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Past tenses

 I) PAST SIMPLE:

a) Actions which are over:

She learnt Spanish with her mother. 

b) Habits:

I swam a lot when I was young.

c) With dates in the past:

 (dates / adverbs: last... ago... during.)

Mr Smith died in 1920. 

I met Philip this morning. 

I went over there last year. 

II) PAST CONTINUOUS:

a) Actions in progress in the past: 

No, I was listening to you!

b) Actions in progress when another action interrupts it:

I was showering when you arrived. 

III) PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE:

a) Focus on current results of past actions:

I have lost my keys.

b) Used with adverbs:

ever, never, already, yet, so far...

Have you already seen my demo? 

No, I have never seen it. 

IV) PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS :

 a) Focus on the length of the action:

It has been snowing for two days.

b) With FOR & SINCE:

                     I have been living here for 10 years.

                I have been living here since 1996. 

V) PAST PERFECT SIMPLE:

A) Actions occuring before another action in the past: 

He said that he had had an accident. 

B) Actions occuring few minutes before:

I had just woken up. => Je venais de me réveiller.

VI) PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS:

A) Actions in progress in the past:

We had been talking all day; it was time to stop.  

I had been drinking; I couldn't deny it.



B) With FOR & SINCE :

We had been driving for six hours. 

He had been sleeping since the morning. 

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1. As we were talking we (to be interrupted) by a phone call.

2. I (to start) learning Spanish... but I suddenly stopped 2 months ago.

3. (you / ever/ to be) to Scotland ?

4. They (to buy) a new car recently.

5. He seemed tired as he (to wander) in town all day.

6. No sooner (to wash + my mother) the windows than it started raining.

7. A huge amount of money (to be stolen) but the employees remained tight-lipped.

8. She (to work) there for 30 years until she retired.

9. Tom (not to do) the washing-up yet! You must do it!

10. John (just + to arrive) at home when it started raining.