Past Perfect had past participle Past Simple We

Past Perfect (had + past participle) Past Simple We use past perfect We use past simple • To talk about an earlier past, things that happened • to talk about a sequence of actions • situations in the past e. g. the main events of the story. before the main events. • Also with never, just, already, yet Ex. We arrived at the hotel and checked-in. • With non-action verbs (have, know, want) to talk about longer actions that started before the main events happened and have continued up to that point, Past Continuous (was/were + ing form) normally with for and since. We use past continous Ex. When we arrived at the airport I realised I had left • to describe a longer continuous past action or my passport at home. situation which was in progress when another action Ex. I had wanted to visit Disney Land since I was a little happened girl. • to describe an action or situation that was not Past Perfect Continuous (had been + ing form) complete at a past time We use past perfect continous Ex. We were having dinner when the phone rang. Ex. At nine o’clock, I was sleeping while my boyfriend • With action verbs to talk about longer actions that started before the main events happened and have was watching TV. continued up to that point, normally with for and since. Ex. She had been working at the company for a year when she met James. • When an action is the cause of something in the past Ex. The pavement was wet, it had been raining.