Week 2

Past Tenses
 Past Simple (Indefinite) Tense

Completed actions
I saw the new film yesterday

Repeated actions in the past

I went to the theatre once a month when I lived in
London.
Past Simple
is used to
describe: General truth about the past
Twenty years ago, people didn’t know much about modern
technologies.

Main events in stories/list of events

Yesterday I went to the library, met a friend for lunch,
and played tennis.

As part of the second conditional

If I won the lottery, I would buy a house in Chelsea.
 Past Continuous Tense

Actions happening at a moment in the past

At three o'clock, I was working.

Two actions in progress at the same time

I was watching TV and he was reading.
Past Continuous
is used to express:
Background information to give atmosphere to a story
It was a beautiful day. The birds were singing, the sun was
shining and in the cafes people were laughing and chatting.

An annoying and repeated action in the past, usually with

'always‘
He was always leaving the tap running.

Continuous action in the past, interrupted by another

action (in this case we use past simple and past continuous
together)
I was taking a bath when the telephone rang.
 Past Perfect Tense

To talk about what happened before a point in the past. It looks back
from a point in the past to further in the past.
• I hadn't known the bad news when I spoke to him.
• She had already told him before I got a chance to give him my
version.

Past Perfect
is used: To talk about the finished actions and states where the important
thing is the result at the moment in the past.
• We were happy because we had all done our homework.
•They were angry because their son had disappointed them.

The past perfect simple is often used when we report what people
had said/thought/believed.
• He told me they had already paid the bill.
• He said he believed that John had moved to Italy.
 Past Perfect Continuous Tense

To express an action that started in the past and

continued up to another action or event 
(We often use this with for and since. )

• She had been working at that company for a year when

she met James. 
Past Perfect
Continuous
is used:

To express the cause of something in the past

• I was so tired when he came, I had been studying.

• The pavement was wet, it had been raining. 
Used to - an action or habit that was common in the PAST but
not anymore.
I used to drink coffee every morning but now I drink tea.
She used to live in London but now she lives in New York.

Negative form of Used to: 

I used to like her, but now I hate her.
I didn’t use to like her but now I think she is great.

Used to in Questions:

Did you use to ride a bike to school when you were a child?
What did you use to do after school when you were a kid?

To be used to - accustomed to something (normally out of habit or

experience)