Past tenses

Past simple We bought the house a year ago. Complete action – definite time in the past She got up, took her bag and left. Several actions happened one after another. The speeding car hit a dog and did not stop. Main events in a narrative Time expressions: a month/year ago, yesterday, last week/month, in 1963/November, when, the other day.

Past continuous At nine o’clock last night, we were visiting friends. Action in progress in a specific time in the past. I was playing the guitar while Cindy was singing. 2 incomplete actions happening at the same time We were walking home when the rain started. An action in progress(PC) interrupted by a shorter action (PS) We look outside. It was raining hard and the wind was blowing. The background to a narrative. The weather was becoming hotter and hotter. Refers to a changing state. Time expressions: yesterday at 9 o’clock, as, while.

Past perfect simple He did well in his exam because he had studied really hard. An activity that happened before another activity or time in the past. Time expressions: By the time, after, before, when, as soon as, already, no sooner…than, hardly…than.

Past perfect continuous I had been watching the children all morning and I felt tired. Action that started before a particular time in the past and was still in progress at that time. Joe noticed that Peter had been crying. Action just finished in the past but still relevant at that time. We had been waiting for half an hour when Dave arrived. How long something had been happening before something else happened. Time expressions : for, since, all night/week.

Used to - would Used to + bare infinitiv An action that happened regularly in the past but no longer happens. I used to go shopping with my parents when I was younger. A past habit, state or situation I used to own a bicycle, but I sold it. Would + bare infinitive Used for past actions or habits but not for states or situations. We normally use would in positive sentences, not in negative sentences or questions. My dad would read stories to me when I was little.

be used to/get used to +noun/ gerund Be used to +noun / gerund Be accustomed to do something which is no longer new or strange I am used to sleeping late on the weekend. Get used to + noun / gerund The process of becoming accustomed to something. We quickly got used to life in the country.