The Past Simple is used
a for completed past actions at a known time. The time can be stated or understood:
He bought his car last month. She worked there as a teacher.
b with when, enquiring about past time: When did you last see her?
c for habitual past actions and states: She always wanted to be loved.
d for a definite period of past time: They spent five years in York.
The Past Continuous is used for
a continuous past actions sometimes interrupted by the Past Simple:
He was just getting into bed when the phone rang.
or setting a scene for a story:
The sun was shining and the birds were singing as he walked down the lane.
b simultaneous past actions: She was ironing while he was bathing the baby.
c repeated past actions: I was always trying to save my pocket money.
d past intentions, often not carried out: She was planning to ring her friend, but she forgot.
The Past Perfect is used for
a a past action that happened before a Past Simple action:
She had worked in Bonn before she moved to Stuttgart.
b an action that happened before a stated time: He had completed the work by tea-time.
But if two past actions are close in time or closely connected, we often avoid the use of the Past Perfect: When he arrived, he checked in immediately.
The Past Perfect Continuous is used to stress that Past Perfect action was continuous or repeated. Remember that many verbs do not have continuous form.
Exercise 1. Complete the sentences with the correct past tense of the verb in brackets.
Helena (receive) hospital treatment for a year before the doctors finally (tell) her their diagnosis.
The party chairman only (make) a statement after there (be) a lot of speculation in the press.
Julia (try) several computer dating agencies by the time she (meet) and (fall in love) with George.
Sharon eventually (find) the job she (want) last year, although she (graduate) the year before.
The official I (ask) to speak to (not be) there. Apparently he (go) abroad on business.
When the doctor (arrive) at the scene of the accident, he (realize) the victim still (breathe)
The workmen (spend) all morning digging the trench, and by lunchtime they (finish) it.
When the ship (hit) the reef, most of the crew (play) cards, and the passengers (have) dinner.
It (rain) and (begin) to get very cold as I (set out) on my long walk home.
When she (be) a child, she always (want) to do the most dangerous things.
I suddenly (recognize) the town square. I (be) there ten years before.
When my friend (open) the door, I (feel) like hitting him. I (ring) his doorbell for at least twenty minutes!
When I (go back) into the room, my colleagues still (quarrel) about the coffee.
I (not answer) the phone immediately, because I (try) to finish some work.
When you (get) you first job?
Between 1980 and 1990 they (work) in three different countries, and (move) house five times.
Exercise 2. Correct the sentences if necessary.
My aunt worked in London before she had moved to Norwich.
The lawyer had a nervous breakdown because he had been working for years without a break.
We were packing the cases while the removal men were loading the furniture into the van.
The judge had brought the trial to an end yesterday.
The writer spent most of his childhood in abject poverty.
Pierre was owning a sailing-boat for several years.
The company thought of giving their assistant manager the sack, but he resigned.
He was delighted with his purchase. He had been saving up to buy the computer for months.
The Norwegians planted their flag at the summit just before the British team were arriving.
A police car was almost knocking me over as I had crossed the road.
When did you leave school and go to college?
``Who are they?'' ``Oh, a group of students who had arrived in Oxford a week ago''.
The First World War ended in 1918.
Until he explained a second time, I didn't understand what he meant.
The mountain was seeming very high as the weary group started to plod uphill.