3. My friends and I went to a concert yesterday. an action occured at a definite time (stated or implied) in the past
4. I drove to the theatre, parked the car and went to the main entrance. for actions that happened immediately one after the other in the past
5. They played in small clubs when they were not very famous. habits or states which are now finished (used to can can also be used for habits / repeated actions in the past
6. yesterday, then, when, How long ago...?, last night / week / month / year / Friday / October etc, three days / weeks etc ago, in 1999, etc. TIME EXPRESSIONS
8. We were driving to the concert when the car broke down. an action which was in progress (past continuous) when another action interrupted it (past simple)
9. Susan was working while her friends were watching TV. two or more simultaneous actions in the past
10. At 9 o’clock yesterday she was having breakfast. an action which was in progress at a stated time in the past; it is not mentioned when the action started or finished
11. It was raining and the wind was howling as we were walking towards the station the atmosphere, setting, etc & to give background information in a story
12. while, as, all morning / evening / day / week, etc. TIME EXPRESSIONS
14. I had completed my work by five o’clock. an action happened before another past action or before a stated time in the past
15. Ed had learnt to drive but still couldn’t park properly. an action which finished in the past, and whose result was visible at a later point in the past
16. before, after, already, just, for, since, till/until, when, by the time, never, etc. TIME EXPRESSIONS
18. They had been training for about three hours before they went home. to put emaphasis on the duration of an action which started and finished in the past, before another action and or stated time in the past, usually with for or since
19. Lucy had a sore throat because she has been talking for hours. an action which lasted for some time in the past and whose result was visible in the past
