| OS PAST SIMPLE verb -ed (or irregular form) ‘= completed states or actions that happened | We received an award for the best Mediterranean cuisine inthe city. at a specific time in the past + actions that happened one after the other |The chef chopped the tomatoes, sliced the onions and poured some olive inthe past oil into the frying pan. | + past habits or actions ‘When we were in Canada, we often walked through the snow to school Expressions of Time esterday, ago, last week’monthiyear, in May, in the 80s, in those days, in 2015, inthe morning/afternoon/evening, the day before yesterday, the other day, whenever, ater, afterwards, before, back then, when, etc ALERT! Past Simple or Present Perfect? ‘+ The past simple is used when we refer to a completed action that happened at a specific time in the past, whereas the present perfect is used when no specific time reference is made, or when an action is still relevant to the present. I visited the Colosseum last year. Thave visited the Colosseum. ‘* When we use since, the past simple is often used in the clause beginning with since and the present perfect is used in the main clause. ‘ve grown to like Elena since I started working with her. ve been meaning to call you since | got back fram Spain, Since she stopped eating processed foods, her health has really improved. ‘© Whilst in British English the present perfect is used with just, already, yet, ever, never and before, in American English, the same adverbs are often used with the past simple. British English ‘American English Have you already finished? _—_id you already finish? Julia's never stayed here before Julia never stayed here before. PAST CONTINUOUS was/were + verb -ing || © actions in progress at a particular time in the past We were driving along the coast yesterday evening | ‘© an action in progress inthe past that was interrupted by | While Tabitha was eating a cereal bar, her tooth came out! another action ‘+ two actions in progress at the same time in the past _| Andrew was jogging around the block while | was playing basketball. ‘+ an action or situation used as an introduction to a more || was listening to the radio when Mum told me your news. significant event ‘* temporary actions in the past Last summer | was helping Dad out at the office ‘* annoying or amusing past habits (with always, Richard was forever talking about his stamp collection and | constantly, forever) can tell you that it got realy boring! ‘* referring to the expectation of a planned action that did || was hoping you would call me at the weekend, (but you not actually take place didn't call) * past arrangements that may or may not have taken place | Michael was meeting me outside the library, but he missed the bus and couldn't make it Expressions of Time ail day, as, at the time, back then, in those days, during, while, at six o'clock in the evening, this morning, etc ‘ UNITS 73