Four tenses tell a story

A good story mixes four past tenses. Each one has a job.

Past simple

the main events, one after another — The lights went out. Everyone screamed.

Past continuous

the scene in the background — It was raining. We were watching a horror film.

Past perfect

something that happened earlier — Someone had locked the door.

Past perfect continuous

something that was going on for a while before — We had been waiting for an hour.

One story, four layers

A camping trip. Notice which tense does which job.

Scene

It was getting dark when we reached the campsite.

Earlier event

Our guide had forgotten the tent pegs.

Earlier, for a while

We had been walking for three hours, so our legs hurt.

Main events

We tied the tents to the trees, made a fire and told ghost stories.

Background or interruption?

The long action is the background (past continuous). The short action that cuts in is past simple.

Long action — background

I was watching a series…

it had started and was still going on

While we were having dinner…

Short action — interruption

…when the wifi stopped working.

it happened in a moment

…the fire alarm went off.

Past perfect vs past perfect continuous

Past perfect — finished, how many

By lunchtime we had walked fifteen kilometres.

a result you can count

By half-time, Leo had scored twice.

Past perfect continuous — how long

I had been reading for hours, so my eyes hurt.

an activity that went on for a while

The team had been practising all week.

Words that signal the tense

Past continuous

while, as, at that moment, all evening — While I was walking home…

Past simple

suddenly, then, after that, when, in the end — Suddenly the phone rang.

Past perfect

by the time, already, before, after, just — By the time I arrived, the film had started.

Past perfect continuous

for + time, since, all day — We had been queuing for two hours.

Common mistakes

When I arrived, the film already started.

→

When I arrived, the film had already started.

it started before I arrived → past perfect

While I watched TV, the phone was ringing.

→

While I was watching TV, the phone rang.

long background → continuous; short interruption → simple

We waited for an hour when the bus came.

→

We had been waiting for an hour when the bus came.

how long, up to a moment in the past → past perfect continuous

I was knowing the answer, but I was too shy.

→

I knew the answer, but I was too shy.

know, like, want, believe are not used in the continuous

Your turn: finish the story

Continue the story out loud. Use all four tenses at least once.

Start

It was 11 o'clock at night. I was lying in bed and the house was silent…

Then

Suddenly I heard a noise downstairs. What happened next?

Use

something that had happened earlier · something that had been going on for a while · by the time · while

Recap

Scene

past continuous

It was raining.

Events

past simple

The lights went out.

Earlier event

past perfect

Someone had locked the door.

Earlier, for a while

past perfect continuous

We had been waiting for an hour.

Practice now →

Narrative Tenses