysis .......................................................................... 29
2.1.8. Results of the survey .............................................................................. 30

VI


2.2. COMMON ERRORS AND CAUSES IN THE USE OF PAST TENSES . 33
2.2.1. Error and causes in the use of the simple present perfect tense aspect for
the simple past tense aspect .............................................................................. 33
2.2.2. Error and causes in the use of the past simple tense aspect of irregular
verbs ................................................................................................................ 34
2.2.3. Error and causes in pronunciation of the regular past.............................. 35
2.2.4. Error and causes in the use of the simple past tense aspect for the past
perfect tense aspect .......................................................................................... 36
2.2.5. Error and causes in the use of “love, like, want” in the past progressive
tense aspect ...................................................................................................... 37
2.2.6. Error and causes in the use of “was/ were” in the past simple tense aspect

and the past progressive tense aspect ................................................................ 38
2.2.7. Error and causes in adding “-ing” to a verb in the past progressive tense
aspect and the past perfect progressive tense aspect ......................................... 39
2.2.8. Error and causes in adding “-ed” to a regular verb in the past simple tense
aspect and the past perfect tense aspect ............................................................ 40
2.3. SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS AND SUGGESTED EXERCISES .............. 40
2.3.1. Suggested solutions ................................................................................ 40
2.3.1.1. Suggested solutions for the error in the use of the simple present perfect
tense aspect for the simple past tense aspect ..................................................... 41
2.3.1.2. Suggested solutions for the error in the use of the past simple tense
aspect of irregular verbs ................................................................................... 42
2.3.1.3. Suggested solutions for the error in pronunciation of the regular past .. 43
2.3.1.4. Suggested solutions for the error in the use of the simple past tense
aspect for the past perfect tense aspect ............................................................. 43
2.3.1.5. Suggested solutions for the error in the use of “love, like, want” in the
past progressive tense aspect. ........................................................................... 44
2.3.1.6. Suggested solutions for the error in the use of “was/ were” in the past
simple tense aspect and the past progressive tense aspect ................................. 45

VII


2.3.1.7. Suggested solutions for the error in adding “-ing” to a verb in the past
progressive aspect and the past perfect progressive tense aspect ...................... 45
2.3.1.8. Suggested solutions for the error in adding “-ed” to a verb in the past
simple tense aspect and the past perfect tense aspect. ....................................... 46
2.3.2. Suggested exercises ................................................................................ 47

PART THREE
CONCLUSION

3.1. CONCLUSION ......................................................................................... 49
3.2. IMPLICATIONS OF THE STUDY .......................................................... 50
3.3 LIMTTATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH ... 51
REFERENCES ................................................................................................... i
APPENDICES .................................................................................................. iii
SURVEY QUESTIONAIRE ............................................................................. iii
SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE TO INTERVIEW THE STUDENTS ................ xi
SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE TO INTERVIEW THE TEACHERS ............... xv
SUGGESTED EXERCISES ........................................................................... xix

VIII


PART ONE
INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale
English is considered the international language, which is used in almost
all aspects of life. It is the fact that there are many foreign companies in Vietnam
nowadays, therefore it can not be denied that English is an important foreign
language in Vietnam and learning English seems to play an important role in
developing the country.
In Vietnam, English is taught at every educational level, from primary to
tertiary education as a compulsory subject. However, learning English is very
difficult, especially to Vietnamese because each language has its own system
and Vietnamese is far different from English. These differences in the systems
of languages may lead to many problems for language learners. Especially, even
the tenses and aspects of verb, the language categories that students are taught
first and foremost and most frequently when they study English, cause great
difficulties to Vietnamese learners in general.
From my observation, I myself find that even though the students at

