Narrative Tenses

• In 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts landed on the Moon.

• • Past Simple: Describes completed actions in the past.

• • Past Continuous: Describes actions that were happening at a specific moment in the past.

• • Past Perfect: Describes actions that happened before another action in the past.

• Neil Armstrong was taking the first step when he said,

• “That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.”

• Past Simple: Describes completed actions in the past.

• Past Continuous: Describes actions that were happening at a specific moment in the past.

• Past Perfect: Describes actions that happened before another action in the past.

• Before the mission, the astronauts had trained for many months.

• Past Simple: Describes completed actions in the past.

• Past Continuous: Describes actions that were happening at a specific moment in the past.

• Past Perfect: Describes actions that happened before another action in the past.

• The crew was preparing for the mission when they received the news that the launch had been delayed.

• Past Simple: Describes completed actions in the past.

• Past Continuous: Describes actions that were happening at a specific moment in the past.

• Past Perfect: Describes actions that happened before another action in the past.

1. While Neil Armstrong was on the Moon, Buzz Aldrin was collecting samples of lunar soil.

• Past Simple: Describes completed actions in the past.

• Past Continuous: Describes actions that were happening at a specific moment in the past.

• Past Perfect: Describes actions that happened before another action in the past.