Past Forms
| Past Simple | Past Continuous | Past Perfect | Past Perfect Cont. |
| past actions which happened one after the other She sealed the letter, put a stamp on it and posted it. |
action in the middle of happening at a stated past time He was playing tennis at 4.30 yesterday. |
past action which occurred before another action or before a stated past time He had left by the time I got there. (or by 8.15) |
action continuing over a period up to a specific time in the past She had been working as a clerk for 10 years before she resigned. |
| past habit or state He used to go/went to school on foot. complete action or event which happened at a stated past time She called an hour ago. (When? An hour ago.) |
past action in progress interrupted by another past action. The longer action is in the Past Continuous, the shorter action is in the Past Simple. While I was getting dressed the bell rang. |
complete past action which had visible results in the past She was sad because she had failed the test. |
past action of certain duration which had visible results in the past They were wet because they had been walking in the rain. |
| action which happened at a definite past time although the time is not mentioned. This action is not connected with the present. Shakespeare wrote a lot of plays. (Shakespeare is now dead; he won't write again. - period of time now finished) |
two or more simultaneous past actions While I was sunbathing, Tim was swimming. or background description to events in a story She was flying to Paris. The sun was shining... |
the Past Perfect is the past equivalent of the Present Perfect (He can't find his watch. He has lost it.) He couldn't find his watch. He had lost it. |
the Past Perfect Cont. is the past equivalent of the Present Perfect Continuous (She is going to the doctor. Her leg has been aching for two days.) She went to the doctor. Her leg had been aching for two days. |
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| Past Simple | yesterday, last week etc, (how long) ago, then, just now, when, in 1967 etc |
| Past Continuous | while, when, as etc |
| Past Perfect | for, since, already, after, just, never, yet, before, by, by the time etc |
| Past Perfect Cont. | for, since |
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| Used to expresses past habits or states. It forms its negative and interrogative with "did" and it is the same in all persons. We can use Past Simple instead of "used to". She used to walk / walked long distances. She didn't use to stay in and watch TV. |
| Would expresses past repeated actions and routine. Used to expresses past states or habits. Grandma would always make me porridge for breakfast. (also: used to make) When I was young I used to live in Leeds. (not: would) |
| Was going to expresses unfulfilled arrangements or unfulfilled plans in the past, or actions one intended to do but did not or could not do. He was going to visit Pam but she wasn' t at home. |
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| Past Simple | Present Perfect |
| complete action which happened at a stated time in the past She left yesterday. (When did she leave? Yesterday.) |
complete action which happened at an unstated time in the past Don has left for Madrid. (We don't know when he left; unstated time; he's now there or on his way there.) |
| past action which is not connected with the present and happened at a definite past time not mentioned I met John Lennon. (I won't meet him again; he's dead.- period of time finished) |
past action which is connected with the present and happened at a definite past time not mentioned I've spoken to Richard Gere. (I may speak to him again; he's alive. - period of time not finished yet) |