Thanh Ba High School read many grammar books and receive careful
explanations from their teachers, they still make errors or are confused when
they use verb tenses and aspects such as the past tense and aspects.
Aiming at helping solve this problem, the study is carried out in order to
find out the errors the students of Thanh Ba High School often make when they
use past tenses and aspects. Furthermore, some suggestions are mentioned in the
hope that studying and using English verb tenses and aspects are easier and
more effective to students in general and those at Thanh Ba High School in
particular.
The problems posed for Vietnamese learners of English in general and the
students at Thanh Ba High School in particular in regard to verb tense and
aspects, especially those of the past, have not yet been adequately investigated.
Therefore, this study aims to fill the gap in research in this area.
1


2. Research objectives
The main objective of the study is to uncover the difficulties encountered
by the students at Thanh Ba High School when they study about and use English
past tenses and aspects and then provide some suggested solutions to improve
the problem; therefore, it has to achieve three sub-objectives as following:
1. To find the major errors in the use of past tense and aspects often made by the
eleventh- grade students at Thanh Ba High School in the academic year of 2012
– 2013.
2. To find the causes of the errors in the use of past tense and aspects made by
the eleventh- grade students at Thanh Ba High School in the academic year of
2012 – 2013.
3. To provide some suggestions to help the students avoid the main errors in the
use of past tense and aspects.

3. Research questions
In order to achieve the objectives of the study, the research questions
below will be addressed:
1. What kind of error in the use of past tense and aspects is the most often made
by the eleventh- grade students at Thanh Ba High School in the academic year
of 2012 – 2013?
2. What are the causes of the errors in the use of past tenses made by the
eleventh- grade students at Thanh Ba High School in the academic year of 2012
– 2013?
3. What are the suggested ways for teachers and students to solve the problem?

4. Research scope
The general research area of this study is grammar.
The issue is errors in the use of past tenses and aspects made by the
students in grade 11 at Thanh Ba High School in the academic year of 2012 –
2013.
The population involved in the study is one hundred eleventh – grade
students at Thanh Ba High School.
2


Because tense is one of the most complex grammar including passive
voice and active voice. Thus, in scope of my study, I just focus on the active
voice so that I can find the common errors in the use of past tense and aspects,
and the suggested solutions for this problem.

5. Research tasks
The study involves fulfilling the following tasks
1. To study the forms of past tenses and aspects.
2. To research the regular past verbs: pronunciation and spelling.

3. To research the spelling: how to add “-ing” to a verb in the past progressive
tense aspect.
4. To study the uses of past tense and aspects.
5. To conduct a survey to find out common errors and causes. And basing on the
finding, some suggested solutions to the problem can be introduced.

6. Research method
To gain the objectives and aims of the study, the following methods have
been used:
1. Quantitative method.
2. Qualitative method.

7. Significance of the propose research
Errors in learning any language, especially in English, as a foreign
language, are very normal and sometimes predictable but sometimes
unpredictable. Therefore, it is indispensable for teachers to have some suitable
solutions to the problem. After finished, the study is hoped to provide:
1. Input for students in general and the students at Thanh Ba High School in
particular in order to minimize their errors in the use of past tense and aspects in
active voice.
2. Input for teacher of English in general and the teachers of English at Thanh
Ba High School in particular with essential information on various kinds of
3


errors made by their students and some suggested solutions to help them
effectively improve the teaching process towards the theme.

8. Design of the research work
The study has three main part including introduction, development, and

conclusion.
PART I: INTRODUCTION
This part includes rationale, research questions, research objectives,
research questions, research scope, research tasks, research methods, and design
of the research work
PART II: DEVELOPMENT
This has two chapter named “theoretical background” and “common
errors in the use of past tense and aspects made by the students in grade 11 at
Thanh Ba High School in the academic year of 2012 – 2013”.
In chapter one, the theoretical backgrounds on the past tense and aspects,
which consist two sections named “Literature review in brief” and “past tense
and aspects”. In the second section of this chapter, almost of all theoretical
background s on past tense and aspects are provided such as forms of verb, the
uses of past tense and aspects, and so on.
Chapter 2 is “Common errors in the use of past tense and aspects made by
the students in grade 11 at Thanh Ba High School in the academic year of 2012
– 2013”. In this chapter, four sections are introduced. Section 1 includes the
survey, section 2 mentions the kinds of error in the use of past tense and aspects
made by the students in grade 11 at Thanh Ba High School in the academic year
of 2012 – 2013. Section 3 explains the causes of the errors. And the last section,
some suggested solutions are provided to help the students in grade 11 at Thanh
Ba High School in the academic year of 2012 – 2013reduce making errors in the
use of past tense and aspects.
4


PART III: CONCLUSION
This part provides a brief summary.

