TENSES (Part 2)


TENSES   (Part 2)
Let us, in this article, discuss Past Tense and its four (4) sub-tenses.
PAST TENSE
Past Tense is a tense expressing an action that has happened or a state/situation that previously existed.
1.  Past Simple Tense or Simple Past Tense
 A Past Simple Tense or Simple Past Tense is used to describe an action or activity that started in the past and ended in the past or is no longer happening.
Examples:
(i)                I watched the movie ‘Things Fall Apart’ in 1988.
(ii)             I visited Ibadan for the first time, in 1999.
(iii)           Omotekoro completed her primary school education in1976.
(iv)           The defunct Midwest Region was created in 1963.
(v)             Delta State University was formally established in 1992.
2.   Past Continuous Tense or Past Progressive Tense

Past Continuous Tense or Past Progressive Tense is used to express a continued or an on-going action in the past i.e. an on-going action which occurred in the past and was completed at some other point in the past.In other words, a past continuous tense expresses an on-going nature of an action in the past.  Often, it is used to set the scene for another action.
Examples:
(i)                I was going to the motor park yesterday, when I saw Johnson, my old friend.
(ii)             Late Alhaji Shehu Shagari was ruling his second tenure as civilian president of Nigeria when General Muhammadu Buhari overthrew him on 31st December, 1983.
(iii)           When General Ibrahim Babaginda devalued the Naira in September, 1986, he caused many Nigerians studying by correspondence, to discontinue.
(iv)            I was still an infant when the Nigeria Civil War broke out in 1967.
(v)             Chief Okeke was still sleeping when the police stormed his house early this morning.
3.    Past Perfect Tense          
Past Perfect Tense is used to express an action which occurred in the past, (usually, a long time ago) before the occurrence of another action (later in the past).The actions expressed in Past Perfect Tense are usually already completed or perfected, hence they are classified as past perfect tense.
Examples:
(i)                Johnny had completed his first degree programme before his younger brother, Peter, sat for his WASC examination.
(ii)             Samuel had been weaned before the mother, Hannah, took him to Eli for dedicated service.
(iii)           Nigeria consisted of four regions before General Yakubu Gowon split it into twelve states in 1967.
(iv)           A teacher training school was established in Abraka way back 1943, but it later metamorphosed into a college of education.
(v)             The late Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe had worked as a news editor/publisher in Ghana, before he went into politics in Nigeria.
4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense or
    Past Perfect Progressive Tense

Past Perfect Continuous Tense is used to express a continued or an on-going action that started in the past and continued until sometime in the past, with a time reference.  If there is no time reference or sense of time reference, then it is not Past Perfect Continuous Tense because there is no hint about the time of action when it started in the past or continued for some time period; so it seems just an on-going action in the past which resembles Past Continuous Tense. So the reference of time differentiates Past Perfect Continuous Tense from Past Continuous Tense.
Examples:
(i)                General Muhammadu Buhari ruled Nigeria as Military Head of State from 1984 to 1985.
(ii)             The Nigeria Civil War started in 1967 and raged on until 1970.
(iii)           Sam schooled in Otovwodo Grammar School, Ughelli, from 1978 to 1983.
(iv)           It rained heavily for three hours without abatement.
(v)             A traditional troupe danced from noon to dusk yesterday, at Abraka.


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