PAST TENSES

often used with:

1. PAST SIMPLE - adverbs of frequency (never,
USES: sometimes, always etc.)
 finished events in the past with definite time - time expressions such as: every day,
 routines and habits in the past every week, twice a year etc.
 events in a story

2. PAST CONTINOUS
USES:
 actions happening at a certain moment in the past
 continuing action interrupted by another sudden event
 background description

often used with: while

*NOT USED WITH STATIVE VERBS!

3. PAST PERFECT SIMPLE

USES:
 for an event which happened before another past event

often with: forgot, remembered,

realized

PAST PERFECT CONTINOUS

USES:

 in a past tense narrative, to describe a continuing action in a period of time before

something else
 to talk about past ’side effects’ of past actions

*NOT USED WITH STATIVE VERBS!