5

PART TWO
DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER ONE
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
1.1. LITERATURE REVIEW IN BRIEF
Past tense and aspects have been written by many grammarians like L. G.
Alexander (1988), Betty Schrampfer Azar (1992), Elaine Walker Steve Elsworth
(1988), John Eastwood (1992), George Jule (2006), Alice Maclin (1981),
Raymond Murphy (1985) ect., and each of them has their own way to describe
the past tense and aspects. In general, they focus on the information, usages, ect.
In the book English Grammar, L. G. Alexander (1988) describes the
usages of the past tense. He mentions the forms, usages, keywords of the past
tense and aspects. Moreover, he clearly describes the form of the simple past
tense with regular verbs and irregular verbs; Pronunciation and spelling rules of
regular verbs with simple past tense aspect and mentions the rule to add “-ing”
to verbs in past progressive tense aspect as well as cases of typical contexts in
which the simple past and simple past perfect tense aspects are used. In addition,
he compares between the simple past perfect tense aspect and the past perfect
progressive tense aspect on forms, usages and adverbials as signals. And he also
describes both similarities and differences between present perfect progressive
and past perfect progressive tense aspect.
Together with L. G. Alexander (1988), in the book Oxford practice
Grammar intermediate, John Eastwood (2006) also shows the forms and usages
of all the past tense aspects. Beside, he provides a clear comparison between
past simple and past progressive tense aspects; past perfect and past simple tense
aspects; present perfect and simple past tense aspects.

6


In the book Understanding and using English Grammar, Betty
Schrampfer Azer (1993) shows us a time diagram. Basing on it, we can more
easily understand and use the past tense and aspects. He also describes the
forms, usages of the past tense and aspects using a table with 3 columns. The
first column includes the time diagrams showing when actions occur. The
second one provides examples to clearly demonstrate what are discussed on the
time diagram. And the last column supplies explanations what are demonstrated
on the time diagram and examples in the first two columns.
In the other book named English Grammar in use, Raymond Murphy
(1994) also focuses on all past tense and aspects. In each past tense aspect, the
author regularly provides some examples and analyzes them so that the learners
can understand easily. Besides, the author introduces some exercises for learners
to practice more about what they have learned.
In the book English grammar for ESL learners, Ed Swick (2005)
describes general information on past tense and aspects including definitions,
forms, uses, key words and some notes on regular verbs and irregular verbs.
In summary, many researchers have conducted research on the past tense
and aspects. However, few of them point out the common errors in the use of the
past tense and aspects. In fact, there are various errors that learners of English
often make when they use the past tense and aspects, and the same is true to the
students at Thanh Ba High School. As a result, the study is carried out to
uncover the common errors in the use of past tense and aspects made by the
eleventh grade students at Thanh Ba High School, the causes of the errors and to
provide the effectively suggested solutions to this problem.
1.2 PAST TENSE AND ASPECTS
According to Alice Maclin (1981) in the book Reference guide to EnglishA handbook of English as a second language, tense is described “to be the term
used to show relationship between time and other conditions and the form of the

verb.” Not all changes in the verb form are directly related to time. The way the
action is understood to take place also affects verb forms. In addition to showing
7


