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We want to work with tenses ...(1/2)

Tenses, tenses !  ... We'd still like to work on tenses ....

Mixed tenses, linked  to the past, especially !

* I'll tell you a story : Remember, the tense used for narration is the simple past.

ex : The modest seamstress worked in London.

* If two actions happened simultaneously in the past, then

the long action (the important one) is in the preterite in -ing and the short action  which interrupted it, is in the  simple past

ex: While she was walking up the street, she imagined her dream ...

* If an action happened before an action in the simple past , it must be in the past perfect simple (or in -ing) if we want to insist on the length of the action

   had + verb in the past participle   ou had + been + verb + ing  

ex: She had always lived/ had always been living a humble life.

* If you need to use a future, remember that it doesn't get on well with a past ! 

You'll have to use the conditional = would + verb

ex : She wouldn't spend her little money on flowers.

* If you need a modal auxiliary,   can => could and  may=> might

ex : Though very poor, she could imagine her dream.

Ready ? Now, let's follow Myrtle Brown's adventure ... (and take care of your tenses ...)

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Dear Myrtle had beenishas beenwasI don't know a modest, humble button-hole stitcher in a factory near London. Forever, she has livedhas been livinglivedhad been livingI don't know a dull, uneventful life, always alone and often lonely, but was grateful havingto havingfor havingto haveI don't know the bare minimum to get by.
Yet, she was always nurturingalways had nurturedhad always nurturedI don't know a powerful and secret dream, which had helped her survive : an unreasonable dream, she was knowinghad knownknowsknewI don't know it ! One day, she will be deliveredwould have deliveredwould deliverwould be deliveredI don't know a load of wonderful, innumerable and varied flowers in a box, with a note telling to hersaying to hersaying hertelling herI don't know how admirable and loved she's beingwas shehas she beenwas she beingshe wasI don't know !'... even if she had to... pretend, and buy it for herself... Pathetic, isn't sheis sheshe ishasn't sheI don't know ? Her landlady should have beenwill bewould bemust have beenI don't know admiring, impressed, and respectful !
Myrtle scrimped and savedwas scrimping and savinghas scrimped and savedI don't know for months because she could afford not to buycould not afford buyingcouldn't afford to buyI don't know such a treat ! After months she had saved enough for a profusion of flowers.
Then, her dream could be fulfilledcan fulfillcould fulfillcan be fulfilledI don't know. She dressed as elegantly as she could, she trudged to the little station, took the train and finally entered intoenteredentered inI don't know a luxury flower boutique in Covent Garden. She picked and chose the most beautiful flowers in the shop. It was the first time she is buyinghas boughtwas buyinghad boughtbuysI don't know anything 'useless' for herself, and she was exhilaratedis exhilaratingexhilaratedI don't know ! Now her dream could start ! ;0) (to be continued...)