How could you express: He was big?, without saying: He has become big?
Well, when using an adjective verb, a stative verb or a modal verb, we must use an adverb in order to express the past.
Adjective verb
| 我 | 以 | 前 | 小 | 。 |
| wǒ | yǐ | qián | xiǎo | _ |
| I | use | front | small | _ |
| I, me, my | before, formerly, ago, previously | small | 。 | |
| I used to be small. | ||||
| 我 | 过 | 去 | 小 | 。 |
| wǒ | guò | qù | xiǎo | _ |
| I | pass by | go | small | _ |
| I, me, my | in the past, pass by, transfer etc.: to there | small | 。 | |
| I used to be small. | ||||
| 我 | 从 | 前 | 小 | 。 |
| wǒ | cóng | qián | xiǎo | _ |
| I | from | front | small | _ |
| I, me, my | in the past, before | small | 。 | |
| I used to be small. | ||||
Stative verb
| 我 | 以 | 前 | 是 | 老 | 师 | 。 |
| wǒ | yǐ | qián | shì | lǎo | shī | _ |
| I | use | front | be | old | teacher | _ |
| I, me, my | before, formerly, ago, previously | to be, correct, yes | teacher | 。 | ||
| I used to be a teacher. | ||||||
Modal verb
| 我 | 以 | 前 | 不 | 会 | 说 | 。 |
| wǒ | yǐ | qián | bù | huì | shuō | _ |
| I | use | front | not | meet | say | _ |
| I, me, my | before, formerly, ago, previously | no, not, after negative question: yes | future: will, meet, be able to | speak, say | 。 | |
| I couldn't speak. | ||||||