time, different forms show conditions such as certainty, definiteness, possibility
and whether or not the action is completed “mood” and “ aspect” are
grammatical terms that show how the verb expresses ideas that go beyond
yesterday/ today/ tomorrow division.
In the book named English grammar for ESL Learners, Ed Swick (2205)
also introduced on the past tense: “The past tense is used to show something that
has happened in the past”. There are three past tense formations: (1) a habitual
or frequent action, (2) an action in process or incomplete, and (3) an emphatic
response in the past tense.
1.2.1. The simple past tense aspect
1.2.1.1. Form of the simple past tense aspect with regular verbs
1.2.1.1.1. Positive form
John Eastwood (2006) in the book Oxford practice grammar intermediate
and Raymond Murphy (1994) in an other book named English Grammar in use
defined the form of regular verbs in the past tense: “A regular past form ends in
ed.”
For example:
We invited them to our party but they decided not to come.
The police stopped me on my way home last night.
1.2.1.1.2. Negative and interrogative forms
Raymond Murphy (1994) in an other book named English Grammar in
use show : “ in the negative and interrogative forms we use did/ did not +
infinitive”.
For example:
Negative forms

interrogative forms

You did not enjoy?

Did you enjoy?

1.2.1.2. Form of the simple past tense aspect with irregular verbs
1.2.1.2.1. Form of the simple past tense aspect: positive
L. G. Alexander (1988), in the book named Longman English Grammar,
and Raymond Murphy (1994), in the book English Grammar in use, defined on
8


form of the simple past tense aspect with irregular verbs: “Many verbs are
irregular. The past simple does not end in –ed” (The irregular is listed in
Appendix I). For example:
Write  wrote:

Mozart wrote more than 600 pieces of music.

See  saw:

We saw Rose in town a few days ago.

Go  went:

I went to the cinema three times last week.

John Eastwood (2006), in the book Oxford practice grammar

intermediate, added information on irregular verbs “to be”: “the past simple is
the same in all persons except in the past tense of be”.
I/ He/ She/ It/  was

I was ill last week

You/ We/ They  were

Those cakes were nice

1.2.1.2.2. Form of the simple past tense aspect: negative and interrogative
forms
According to the book named Oxford practice grammar intermediate,
John Eastwood (2006) shows that “we use did in negatives and questions”
Negative

Interrogative

I/ You/She/He/ It/we/they did not
Did I/You/We/They/She/He/ It stop?

stop
Or didn’t stop

In the other book, Oxford practice grammar, John Eastwood (1992) also
notes that “we don’t use a past form such as stopped, rang in a negatives and
questions”.
For example : NOT “the car did not stopped and NOT did you rang?”
We also use was and were in negatives and questions:
Negative

Interrogative

I/He/She/It was not OR wasn’t

Was I/She/He/It?

You/They/We were not OR weren’t

Were You/They/We?

For example:
I wasn’t very well last week
Where was your friend last night?
9


To sump up, we have negative and interrogative form for irregular verb
with common verbs, verbs “to be”, modal verbs”.
Negative forms

Interrogative forms

Common verbs

S + did not + Infinitive

Did (not) + S + Infinitive…?

Modal verbs

S + past of modal verb + Past of modal verbs (not)+ S +
not + Infinitive

Infinitive ?

Verb “to be”

S + was/were + not…

Was/ were (not) + S?

Have

S + had not…

Had (not) + S?

1.2.1.3. The regular past simple verbs: pronunciation and spelling
1.2.1.3.1. Pronunciation of the regular past simple verbs
According to the book named Longman English Grammar, L. G.
Alexander (1988) introduced clearly about pronunciation of the regular verbs in
the past simple tense aspect: “Verbs in the regular past always end with a “– d”
in their spelling, but the pronunciation of the past ending is not always the
same”.
Play/ played /d/
The most common spelling characteristic of the regular past is that “– ed”
is added to the base form of the verb: opened, knocked, stayed. ect. Except in the
case noted below, this –ed is not pronounced as if it were an extra syllable, so
“opened” is pronounced as /əʊpənd/, knocked: /nɒkt/, etc

Arrive/arrived /d/
Verbs which end in the following sounds have their past endings
pronounced as /d/. the “– ed” ending is not pronounced as an extra syllable:
/b/: rubbed

/g/: tugged

/dʒ/: managed

/l/ : filled

/m/ : dimmed

/n/: listened

Vowel + /r/: stirred

/v/: loved

/z/: seized

Work/ worked /t/
Verbs which end in the following sounds have their past endings
pronounced as /t/. The “– ed” ending is not pronounced as an extra syllable:
10


