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Narrative tenses
• We use narrative tenses when telling a story, or talking about
situations and activities which happened at a past time.
• When telling past events, DO NOT mix past and present tenses

• PAST SIMPLE
• PAST CONTINUOUS
• PAST PERFECT
Past simple
We use simple past tense
• to express a completed action at a definite time in the past

I woke up at half past seven yesterday, I had a shower and ate some
breakfast. I I left home at quarter past eight.
PAST CONTINUOUS
We use past continuous tense
• for an action which was in progress at a stated time in the past.

At 1 o’clock in the morning, I was sleeping.

PAST CONTINUOUS + SIMPLE PAST
• For a past action which was in progress when an other action
interrupted it. We use the past continuous for the action in progress
(longer action) and the past simple for the action which interrupted the
longer action.

I was washing the dishes when I cut my finger.

PAST CONTINUOUS + PAST CONTINUOUS

• For two or more actions which were happening at the same time in the
past.

I was cooking the dinner while my daughter was laying the table.

• To give background information in a story

The sun was shining brightly and the birds were chirping happily as I
was walking to work.
PAST PERFECT
• We use past perfect simple to go back to a second past. We use it to
talk about things that had already happened before that specific time in
the past.

I got to the party late. When I arrived there, everybody had already
left.

We use it to make the narrative more interesting and easy to read.