Narrative tenses

Use the simple past to_______

He packed his bags, ordered a taxi, and left the house.

• talk about completed actions. To tell the order of events.

• talk about background information.

Use the past continuous to_______

The sun was shining, and the birds were chirping.

• talk about background information. Actions in progress in the past. Two simultaneous actions in the past.

• talk about completed actions. To tell the order of events.

Use the past perfect to talk about_______

They had been friends until she left.

I realized that I had left the ticket when I opened my bag.

• talk about completed actions. To tell the order of events.

• an action that was completed before another action.

  a state or situation in progress up to a point in past.

Use the past perfect continuous to talk about__________

I had been calling all morning before I get a hold from her.

• an ongoing action that started before another actions in the past.

  repeated actions that happened before another action in the past.

• an action that was completed before another action in the past.

  situation in progress up to a point.

The runner_____all the way back to the finish line after she _____her leg.

• crawled - was breaking

• crawled - had broken

I had never_____any sailing before, I must admit I _____it at all.

• been doing - wasn't liking

• done - didn't like

We had______for hours before we____ someone to help us.

• been walking - found

• walked - were finding

When I______out of the boat, I _______for help. Luckily, the life guard saw me.

• had been falling - was screaming

• fell - screamed

In 1999, Joan Murray ______when her main parachute____to open during a jump.

• skydived - was failing

• was skydiving - failed

Joan_____to the ground and the impact ________the side of her body.

• crashed - smashed

• was crashing - had smashed