/k/: packed

/s/: passed

/tʃ/: watched

/ʃ/: washed

/f/: laughed

/p/: tipped

Post/posted

/id/

Verbs which end the sounds /t/ or /d/ have their past endings pronounced
/id/: posted, added. The “– ed” ending is pronounced as an extra syllable added
to the base form of verb.
NOTE:
Dream/ dreamed

/d / or dreamt /t/

A few verbs function as both regular and irregular verb and may have
their past forms spelt “– ed” or “– t” pronounced /d/ or /t/. For example : burn,
dream, lean, learn, smell, spell, spill, spoil.
1.2.1.3.2. Spelling of the regular past simple verbs
L. G. Alexander (1988) also presented about spelling of the regular past
simple verbs in the book named Longman English Grammar. In this book, the
author showed that “the regular past always ends in “- d”
Arrive/ arrived
Verbs ending in “- e” are added “- d”. For example: phone/ phoned;

smile/ smiled. This rule applies equally to agree, die, lie, etc.
Wait/ waited
Verbs not ending in “– e” are added “– ed” For example:
Ask/ asked

Clean/ cleaned

Follow/ followed

Video/ videoed

Stop/ stopped
For one-syllable verbs consisting of a single vowel letter followed by a
single consonant letter in the end, the final consonant is doubled before adding
“- ed”.
For example: beg/ begged; rub/ rubbed

11


Occur/occurred
For two-or-more-syllable verbs consisting of a single vowel letter
followed by a single consonant letter in the end and the primary stress falls on
the last syllable, the final consonant is also doubled before adding “- ed”.
For example: prefer/ preferred; refer/referred
Compare to ‘benefit/ benefited, ‘differ/ differed, and ‘profit/ profited. These
verbs are stressed on their first syllable and therefore their final consonants are
not doubled. In AmE labeled, quarreled, signaled, and traveled follow the rule.
In BrE labelled, quarrelled, signalled, and travelled are exceptions to the rule
Cry/ cried

When there is a consonant before “–y”, the “–y” is changed into “– i”
before we add “– ed”. For example:
Carry/ carried

Deny/ denied

Fry/ fried

Try/ tried

Compare with: Delay/ delayed, Obey/ obeyed, Play/ played, ect. which
have a vowel before “– y” and therefore we simply add “– ed” to the infinitive
verb.
1.2.1.4. Note on the past simple form of irregular verbs
Still in the book named Longman English Grammar, the author L. G.
Alexander (2006), defined that “ unlike regular verbs, irregular verbs do not
have past forms which can be predicted”.
Shut/ shut
A small number of verbs have the same form in the present simple as in
the past simple. For example: cut/ cut; hit/ hit; put/ put. It is important to
remember particularly with such verbs, that the third person singular does not
change in the past.
For example:
He shut (past tense)

he shuts (present tense)

12

Sit/ sat
The past simple form of most irregular verbs is different from the present
simple one.
For example
Bring/ brought

Catch/ caught

Leave/ left

Lose/ lost

Keep/ kept

1.2.1.5. Uses of the simple past tense aspect
1.2.1.5.1. Completed actions
In the book named Longman English Grammar Practice, L. G. Alexander
(1990) defined that “We use the simple past to talk about events, actions, or
situations which happened in the past and are now finished”.
Some examples about the past simple tense aspect are provided in the book
“Oxford practice Grammar”, by the author John Eastwood (1992):
Emma passed her exam last year.
I knew what the problem was.
We went to the theatre on Friday.
When did you buy this car? – about three years ago.
L. G. Alexander (1988), in the book named Longman English Grammar,
added: “They may have happened recently or in distant past, a time reference
must be given or must be understood from the text.” For example:
Time
Recently

Examples
Sam phoned a moment ago

In distant past

The Goths invaded Rome in A.D. 410

A time reference must be given

I had a word with Julian this morning

A time must be understood from the
text

I saw Fred

When we use the simple past, we are usually concerned with when an action
occurred, not with its duration (how long it lasted).

