PAST

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Note: Past Perfect not Past Perfect Continuous is used with state verbs (believe, know, prefer, seem etc.)

had+been+Ving

had+V3

was/were+Ving

V2 / Ved

WAYS TO EXPRESS PAST

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Would+V

e.g. Every evening was the same. Jack would turn on the radio, sit in the armchair and fall asleep.

for repeated actions, not states in the past, often in personal reminiscences

for a person's typical activities in the past

e.g. Jim would always make his mother a cup of tea after lunch.

Used to+V

for past habits or states that are no longer true

e.g. Did you use to live in that house?

e.g. I didn't use to like porridge when I was young.

e.g. I used to get up at six, but now I get up at eight.

Past Perf. Cont.

Time expressions used with the Past Perfect Continuous: for, since, how long, before, until etc.

for an action which lasted for some time in the past and whose result is visible in the past (strong result)

e.g. She had been working hard for hours, so she was very tired.

to put emphases on the duration of the action which started and finished in the past before another past action or a stated time in the past

e.g. She had been waiting for days before he called her.

Past Perfect

Time expressions used with the Past Perfect: before, after, already, for, since, just, till/until, when, by, by the time, never etc.

for a action which finished in the past and whose result was visible in the past

e.g. He had won the first prize, so he felt ecstatic.

for an action that had completed before another or a stated time in the past

e.g. Tom had tidied up all the rooms before the returned from school (by 5 o'clock yesterday).

Past Continuous

to give background information in the story

e.g. The wind was blowing and dark clouds were gathering in the sky.

for two or more actions which were happening at the same time in the past

e.g. I was tidying up when John was ironing.

for a past action which was in progress when another action interrupted it

e.g. He was listening to music when the doorbell rang.

for an action which is in progress at a stated moment in the past

e.g. At 7 o'clock yesterday morning we were driving to the airport.

Past Simple

past habits

e.g. We often travelled when we were students.

past actions happened one after the other

e.g. She woke up, put some clothes on and ran our of the house.

actions completed in the past with time indicated or implied

e.g. Bruce called Tina yesterday morning.