English Grammar: Past Simple and Past Perfect

Past Simple

• Used to describe completed actions in the past
• Formed using the verb in the past tense (e.g. I went, she ate, they lived)
• Often used to:
  • Describe a completed action in the past
  • Tell a story or sequence of events
  • Express a habit or regular action in the past

Past Perfect

• Used to describe an action that occurred before another action in the past
• Formed using had + past participle (e.g. I had eaten, she had finished, they had never seen)
• Often used to:
  • Show that one action was completed before another started
  • Express cause and effect
  • Show that an action had a consequence in the past

Past Continuous

• Used to describe an ongoing action at a specific point in the past
• Formed using was/were + verb -ing (e.g. I was studying, she was working, they were waiting)
• Often used to:
  • Describe an action that was in progress at a specific time in the past
  • Show that an action was interrupted
  • Express an action that was temporary or changing

Past Perfect Continuous

• Used to describe an action that began before another action in the past and continued up to that time
• Formed using had been + verb -ing (e.g. I had been studying, she had been working, they had been waiting)
• Often used to:
  • Show that an action started before another action in the past and continued up to that time
  • Express cause and effect
  • Show that an action had a consequence in the past

Past Simple

• Describes completed actions in the past
• Formed using the verb in the past tense (e.g. I went, she ate, they lived)
• Used to describe a completed action in the past, tell a story or sequence of events, and express a habit or regular action in the past

Past Perfect

• Describes an action that occurred before another action in the past
• Formed using had + past participle (e.g. I had eaten, she had finished, they had never seen)
• Used to show that one action was completed before another started, express cause and effect, and show that an action had a consequence in the past

Past Continuous

• Describes an ongoing action at a specific point in the past
• Formed using was/were + verb -ing (e.g. I was studying, she was working, they were waiting)
• Used to describe an action that was in progress at a specific time in the past, show that an action was interrupted, and express an action that was temporary or changing

Past Perfect Continuous

• Describes an action that began before another action in the past and continued up to that time
• Formed using had been + verb -ing (e.g. I had been studying, she had been working, they had been waiting)
• Used to show that an action started before another action in the past and continued up to that time, express cause and effect, and show that an action had a consequence in the past