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1.2.1.5.2. Past habit
In the book named Advanced language Practice, Michael Vince & Peter
Sunderland (1994) wrote : “Past simple generally refers to habits”.
For example: Every day I went to the park.
1.2.1.5.3. Immediate past
L. G. Alexander (1988) at the book Longman English Grammar showed that
“We sometimes use the simple past tense without a time reference to describe

something that happened a very short time ago”
For example:
Jimmy punched me in the stomach.
Did the telephone ring?
Who left the door open?
1.2.1.5.4. Polite inquiries
L. G. Alexander (1988), in the book Longman English Grammar wrote
that “The simple past does not always refer to past time. It can also be used for
polite inquires (particularly asking for favors), often verbs like hope, think, or
wonder.”
For example, compare the pair of sentences:
I wonder if you could give me a lift.
I wondered if you could give me a lift.( More polite).
1.2.1.6. Adverbials with the simple past tense aspect
According to L. G. Alexander (1988), in the book Longman English
Grammar, the association of the past simple tense aspect with adverbials that
tell us when something happened is very important. Adverbials used with the
past simple tense aspect must refer to past (not present) time. This means that
adverbials which link with the present (before now, so far, still now, yet) are not
used with past tense.
Some adverbials like yesterday, last summer, and combinations with
ago are used only with past simple tense aspect.
For example:
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I saw Fane yesterday/ last summer.
Ago, meaning “back from now”, can combine with a variety of expressions to
refer the past. For example: two years ago, six months ago, a long time ago, so
on.

I met Robert Parr in Czechoslovakia many years ago.
1.2.1.7. Past simple tense aspect in typical contexts
According to L. G. Alexander (1988), in the book Longman English
Grammar, the simple past tense aspect combines with the other past tense
aspects, such as the past progressive tense aspect and the past perfect tense
aspect, when we are talking or writing about the past. Note that the past
progressive tense aspect is used for scene – setting. Past tense aspects of various
kinds are common in story – telling, biography, autobiography, reports, eye –
witness accounts, ect.
For example:
It was just before the Second World War. Tom was only 20 at the time and
was living with her mother. He was working in a bank and traveled to London
every day. One morning, he received a mysterious letter. It was addressed to Mr
Thomas Parker.
1.2.2. The past progressive tense aspect
1.2.2.1. Form of the past progressive tense aspect
In the book named Oxford Practice Grammar Intermediate, John
Eastwood (2006) showed that the past progressive meant that at the time in the
past we had been in the middle of an action.
The author showed the form of the past continuous (progressive): “the
past continuous is the past tense of be + an –ing form”
Forms
Positive form

S + was/were + V- ing

Negative form

S + was/ were (not) + V- ing

Interrogative form

Was/ were (not) + S + V- ing?

Example for positive form:
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I/He/She/ It/was playing.
You/They/We were playing.
Example for negative form:
I/He/She/ It was not (wasn’t) playing.
You/They/We were not (weren’t) playing.
Example for interrogative form:
Was I/He/She/ It playing?
Were You/They/We playing?
1.2.2.2. Spelling: How to add “-ing” to a verb
In the book Longman English Grammar, L. G. Alexander showed the
spelling: how to add “- ing” to a verb.
Wait/ waiting
We can add “- ing” to most of the verbs without changing the spelling of
their base forms. For example:
Beat/beating

Carry/carrying

Catch/catching

Drink/ drinking

Enjoy/enjoying

Hurry/hurrying

Write/writing
If a verb ends in “ e” omit the “- e” and add “- ing”. This rule does not
apply to verbs ending in double -e such as agree/agreeing, see/seeing.
For example:
Come/coming

Have/having

Ride/riding

Use/using

Make/making

Exceptions:
age/ageing, singe/singeing, dye/dyeing
Run/running
For a verb ends with a single vowel followed by a single consonant,
double its final consonant. For example:
Hit/hitting

Let/letting

Run/running

Sit/sitting

Put/putting

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