PAMELA DELGADO

LEVEL 3
ACTIVITY 3
Past events and situations
The past simple is used to describe finished events in the past, one thing
happening after another. Susan went into the station and bought a ticket.
• Past simple is used to describe past habits or states. A time expression is
usually necessary.
• Ex. I always got up at six those days. (HABIT)
• I lived in Australia for several years. (STATE)
•
• We do not normally use would with stative verbs. We use the past simple or
used to instead:

We use the past simple to talk about: Final sounds T/D/ ID

• something that happened once in the past:

ex. The film started at seven thirty.
ex. We arrived home before dark.

• something that was true for some time in the past:

ex. Everybody worked hard through the winter.
ex. We stayed with our friends in London.
When we talk about something that happened several times in the past,
we use the past simple:
Ex. Most evenings, we stayed at home and watched DVDs.
ex. Sometimes they went out for a meal.
or used to: Past simple + verb in presente

. Used to is used to describe past habits, usually in contrast with the present. A
time expression in NOT necessary.
Ex. I used to get up at six, but now I get up at eight.
Used to can also describe past states. I used to own a horse. (I owned a horse
once.)
Most evenings, we used to stay at home and watch DVDs.
We used to go for a swim every morning.
or would:
ex. Most evenings, he would take the dog for a walk.
ex. They would often visit friends in Europe.
We do not normally use would with stative verbs. We use the past
simple or used to instead:
He would looked much older than he does now. (NOT would look)
We would used to feel very cold in winter. (NOT would feel)

Exercises: Choose the best answer.

Realized – noted - left – phoned- – booked - returned - had forgotten -put
– didn´t find - rang – had left - picked - had to - looked into – checked –
arrived – ran – was looking – remembered - thought

Usually, whenever Peter (1) returned home from a trip he (2) lefts his
passport in his desk drawer, but in January, after a trip to Poland, he (3) had
forgotten his passport in the pocket of his overcoat. Two weeks later, he (4) had to
fly to Thailand. While (5) picked his bag he (6) didn´t find that he (7) put a note of
the name of the hotel that his company (8) booked for him. He (9) checked for
his flight online earlier that morning, but he (10) noted about the hotel details.
While he (11) phoned his office, the doorbell (12) rang . His taxi for the
airport (13) arrived . He (14) had left the details of the hotel, (15) looking into his
bag and (16) ran out of the house. He (17) was looking forward to a few sunny
days in Bangkok. While he (18) thought how nice it would be to walk around the
city without heavy winter clothes, he suddenly (19) remebered that he (20) realized
his passport in his overcoat.

EXERCISE 2
Underline the most suitable verb form in each sentence.

1 I suddenly remembered that I forgot / had forgotten my

keys.
2 While Diana watched / was watching her favourite
television programme, there was a power cut.
3 Tom used to live / would live in the house at the end of
the street.
4 Who was driving / drove the car at the time of the
accident?
5 By the time Sheila got back, Chris went / hadgone.
6 David ate / hadeaten Japanese food before, so he knew
what to order.
7 I did / was doing some shopping yesterday, when I saw
that Dutch friend of yours.
8 I used to like / was liking sweets much more than I do
now.
9 What exactly were you doing / did you do when I came
into your office yesterday?
10 Laura missed the party because no-one was telling /
had told her about it.
11 Tanya would / used to be a doctor.