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The past simple is used for actions that happened in finished time periods, past situations, and
past habits and routines.

I worked far too hard during my twenties. (finished time period)
My father had three employees. I have 3,000. (past situation)
Every few weeks she threatened to quit, so I'm not surprised. (habit/routines)
The past continous is used for actions in progress at a time in the past. It can give background
information when used with the past simple (which gives the main information).
I was travelling to work at 7.30 (in progress).
She was considering taking early retirement when they fired her.
Past perfect
The past perfect is used with the past simple to show earlier actions.
Several markets had reported problems with the product, so we withdrew all stock.
There i salso a past perfect continous, used to emphasize the length of an action.
She looked tired at the meeting, as she had been travelling for 32 hours.
USED TO/GET USED TO

Used to can refer to past habits, routines, and states. We do not use it when we talk about
exactly when something happened, or for how long.
Before email, we used to send everything by post.
Where did you use to work?
Be used to is different. We use it when someone is familiar with something. Get used to
means become familiar with.
I'm used to working late, unfortunately.
I'm getting used to working from home now – it was lonely at first.
REVISON PAST SIMPLE AND PAST PROGRESSIVE
Simple Past or Past Progressive – English Tense Comparison
Introduction
The simple past and the past progressive, also past continuous, are used to express actions in
the past. We use the simple past as the narrative form of the past to express completed,
sequential actions. We use the past progressive to say what was happening at a particular
moment in the past, to set the scene and to emphasise duration of a past action.
Learn the difference between the simple past and the past progressive in English grammar
with Lingolia’s tense comparison table. Then test your understanding in the exercises.
Example
I spent my holidays in Wales last year. I travelled around by bike. Every morning I got
up early, set off on my bike, visited the villages on the way and talked to people.
My friends preferred to spend their holidays by the sea. So while I was cycling, my
friends were probably sitting on the beach.
But one day, when I was talking to a farmer in a village, my mobile rang. My friends were
calling to tell me that they were waiting under a bus stop because it was raining so heavily at
the seaside!
Usage
The chart below provides an overview of the differences between the English simple
past and past progressive, also past continuous, tenses.
Simple Past Past Progressive

narrative tense to describe actions that to describe two actions which are taking place
take place one after another simultaneously
Example: Example:
Every morning I got While I was cycling, my
up early, set off on my friends were probably sitting on the
bike, visited the villages along beach.
the way and talked to people.

to describe an action which interrupts a
second action to set the scene/describe an action already in
progress in the past
Example:
Example:
When I was talking to a farmer
When I was talking to a farmer in a
in a village, my mobile
village, my mobile suddenly rang.
suddenly rang.
to emphasise that an action or state continued
to talk about completed actions
for a longer time in the past
Example:
Example:
I spent my holidays in Wales.
It was raining so heavily at the seaside.
Signal Words: Simple Past vs. Past Progressive
Signal words can help us to recognise which tense to use in a sentence. Below is a list of
signal words for the simple past and past progressive tenses.

Signal Signal
Example Example
Word Word
I was cycling on the When I was cycling I saw
when when
road when the rain started. the most beautiful sunset.
While I was cycling my
Then I unlocked my bike and set
then while friends were hiding from the
off.
rain.
first First I put on my trainers.
I was taking a break
suddenly and suddenly I heard a loud
crash.
Verbs that are not used in the progressive form
The following verbs are not generally used in a progressive form.
 stative verbs
be*, cost, fit, mean, remain, suit
Example:
The weather was awful.
 verbs that indicate possession/belonging
belong, have*
Example:
I didn’t have a lot of luggage.
 verbs of sensory perception
feel*, hear, see*, smell*, taste*, touch
Example:
I saw many villages.
 verbs that express feelings
hate, hope, like, love, prefer, regret, want, wish
Example:
My friends preferred to spend their holidays by the sea.
 verbs of thought and recognition
believe, know, realise, recognise, seem, think*, understand
Example:
I thought they would be sitting at the beach all day.
 clauses accompanying direct speech
answer, ask, reply, say
Example:
“We are spending all day inside,” my friends said.
*change of meaning
Some stative verbs also have a progressive form, but the meaning of the progressive form is
sightly different.
stative form progressive form

verb meaning example meaning example
The
deliberate
be state weather was wonderfu He was being silly.
behaviour
l.
possessio in particular
have He had a red bicycle. He was having a good time.
n expressions
I felt it was a great day
opinion feel (health) He wasn’t feeling well.
at the beach.
feel
feel It felt like it was going I was feeling the warm sand
touch
(sense) to rain. between my toes.
see sight I saw my friends at the be together Nigel and Beatrice were
stative form progressive form
verb meaning example meaning example
with
beach. seeing each other.
somebody
have an
understan I saw your point of I was seeing my friends that
appointment
d view. afternoon.
, meeting
smell
smel smell Why were you smelling your
It smelt like rain. something
l (sense) bicycle?
(action)
sense,
The ice- try, test I was tasting the ice-cream to
taste quality of
cream tasted delicious. (action) see if it’d been poisoned.
food/drink
I thought it was going What were you thinking abou
think believe contemplate
to be hot that day. t?

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The past simple is used for actions that happened in finished time periods, past situations, and

past habits and routines.

USED TO/GET USED TO

Simple Past Past Progressive

the way and talked to people.

Signal Words: Simple Past vs. Past Progressive

Simple Past Past Progressive

Verbs that are not used in the progressive form

The following verbs are not generally used in a progressive form.

stative form progressive form

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