Past TimeFocus on Grammar 5Part I, Unit 2By Ruth Luman, Gabriele Steiner, and BJ WellsCopyright 2006. Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.1Isabel Allende:Precious Past Moments

Simple Past In the 1950s, she attended a private school in Bolivia.Use the simple past to describe actions, events, or states at a specific past time. pastnowfuture Isabel Allende grew up in South America.

Past ProgressiveUse the past progressive to express an action that was in progress (not finished) in the past.pastnowfuture1962Allende was working for the United Nations. . . . . . when she married her first husband in 1962.

Present Perfect She has done numerous lecture tours in America and Europe.Isabel Allende has lived in Peru, Chile, and Venezuela.pastnowfutureUse present perfect to express actions, events, or states completed at an indefinite time in the past.

Simple Past vs. Present PerfectIsabel Allende has traveled all over Europe.In 1964, she traveled all over Europe with her husband and daughter.pastnowfuture1964Present perfect: for events at an indefinite time in the past Simple past: for events at a definite time in the past

Practice 1Form sentences with present perfect orsimple past.pastnowfuture(have) her daughter in 1963 1. (work) for several magazines2. (move) to Venezuela with her family in 19753. (marry) her second husband in 1988Example:She had her daughter in 1963.4. (live) in the U.S. for over 15 yearsShe has worked for several magazines.She moved to Venezuela with her family in 1975.She married her second husband in 1988.She has lived in the U.S. for over 15 years.

Past with Used ToUse used to + base form to show habitual events that were true in the past but not today.pastnowfuture She used to be on the editorial staff of a Chilean magazine called Paula. She used to write many humorous and feminist articles for that magazine.

Past Perfect 1pastnowfuturebefore past eventpast eventUse the past perfect to express events that happened before a past event.Allende had published many magazine articles . . . . . . before she wrote her famous novel House of Spirits.

Past Perfect 2The past perfect is often used with by or by the time. The by clause may precede or follow the main clause.pastnowfuture19761991fifteen yearsBy the time Isabel Allende returned to Chile in 1991 . . . . . . fifteen years had gone by.

Practice 2Form sentences with simple past and past perfect using before.pastnowfuture(be) a contributor to Mampato MagazineExample:(work) for the United Nations2. Isabel (publish)several novels(have) her son Nicolas(direct) the magazine(start) a trilogy for young adultsIsabel had published several novels before she started a trilogy for young adults. She had been a contributor to Mampato magazine before she directed the magazine.She had worked for the United Nations before she had her son Nicolas.

Past with Was / Were Going ToUse was / were going to + base form to describe events that were supposed to happen but did not.pastnowfutureIsabel Allende was going to stay in Chile, but after the military coup in 1973, she had to leave the country.In 1978, they were going to separate, but Allende soon returned to her husband.did not happen

Practice 3Form sentences with was / were going to.Allende planned to live in Chile.Example:12She had to flee the country.Allende was going to live in Chile, but she had to flee the country.She planned to write a letter.The letter turned into a novel.She was going to write a letter, but the letter turned into a novel.They divorced in 1987.They planned to stay together.They were going to stay together, but they divorced in 1987.

ReferencesCopyright 2006 Pearson Education and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Photo Credits:Isabel Allende Loria Barra