When you tell a story, four past tenses work together. This review is about choosing the right one for each part of the story — the main events, the background, and what happened earlier.
Quick tip: Main events = past simple. Background in progress = past continuous. Earlier finished = past perfect. Earlier ongoing (duration) = past perfect continuous.
Past simple — the main events
Use the past simple for the completed events of the story, in the order they happened.
She opened the door and walked in.
The workshop started at six.
Matilda read her story aloud.
They finished and went home.
Past continuous — the background
Use the past continuous (was/were + -ing) for a longer action in progress, often interrupted by a past-simple event.
It was raining when she arrived.
While they were writing, the lights went out.
Lani was reading quietly in the corner.
The café was getting busy as the class began.
Past perfect — an earlier event
Use the past perfect (had + past participle) for something that happened BEFORE the main past moment.
By the time she arrived, the class had started.
He had finished his story before the others began.
They had met once before.
The library had closed by the time we got there.
Past perfect continuous — an earlier ongoing situation
Use the past perfect continuous (had been + -ing) for something that had been going on FOR A WHILE before the main past moment.
She had been writing for hours before she took a break.
They had been waiting a long time when the tutor arrived.
He was tired because he had been studying all night.
It had been raining all morning, so the streets were wet.
Which one? Ask about the role in the story
Main event = past simple. Background in progress = past continuous. Earlier finished event = past perfect. Earlier ongoing situation (duration) = past perfect continuous.
(background) It was snowing…
(main event) …when she walked in.
(earlier event) She had left her umbrella at home.
(earlier duration) She had been walking for an hour.
Common mistakes
Not "When she arrived, the class started (it began earlier)." — say "When she arrived, the class had started.". An event before the main past moment = past perfect.
Not "He was tired because he studied all night." — say "He was tired because he had been studying all night.". Earlier ongoing duration = past perfect continuous.
Not "While they wrote, the lights went out." — say "While they were writing, the lights went out.". A longer background action = past continuous.
Practise it
Before you choose, ask: is this a main event (past simple), the background (past continuous), an earlier finished event (past perfect), or an earlier ongoing situation (past perfect continuous)?