Past Simple
The Past Simple is used:
• to describe a completed action in the past (the time is
usually mentioned or implied).
I bought a laptop yesterday.
• to describe completed actions that happened one after
the other in the past.
I walked up to the till, paid and then left the shop.
• to describe past habits or repeated actions in the past
(often used with adverbs of frequency).
When I was younger, I often went jogging in the park.
• to describe permanent situations in the past.
Jake lived with his grandparents when he was young.
• to describe an action in the past that interrupted a
‘longer’ action in progress.
I was sleeping when the phone rang.
TIME EXPRESSIONS
ago, yesterday, in 1998, last week/month/night, etc.
Past Progressive
112
• to describe past arrangements.
I was meeting Beth at 6 so I didn’t have time to waste.
• to express something politely.
I was wondering if you would like to join us.
Time Clauses (when, while, as, as soon as)
• We use the Past Progressive and the Past Simple in the
same sentence when one action interrupted another
in the past. We use the Past Progressive for the longer
action and the Past Simple for the shorter action.
In this case, we usually use while, when or as.
As/While/When they were walking in the forest, they saw a bear.
I was having a bath when the lights went out.
• We commonly use as soon as with the Past Simple.
As soon as we arrived on the island, we ran to the beach.
• would + base form expresses past habits or describes
someone’s typical behaviour in the past.
Every evening he would do his homework, watch TV and
go to bed quite early.
NOTE
Past Perfect Simple
The Past Perfect Simple is used:
• to describe an action which was completed before a
specific point of time in the past.
My mum had done the washing-up by midnight.
• with adjectives in the superlative form and expressions
like the only/first/second, etc.
It was the first time I had seen an elephant.
• to describe an action that was completed before another
action in the past. The second action is in the Past
Simple.
The lesson had already started when we got to school.
TIME EXPRESSIONS
already, ever, never, just, when, by the time, after, by,
before, etc.
The Past Perfect Progressive is used:
• to emphasise the duration of an action that was in
progress before another action or a specific point of
time in the past.
He had been living in London for 15 years when he moved
to Glasgow.
• to refer to an action whose duration caused visible
results at a later point of time in the past.
They were tired because they had been cleaning the house all
day.
Past Perfect Progressive
TIME EXPRESSIONS
already, by the time, for, since, after, before, when, how
long, etc.
Would - was/were going to/about to...
• would + base form is used when referring to the past
for things that we expected to happen at a later time.
I knew he would pass the examination.
• was/were going to/about to + base form is used to talk
about actions somebody intended to do in the past (but
probably didn’t).
I was going to visit my cousins over the weekend, but they
came to visit me instead.
I was about to leave when the telephone rang.
Relative Clauses
Relative clauses are introduced by relative
pronouns (who, whom, which, that, whose) and
relative adverbs (where, when, why).
Pronouns
people who/
whom/that
thin gs / animals /
id eas
which/that
possession whose
Adverbs
place where
Time when
Reason why
Relative Pronouns/ Use Examples
Adverbs
who / that
which / that
When they refer to
the subject of the
verb, they cannot
be omitted.
who / whom / that
which / that
When they refer to
the object of the
verb, they can be
omitted.
Whom is used in
formal speech or
after prepositions.
whose It refers to
possession.
It cannot be
omitted.
where
It refers to place.
It cannot be
omitted.
The village where
I grew up is very
small.
when
It refers to time.
It can sometimes
be omitted.
I’ll never forget the
day when I first
met him.
why
It refers to reason.
It can sometimes
be omitted.
The reason why
he left was that he
was disappointed.
He’s the boy who/
that lives next
door.
He has written a
book which/that is
about the history
of education.
He liked the teachers
(who/whom/that)
he had in primary
school.
The book (which/
that) you bought is
on the desk.
I have an uncle
whose name is
Omer.
• used to + infinitive expresses permanent states, past
habits or repeated actions in the past.
My grandfather used to be a librarian.
He used to smoke heavily when he was younger.
