Lesson 03

• Past Time
• Past simple
• Past continuous
• Past perfect
• Past perfect continuous
• Used to / Would for past
habits / states
 Past Simple

• Finished actions at a specific

past time:

• I talked to Allen last night.

• I saw him at the front desk.
 Past Simple

• Habits, states and facts in

the past:
• She called me every Sunday.
• We had a bigger house
before.
• Gas was much cheaper ten
years ago.
 Past Continuous

• Events in progress at a
specific past time:
• What were you doing at 8 last
night?
• I was reading when you
called me.
 Past Continuous

• Two continuous past events at the

same time:
• When I was calling him,
he was calling me!
 Past Continuous

• Trends in the past:

• The car was getting worse
every time.
• Her health was gradually
improving.
 Past Continuous

• Annoying Past Habits:

(with a frequency adverb)
• He was always
complaining.
• She was forever asking
stupid questions.
 Past Forms in Narratives

• Past simple: Main events

• Past continuous: Background events
• Yesterday, I was walking when
I saw Tara. She was talking
on the phone and didn’t
notice me.
 Past Perfect

• Past in the past:

(going back in a story)
• I walked to the door, reached into my
pocket, then realized that I had
forgotten my keys.

Forget Now

Walk Reach Realize

 Past Perfect Continuous

• Past in the past:

(emphasis on duration)
• When the pilot started
talking, we had already been
flying for about three hours.
Flying

Started Talking Now

3 hours
 Used to

• Habits and states in the past:

• I used to be a civil engineer.
• She didn’t use to read much.
 Would

• Past habits (reminiscing)

Action verbs only!
• We would play in the park
every day when I was a kid.
• We would have a beautiful
house.
 Unfulfilled Past Events

• Events intended to take place,

but didn’t.
• I was going to call you.
• He was thinking of applying.
• She was about to make a left turn.
• I was to have joined the military.