The Past Indefinite Tense is a completed action happened at a specific time in the time. Sometimes this tense is used to discuss about past habits. With past indefinite tense, the words like yesterday, before, ago, last, etc. are used.
Structure 1 (a):
Positive Form
Subject + Past form of verb + Remaining Part of the sentence (If have).
Example: You worked hard.
To compare the sentence according to the structure,
Subject= You
Past Form of Verb = worked
Remaining Part of the sentence= hard
Structure 1 (b):
Subject + past form of be verb (was/were) + remaining part of the sentence (If have).
Example:
- He was a poor
To compare the sentence, according to the structure,
Subject = He
Past form of be verb =was
Remaining part of the sentence = a poor
Structure 2 (a):
Negative Form
Subject + did not + Present form of verb + Remaining part of the sentence (if have)
Example:
- He did not go to school.
To compare the sentence according to the structure,
Subject= He
Did not + Present Form of Verb = did not go.
Remaining Part of the sentence= to school.
Structure 2 (b):
Negative Form
Subject + past form of be verb (was/were) + not + remaining part of the sentence (if have).
Example:
He was not an honest man.
To compare the sentence according to the structure,
Subject = He
past form of be verb (was/were) + not = was not
Remaining part of the sentence = an honest man.
Structure 3 (a):
Question Form (Yes/No Question)
Did/Didn’t + Subject + Present form of Verb + Remaining Part of the sentence (If have)?
Example 1: Didn’t he go there?
To compare the sentence according to the structure,
Did= Did
Subject + Present Form of Verb = he go
Remaining Part of the sentence= there?
Example 2: Didn’t you go there?
To compare the sentence according to the structure,
Didn’t= Didn’t
Subject + Present Form of Verb = you go
Remaining Part of the sentence= there?
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Structure 3 (b):
Question Form (Yes/No Question)
Past form of Be verb (Was/Were/Wasn’t/Were not) + Subject + Remaining Part of the sentence (If have) ?
Example 1:
- Were they poor?
- Was he guilty?
To compare the two sentences according to the structure,
Past form of Be Verb (was/were)= Were (First Sentence), Was (Second Sentence)
Subject = they (First Sentence), he (Second Sentence)
Remaining Part of the sentence= poor? (First Sentence), guilty? (Second Sentence)
Example 2:
- Were not they hard worker?
- Was not he an good person?
To compare the two sentences according to the structure,
Past form Be verb (was/were) + not = Were not (First Sentence), Was not (Second Sentence)
Subject = they (First Sentence), he (Second Sentence)
Remaining Part of the sentence = hard worker? (First Sentence), an good person? (Second Sentence)
Structure 4 (a):
Question Form (Wh Question)
Wh word (What/Who/How/Which etc.) + did/didn’t + Subject + Present form of verb + Remaining part of the sentence (if have) ?
Example 1:
- Why did you go there?
To compare the sentence according to the structure,
Wh word (What/Who/How/Which etc.) = Why
Did = did
Subject + Present form of verb = you go
Remaining Part of the sentence = there?
Example 2:
- What didn’t they receive it?
To compare the sentence according to the structure,
Wh word (What/Who/How/Which etc.) = What
Didn’t = didn’t
Subject + present form of verb = they allow
Remaining part of the sentence = it?
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Structure 4 (b):
Question Form (Wh Question)
Wh word (What/Who/How/Which etc.) + Past form of be verb (was/were/wasn’t/were not) +subject + remaining part of the sentence (If have) ?
Example 1:
- Why were you absent?
- Why was he guilty?
To compare the two sentences according to the structure,
Wh word (What/Who/How/Which etc.) = Why
Past form of be verb (was/were) = were (first sentence), was (second sentence)
Subject = you (first sentence), he (second sentence)
Remaining Part of the sentence = absent? (First Sentence), guilty? (Second Sentence)
Example 2:
- Why were not they present?
- Why was not he eligible?
To compare the two sentences according to the structure,
Wh word (What/Who/How/Which etc.) = Why
Past form of be verb (was/were) + not = were not (First Sentence), was not (Second Sentence)
Subject = they (First Sentence), he (Second Sentence)
Remaining Part of the sentence = present? (First Sentence), eligible? (Second Sentence)
Structure 5 :
Question Form (Wh Question)
Wh word (What/Who/How/Which etc.) + past form of verb/didn’t present form of verb + remaining part of the sentence (if have)?
Example 1:
- Who performed this?
To compare the sentence according to the structure,
Wh word (What/Who/How/Which etc.) = Who
Past form of verb = performed
Remaining Part of the sentence = this?
Example 2: What didn’t they allow it?
To compare the sentence according to the structure,
Wh word (What/Who/How/Which etc.) = What
Didn’t = didn’t
Subject + Present form of verb = they allow
Remaining Part of the sentence = it?
Structure 6:
Question Form (Wh Question)
Wh word (What/Who/How/Which etc.) + noun + did/didn’t + subject + present form of verb + remaining part of the sentence (if have) ?
Example 1:
- Which books did you want?
To compare the sentences according to the structure,
Wh word (What/Who/How/Which etc.) + Noun = Which books
Did = did
Subject + Present Form of Verb = you want ?
Remaining Part of the sentence= the following two sentences have no remaining part.
Example 2: Which pen didn’t you find in the classroom?
To compare the sentence according to the structure,
Wh word (What/Who/How/Which etc.) + noun = Which pen
Didn’t = didn’t
Subject + present form of verb = you find
Remaining Part of the sentence= in the classroom?
Structure 7:
Question Form (Wh Question)
Wh Word (What/Who/How/Which etc.) + Noun + Preposition + Noun + did/didn’t + subject + present form of verb + remaining part of the sentence (if have) ?
Example 1:
- What kinds of birds did you like to choose yesterday?
To compare the sentence according to the structure,
Wh word (What/Who/How/Which etc.) + Noun + Preposition + Noun = Which kinds of birds
Did= did
Subject + Present Form of Verb = you like
Remaining Part of the sentence= to choose yesterday?
Example 2:
- Which types of products didn’t you find in the shop last day?
To compare the sentence according to the structure,
Wh word (What/Who/How/Which etc.) + noun + preposition + noun = Which types of products
Didn’t = didn’t
Subject + present form of verb = you find
Remaining Part of the sentence= in the shop?
In summary, the past indefinite tense provides a clear indication that an action took place at a definite time in the past and has since concluded.
