Narrative tenses (to talk about the past)

Describe an event that happened before another

The weather had been very hot when the fire broke out.

When we arrived, the film had already started.

S + had + Past Participle

Time expressions:

By the time, Before that time, It wasn't until (later) that, Once I had..., Until then, After..., As soon as, When, As, Never, already, just,

Ongoing actions that began before another action in the past.

When I finished the race, I was exhausted because I had been running for more than two hours.

He couldn't answer the teacher's question because he hadn't been listening.

S + had (+ not) + been + verb+ING

Time expressions:

for, since, already

Specific time periods (for 20 years, all night, until that point, for hours/days before, etc)

Actions that happened at one moment in the past, or were true at one time in the past.

S+ verb+ ED / Irregular verb

I fell over

S+ didn't + verb INF

People didn't have easy lives 200 years ago.

Time expressions

Suddenly, all of a sudden, at that moment

Yesterday, The day before yesterday

Last (week, month, year, Monday, night)

A week (month, year) ago

Earlier this (morning, week, month, year)

In (2010) (March)

When I (was born, was young)

A few (seconds, minutes, hours) later

Ongoing actions or situations around a time in the past. Background information.

I wasn't paying attention when the car crashed.

Thousands of people were living in very enclosed spaces.

An ongoing situation that was interrupted by another.

The fire started while the people were sleeping.

S+ WAS/ WERE (+ not) + verb+ING

Time expressions:

When, while, at the same time, during, meanwhile

All (day/ morning/ night/ day yesterday)

The whole (day, morning, night)