Unit 2 – past tenses, used to

and would
 Function: When do we use them?
1. past narrative tenses Read the sections of the
story and answer the
questions.
In 1992, my dad got a new job in London, so we had to leave Liverpool. The day we moved,
I was unpacking my things in my new bedroom when my older sister came in. When we
were younger, she was always taking my clothes without asking, and I hated her being in
my room. But today was different. She started crying – she was hoping to stay in Liverpool
near her friends, but it didn’t happen.
An annoying
It finished It was a failed
I was habit – a
Look at this sentence: in the past plan/expectation
unpacking criticism
In 1992, my dad got a (1992)
my things.
new job. Does this
action have any
relation to the present She was always
Look at this sentence:
or did it finish in the taking my clothes. She was hoping to
I was unpacking
past? Does this action refer stay in Liverpool.
when my sister
to an event in the story This was an
came in. Which of
or an annoying habit expectation or plan.
the two actions was
that happened many Was it successful or
interrupted?
times in the past? did it fail?
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education     Gold Experience 2nd Edition B2
 Function: When do we use them?
1. past narrative tenses Read the sections of the
story and answer the
questions.

Earlier that day, she had visited her best friend to say goodbye. At 3 p.m. when I arrived to
say we were leaving, they had been crying for about two hours!

Look at this section of the Earlier that A continuous

story: Earlier that day, she It started earlier in
day (the day action over a
had visited her best friend. the day and
of the move) period of time
The main part of this story is finished at 3 p.m.
set in the new house in
London. What other time is At 3 p.m. when I arrived,
mentioned here? At 3 p.m. when I arrived,
they had been crying.
they had been crying.
Was it one event or a
When did this action start
continuous action over a
and when did it finish?
period of time?

Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education     Gold Experience 2nd Edition B2

 Function: When do we use them?
1. past narrative tenses
past simple past continuous past perfect simple past perfect continuous
Single or repeated Actions in progress or interrupted Past actions and events that A continuous action that
finished events in the when another action happened. happened before another happened over a period time up
past. action in the past. to another action in the past.
With always to express irritation or
criticism.
For failed plans and unfulfilled
expectations. This was a
These are in the past perfect continuous We don’t know if this
tenses because they happened action which was interrupted and
before the main part of the story stopped when I stopped, or continued.
(further in the past). arrived.
They had been crying for We left Liverpool. I was unpacking.
two hours.

She had visited her I arrived at her friend’s house. My sister came into my bedroom.
friend.
Earlier that day in Liverpool Later that day in London

Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education     Gold Experience 2nd Edition B2

 Function: When do we use them?
2. used to and would

When I was a I remember that! You

teenager, I used to used to have blue hair
rollerblade to school and we would point at
every day. you from the bus!

I used to rollerblade Take notice of when

every day. Was this a we use used to and/or
one-time event or an would here.
action that was It was
repeated/a habit? repeated/
a habit.
We would point at you.
In this sentence, is this an
I used to rollerblade every activity/habit or a
day. In this sentence, is this situation/state?
an activity/habit or a You used to have blue
situation/state? An An
hair. In this sentence, is
activity/habi activity/habi
this an activity/habit or a A
t t
situation/state? situation/state
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education   Gold Experience 2nd Edition B2
 Function: When do we use them?
2. used to and would

used to would
For past habits or activities For past habits or activities
I used to rollerblade to school every day. We would point at you from the bus!

For past situations or states

You used to have blue hair.

Notice how we can only use When referring to the past,

used to for states and we can only use would with
situations. E.g. habits and activities. We
CANNOT say, for example,
State: She used to have a When I was a child, I would live
Ferrari. in New York, as this is a
Situation: She used to live in situation, not an activity.
New York.
How do we form the
present tenses?
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education     Gold Experience 2nd Edition B2
 Form: How do we make these structures?
Look at the example for the past
simple. Work out the breakdown of
form for the other three tenses.

past simple past continuous past perfect simple past perfect continuous

+ Subject + verb in past + Subject + was/were + verb + Subject + had + past + Subject + had + been +
simple -ing participle verb -ing

- Subject + did + not + verb - Subject + was/were + not + - Subject + had + not + past - Subject + had + not + been
bare infinitive verb -ing participle + verb -ing

? (Question word) + did + ? (Question word) + was/were ? (Question word) + had + ? (Question word) + had +
subject + verb bare infinitive + subject + verb -ing subject + past participle subject + been + verb -ing

Remember that we
In connected In connected speech,
commonly use
speech, /wɒz/ this is pronounced
contractions, e.g. didn’t,
becomes /wəz/. /bɪn/, not /bi:n/.
hadn’t, wasn’t. …and used to
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education       Gold Experience 2nd Edition B2 and would?
 Form: How do we make these structures?

You used to have blue hair and we would point

at you from the bus!

used to would

+ Subject + used to + bare infinitive + Subject + would + bare infinitive

- Subject + did not (didn’t) + use to + bare infinitive - Subject + would not (wouldn’t) + bare infinitive
? (Question word) + did + subject + use to + bare
infinitive

Notice how this

We tend not to use We do not stress the
changes in the
would in the question to in used to, so we
negative and
form. pronounce it /tə/.
question form.

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