PAST SIMPLE/ PAST CONTINUOUS/ PAST PERFECT

PAST SIMPLE Use it for:
Finished actions in the past:
-I went to London yesterday.
Consecutive actions in the
past, one after the other:
-I got home, took my coat
off, had dinner and went to
bed.
PAST CONTINUOUS Use it for:
To talk about an action that was in
progress at a specific time in the past:
-They were watching a film yesterday
at 7 p.m.
-Two long actions happening at the
same time:
-He was singing while I was dancing.
PAST PERFECT Use it for:
To say what happened before
the previous past action.
-When I arrived at the party,
Peter had already left.
-As soon as I left the house, I
realized I had left my car keys in
the house so I had to get them.

NARRATIVE TENSES
We also use the past simple, the past continuous and the past perfect to narrate past stories. Study the
following sentences and see the difference:
-Past simple: When I arrived home, Tom made a cake. (consecutive actions / I arrived, he started the action).
-Past continuous: When I arrived , Tom was making a cake. (I came, he was in the middle of the action).
-Past perfect: When I arrived home, Tom had made a cake. (I came, the action had already happened).
-Past perfect continuous: When I arrived, Tom had been making a cake. (very recent action, the kitchen is
still dirty or he has his apron on. Visual evidence shows the action is recent).

Read the following short stories and fill the gaps with the correct tense

1-Mary ________________ outside a café when the accident _____________ (sit/happen)

2-As Mary ____________ (see) the accident, she _______________ (call) the police.
3-While Mary _____________ for the police to arrive, she ___________to talk to a journalist. (wait/start)
4-The journalist _______________ just two minutes before the accident _______________ and was
shocked. (come/happen)
5-When the police finally __________ there, they ____________ to question Mary because she _________
the only person who _______________ the accident. (arrive/start/be/see).
6-This _______________ about two weeks ago in a small English town. (happen)
7-Pol _____________along the street when he ___________ and ___________on the ground. (walk/slip/fall)
8-The first thing he __________ was to look around to see if someone ______________ him falling (do/see)
9-When he ___________ nobody ___________ him, he ___________ much better. (realise/see/feel)
10-He suddenly ______________ up and ______________ to walk as if nothing _____________________
(stand/start/ever happen)
11-When he __________ home he __________ his sister about what ________________ (get/tell/happen).
12-He _____________ really angry when his sister ____________ out her mobile phone and ___________
him a picture of him on the ground. Grrrrrr, she ________________ him and ______________ a picture!
(get/take/ show/see/take).