Past tense verbs

1. Narrative Verbs Past Simple Past Continuous Past Perfect Past Perfect Continuous

2. Past Simple Definite actions in the past Why did you choose this school 3 years ago? Habitual actions in the past When I was at college, I played football every Saturday. Series of events The alarm clock went off. She woke up and realized it was very late. Reported speech She said she watered the flowers every day. Second conditional If I had more time, I would visit them.

3. Past Continuous A situation in process at a time in the past Linda was driving home at 5 p.m. Interrupted situation I was sitting in the sun when I heard somebody ring the door bell. 2 situation happening at the same time. While the snow was falling, I was working in the garden. Background description A boy was riding his bike and some women were window-shopping.

4. Past Perfect 2 events in the past, one before the other. When I got off the bus, I realized someone had stolen my wallet. Reported speech He told me the train had arrived late. Third conditional If you had asked me, I would have invited him. Wishes in the past I wish I hadn’t written that letter.

5. Past Perfect Continuous To emphasize the continuation of long activities which started and finished in the past. The singer had been rehearsing for 2 hours when somebody called him on the phone.

6. Whentheteachercameintotheclassroom, thestudents _____________ thepassage. READ The students only started reading when the teacher enterred the classroom. Whentheteachercameintotheclassroom, thestudents _____________ thepassage. WERE READING The students started reading before the teacher enterred the classroom and were still doing it. Whentheteachercameintotheclassroom, thestudents _____________ thepassage. HAD READ The students started and finished reading before the teacher enterred the classroom.