Narrative tenses (Focus 3)

We use the Past Simple for:

• a series of actions that happened

  one after the other

• a result in the past

• past actions in progress

• all the answers are correct.

We use the Past Perfect to

• talk about an action that

  happened after another action in the future

• talk about an action that

  happened before another action in the present

• talk about an action that

  happened before another action in the past

• talk about an action in progress that

  happened before another action in the past

We use the Past Continuous to:

• to describe a background scene in a story or in a description

  of a main event

• to talk about an action that was in progress when another

  action took place (for the shorter action, which happened

  while the longer one was in progress, we use the Past

  Simple)

• to talk about actions in progress at the same time

• All the answers are correct.

Use the Past Simple or the Past

Continuous.

John ________ (walk) towards the stadium when

he ________ (hear) some supporters singing.

The play ____ (end) and everyone

______ (leave) the theatre.

We _______ (cross) Green Street when we

___ (see) a bank robbery.

While I ________ (watch) tennis on TV, my sisters

__________ (play) a video game.

Choose the correct option.

Sarah _____ in the park when she met her neighbour.

• jogged

• had jogged

• was jogging

Tim ____ at 7:30, had breakfast and went to the pool.

• got up

• had got up

• was getting up

We were cycling in the forest while Tom _______ in the lake.

• swam

• was swimming

• had swum