Grammar

Past simple
He, she ,it, I, they ,we, you

Verb in past

Past simple is used:

-to describe a completed action in the past.
-to describe completed actions that happened one after the other in
the past.
-to describe past habits or repeated actions in the past.
-to describe permanent situations in the past.
-to describe an action in the past that interrupted a longer action in
progress.
Time expressions:
Ago, yesterday, last week, last month
Past progressive
I, she, he, it
They, we, you

was + v-ing
were + v- ing

Past progressive is used:

-to describe an action in progress at a certain time in the past.
-to describe actions that were happening at the same time in the past.
-to describe background scenes to a story.
-to describe temporary past states or actions.
-to describe repetitive or annoying actions
-to describe an action in progress in the past that was interrupted by
another action.

Grammar
Past perfect simple
He, she, it, I, we,
they, you

Had

Verb in past

Past perfect simple is used:

-to describe an action which was completed before a specific
point of time in the past
-to describe an action that was completed before another
action in the past
Time expressions:
Already, ever, never, just, when, by the time, before, after,
by
Past perfect progressive
He, she, it, I, we,
they, you

Had

Been +v-ing

Past perfect progressive is used:

-to emphasise the duration of an action that was in progress
before another action or a specific point of time in the past
-to refer to an action whose duration caused visible results at
a later point of time in the past