Past Tenses

Past simple and past continuous

Past perfect & past simple

Past simple: (Ved, did)

** to describe actions that are finished. a past action or sequence of past actions.

I got up very early, got dressed, had breakfast, and left the house.

** a state, event, or action that lasted for a period of time in the past.

It rained for several days and nights.

The students waited for their exam results for a month.

** a habit in the past.

 When I was a child, I often went to the cinema.

To be verb (was, were) and action verbs (do, eat) in simple past.

To be verbs (was, were): situation, description, job: NO ACTION.

I was a student 10 years ago.

She was very beautiful when she was a young woman.

They were hardworking when they were students.

Action verbs in simple past.

He worked as a teacher 2 years ago.

I brewed coffee 2 hours ago. (Brew coffee, brew beer, brew tea)

Past continuous: [be (was, were) + Ving].

** past continuous tense is used to describe states, events, and actions that are temporary or incomplete in the past.

It was raining all night.

** an action was in progress for a particular time in the past.

We were watching TV at nine last night.

**two actions happening at the same time in the past time period.

He was writing a report while his friend was sleeping in bed.

** background of the story is written in the past continuous tense.

Before the sun was rising above the distant hills the birds were singing their morning songs.

** talk about something we were planning or expected to happen.

We were planning to move to Germany, but we decided to stay in Istanbul instead. 

** as/while: we use the past simple and the past continuous with when and as to talk about a past action or event that was interrupted.

Longer action- past continuous, shorter action- simple action.

While I was reading books, she knocked at the door.

When they arrived, we were having dinner.

Past perfect simple and continuous

Past perfect & past simple.

I became a doctor.

I had been a student before I became a doctor.

Used to, would, be/get used to