Page 87 - English for Constitutional Law

S + verb 2 + O/C

S + to be (was/were)

Negative sentences

Subject + did + not + bare infinitive

Subject + to be (was/were) + not

Interrogative sentence

Did + subject + bare infinitive

T o Be (was/ were) + subject

Simple past tense has several functions. The first function is to explain events in the past. The
adverbs of time are yesterday, last two days, last year, and others.

Examples:

Alif went to court yesterday.
W e saw the film last three days.

The past tense is also used to describe some events that have occurred in the past. Usually,
these events are carried out sequentially.

Example:

I bought a meatball, ate it, and washed my plate.

Furthermore, the past tense can be used to tell a habit that was done in the past and is not
done anymore in the present.

Example:

Gio could not play the guitar.

The simple past tense is also used to describe facts or general things in the past.

Example:

The judge sentenced Saddam Husain to death.

Exercise 6. Fill in the spaces with were or was.

.
1 My closest friend … 36 years old last year.
2 . When we visited Tokyo, the temperature … 17-degree Celsius.

3 . Why … they so upset yesterday?

.
4 You … not home when I visited you on Sunday.
5 . When you got home from work, … Dinda home?

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