Collins Cobuild

Unit 63
Talking about the past
Main points
For  actions,  situations,  or  regular  events  in  the  past,  you  use  the
past simple (‘I walked’). For regular events in the past, you can also
use ‘would’ or ‘used to’.
For events that happened before and after a time in the past, and
for  temporary  situations,  you  use  the  past  continuous  (‘I  was
walking’).
For present effects of past situations, you use the present perfect (‘I
have walked’), and for past effects of earlier events you use the past
perfect (‘I had walked’).
For future in the past, you use ‘would’, ‘was/were going to’, or the
past continuous (‘I was walking’).
1
When you want to talk about an event that occurred at a particular
time in the past, you use the past simple.
The Prime Minister flew into New York yesterday.
The new term started last week.
You also use the past simple to talk about a situation that existed over
a period of time in the past.
We spent most of our time at home last winter.

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They earned their money quickly that year.
2
When you want to talk about something which took place regularly in
the past, you use the past simple.
They went for picnics most weekends.
We usually spent the winter at Aunt Meg’s house.
WARNING: The past simple always refers to a time in the past. A
time  reference  is  necessary  to  say  what  time  in  the  past  you  are
referring  to.  The  time  reference  can  be  established  in  an  earlier
sentence or by another speaker, but it must be established.
When you want to talk about something which occurred regularly in
the past, you can use ‘would’ or ‘used to’ instead of the past simple.
We would normally spend the winter in Miami.
People used to believe that the world was flat.
WARNING: You do not normally use ‘would’ with this meaning with
verbs which are not used in the continuous tenses.
For a list of these verbs, See Unit
62
.
3
When you want to talk about something which continued to happen
before and after a given time in the past, you use the past continuous.
I hurt myself when I was mending my bike.
It was midnight. She was driving home.
You  also  use  the  past  continuous  to  talk  about  a  temporary  state  of
affairs in the past.
Our team were losing 2-1 at the time.
We were staying with friends in Italy.
For more information on continuous tenses, See Unit
60
.

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4
When you are concerned with the present effects or future effects of
something which happened at an indefinite time in the past, you use
the present perfect.
I’m afraid I’ve forgotten my book, so I don’t know.
Have you heard from Jill recently? How is she?
You  also  use  the  present  perfect  when  you  are  thinking  of  a  time
which started in the past and still continues.
Have you ever stolen anything? (= at any time up to the present)
He has been here since six o’clock. (= and he is still here)
5
 When  you  are  looking  back  from  a  point  in  past  time,  and  you  are
concerned with the effects of something which happened at an earlier
time in the past, you use the past perfect.
I apologized because I had left my wallet at home.
They would have come if we had invited them.
6
When you want to talk about the future from a point of view in past
time,  you  can  use  ‘would’,  ‘was  /  were  going  to’,  or  the  past
continuous.
He thought to himself how wonderful it would taste.
Her daughter was going to do the cooking.
Mike was taking his test the week after.

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