Past tenses

​ADVANCED CONVERSATION 1

​Dr. Célica Chamorro

Let´s check our topic understanding

USES OF PAST TENSES IN CONTEXT

We will revise every sentence and according to what it focuses you will select the appropriate answer.

Multiple Choice

I traveled to Europe last summer and visited several countries, including France, Italy, and Spain.

• Actions that happened one after the other in the past.

• Situations or states which were true in the past, but are no longer true.

• Past routines and habits (often with adverbs of frequency)

• Something that started and finished at a stated time in the past

Multiple Choice

They used to be close friends, but they drifted apart over the years.

• something that started and finished at a stated time in the past.

• Past routines and habits (often with adverbs of frequency).

• Situations or states which were true in the past, but are no longer true.

• Actions that happened one after the other in the past, for example when telling a story.

​Past simple

We use the past simple for:

• something that started and finished at a stated time in the past.

 He wrote a book about Inuit traditions last year.

• Past routines and habits (often with adverbs of frequency).

I always went for a run in the morning before work.

• Situations or states which were true in the past, but are no longer true.

I went to school in America when I was a child.

• Actions that happened one after the other in the past, for example when telling a story.

Grant heard a noise, walked outside and saw a strange animal in his garden.

Multiple Choice

The wind was howling, causing the trees to sway violently, as we were driving through the stormy night.

• Actions that were in progress at a stated time in the past.

• Two or more actions that were in progress at the same time in the past.

• Giving background information in a story.

• An action that was in progress in the past that was interrupted by another.

​Past continuous

We use the past continuous for:

• Actions that were in progress at a stated time in the past.

I was still working for my uncle this time last month.

• Two or more actions that were in progress at the same time in the past.

Jill was talking on the phone while her brother was doing his science project.

• Giving background information in a story.

The sun was setting, casting a warm orange glow over the horizon, as I was walking along the beach.

• We use the past continuous for the action that was in progress and the past simple for the action which interrupted it.

Vicky was walking her dog in the park when she tripped.

​Time expressions: while as, when, all day/week/month/year, at nine o'clock last night, last Tuesday/week/year, this morning, this time last month/yesterday/last year, etc 1

Multiple Choice

Which statement does not belong to the Present perfect

• The present perfect simple never has a connection with now.

• It is used to talk about something that is still relevant to the present.

• It is used to talk about something that happened at an unspecified time in the past

• The present perfect simple cannot be used with a specific past time reference like "yesterday.

Multiple Choice

An action or situation that finished before a particular time in the past.

• By the time I arrived at the party, everyone had already eaten dinner.

• She had finished reading the book before the movie adaptation was released.

• The team had scored three goals before the opposing team made a comeback.

• The company had diversified by the time I went to work there.

​Past perfect simple
We use the past perfect simple for an action or situation that finished before a particular time in the past.

The company had diversified by the time I went to work there.
She had already graduated from university before she moved to a different country.

• An action that happened before another action in the past.

Vince had left for the day before I had a chance to talk to him.
He had already left the office when I arrived to meet him.
They had finished dinner before the guests arrived at their house.
The movie had started by the time we got to the theater.

Time expressions: before, after, when, by, by the time, already, as soon as, until, for, for a long time/ages, just, ever, never, once since 2014/July, the previous day/month/year, etc

 

Multiple Choice

An action that started in the past and was still in progress when another action started or when something happened.

• She had been waiting for two hours before the bus finally arrived.

• They had been practicing for months, and their hard work was evident in their flawless performance.

• I had been studying for three hours when my roommate interrupted me with a phone call.

• The chef had been experimenting with different flavors for years, leading to the creation of his signature dish.

​Past perfect continuous

We use the past perfect continuous for:

• An action that started in the past and was still in progress when another action started or when something happened.

The tribe had been celebrating a marriage when it began to rain.

• An action that happened before another action in the past when we want to emphasise how long it had been happening.

Trent had been talking about his trip for hours before you arrived.

• An action that happened repeatedly or over a period of time in the past and had a result that was visible in the past.

They had been training in the gym all morning and looked very tired.

​We use used to + bare infinitive for

• Actions that we did regularly in the past, but that we don't do now.

  The locals used to live in ice shelters. Now they live in tents.

• States that existed in the past, but that don't exist now.

  I used to be interested in Italian culture.

  We use would + bare infinitive for actions that we did regularly in the past, but that we don't do now. We don't use for past states.

   

  She would ask a lot of questions in class.