The Past Simple is used:
• to describe a completed action in the past (the time is
usually mentioned or implied).
I bought a laptop yesterday.
• to describe completed actions that happened one after
the other in the past.
I walked up to the till, paid and then left the shop.
• to describe past habits or repeated actions in the past
(often used with adverbs of frequency).
When I was younger, I often went jogging in the park.
• to describe permanent situations in the past.
Jake lived with his grandparents when he was young.
• to describe an action in the past that interrupted a
‘longer’ action in progress.
I was sleeping when the phone rang.
TIME EXPRESSIONS
ago, yesterday, in 1998, last week/month/night, etc.
Past Progressive
112
• to describe past arrangements.
I was meeting Beth at 6 so I didn’t have time to waste.
• to express something politely.
I was wondering if you would like to join us.
Time Clauses (when, while, as, as soon as)
• We use the Past Progressive and the Past Simple in the
same sentence when one action interrupted another
in the past. We use the Past Progressive for the longer
action and the Past Simple for the shorter action.
In this case, we usually use while, when or as.
As/While/When they were walking in the forest, they saw a bear.
I was having a bath when the lights went out.
• We commonly use as soon as with the Past Simple.
As soon as we arrived on the island, we ran to the beach.
• would + base form expresses past habits or describes
someone’s typical behaviour in the past.
Every evening he would do his homework, watch TV and
go to bed quite early.
NOTE
Past Perfect Simple
The Past Perfect Simple is used:
• to describe an action which was completed before a
specific point of time in the past.
My mum had done the washing-up by midnight.
• with adjectives in the superlative form and expressions
like the only/first/second, etc.
It was the first time I had seen an elephant.
• to describe an action that was completed before another
action in the past. The second action is in the Past
Simple.
The lesson had already started when we got to school.
TIME EXPRESSIONS
already, ever, never, just, when, by the time, after, by,
before, etc.
The Past Perfect Progressive is used:
• to emphasise the duration of an action that was in
progress before another action or a specific point of
time in the past.
He had been living in London for 15 years when he moved
to Glasgow.
• to refer to an action whose duration caused visible
results at a later point of time in the past.
They were tired because they had been cleaning the house all
day.
Past Perfect Progressive
TIME EXPRESSIONS
already, by the time, for, since, after, before, when, how
long, etc.
Would - was/were going to/about to...
• would + base form is used when referring to the past
for things that we expected to happen at a later time.
I knew he would pass the examination.
• was/were going to/about to + base form is used to talk
about actions somebody intended to do in the past (but
probably didn’t).
I was going to visit my cousins over the weekend, but they
came to visit me instead.
I was about to leave when the telephone rang.
Relative Clauses
Relative clauses are introduced by relative
pronouns (who, whom, which, that, whose) and
relative adverbs (where, when, why).
Pronouns
people who/
whom/that
thin gs / animals /
id eas
which/that
possession whose
Adverbs
place where
Time when
Reason why
Relative Pronouns/ Use Examples
Adverbs
who / that
which / that
When they refer to
the subject of the
verb, they cannot
be omitted.
who / whom / that
which / that
When they refer to
the object of the
verb, they can be
omitted.
Whom is used in
formal speech or
after prepositions.
whose It refers to
possession.
It cannot be
omitted.
where
It refers to place.
It cannot be
omitted.
The village where
I grew up is very
small.
when
It refers to time.
It can sometimes
be omitted.
I’ll never forget the
day when I first
met him.
why
It refers to reason.
It can sometimes
be omitted.
The reason why
he left was that he
was disappointed.
He’s the boy who/
that lives next
door.
He has written a
book which/that is
about the history
of education.
He liked the teachers
(who/whom/that)
he had in primary
school.
The book (which/
that) you bought is
on the desk.
I have an uncle
whose name is
Omer.
• used to + infinitive expresses permanent states, past
habits or repeated actions in the past.
My grandfather used to be a librarian.
He used to smoke heavily when he was younger.
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