Explanation
Exercises
Narrative Tenses + “used to / would”
B1–B2 • story grammar Past Simple • Past Continuous • Past Perfect

Overview

In stories we mix past tenses to show sequence (what happened), background (what was going on), and earlier past (what had already happened). For past habits we add used to and, in narratives, would.

FunctionBest choiceMini pattern
Main events (in order) Past Simple V2 / did + base — She opened the door and screamed.
Background / actions in progress Past Continuous was/were + V-ing — It was raining as we drove.
Earlier past (completed) Past Perfect Simple had + V3 — By 8, they had left.
Earlier past (ongoing / repeated) Past Perfect Continuous had been + V-ing — She had been waiting for an hour.

Past Simple — main line of the story

  • Events He parked, locked the car, and ran inside.
  • Past habits/states We often met after work. / She was shy.

Typical markers: yesterday, then, suddenly, in 2019, when…

Past Continuous — scene setting

  • Background The wind was howling and people were queuing outside.
  • Interrupted action We were having dinner when the lights went out.
  • Parallel actions She was packing while I was booking the taxi.

While + past continuous (background); when commonly introduces the shorter past-simple event.

Past Perfect Simple — one step earlier

  • Earlier event By the time we arrived, the concert had started.
  • Experience before a past point She had never flown before that trip.
  • Quantity up to a past point They had written three drafts before Monday.

Optional after after/before when the order is obvious, but preferred in careful writing to avoid ambiguity.

Past Perfect Continuous — longer, earlier activity

  • Duration He was exhausted; he had been driving since dawn.
  • Recent activity with present result in the past Her eyes were red; she had been crying.
  • Repeated earlier action She had been emailing him every day that month.

Prefer simple (not continuous) with stative verbs: They had known each other for years.

Past habits: used to vs would

used to + base — habits and states now finished

  • We used to live near the sea. (state)
  • I used to walk to school. (habit)
  • Neg./Q: didn’t use to, Did you use to…? (no *usedn’t to)

would + base — narrative habits (not states)

  • On Sundays my dad would make pancakes and we would eat in the garden.
  • Avoid with stative verbs: not *I would know, use I used to know.
  • Also means “future in the past” in other contexts; rely on story context/time markers.

Form quick-view

TenseAffirmativeNegativeQuestion
Past Simple V2 / was/were did not + base did + subject + base?
Past Continuous was/were + V-ing was/were not + V-ing was/were + subject + V-ing?
Past Perfect had + V3 had not + V3 had + subject + V3?
Past Perfect Cont. had been + V-ing had not been + V-ing had + subject + been + V-ing?

Signals & common pitfalls

  • Sequence First… then… finally… → mostly Past Simple.
  • Background while, as → Past Continuous for the longer action.
  • Earlier past by the time, already, before → Past Perfect.
  • Duration for, since, all morning → Past Perf. Cont. (dynamic) / Past Perf. (stative).
  • Not Present Perfect Stories are anchored in finished past time — avoid Present Perfect unless the time is “up to now”.
  • “Be used to / get used to” ≠ used to. They mean “be/ become accustomed to” and take a noun/-ing: I’m used to getting up early.

Mini-story (all together)

It was snowing when we reached the village (background). The streets were empty and the café looked closed (past simple states/events). We had booked a room earlier, so we went straight to the hotel (earlier past). I was tired — I had been driving for six hours (earlier continuous). On winter Saturdays we would play board games by the fire and we used to stay up late (past habits; one is narrative, one is a state-like routine).

Exercises:
1
2
3

Narrative tenses + “used to” / “would” for past habits

Choose the correct option to complete the sentences below.
1
She when the lights went out.
2
By the time we arrived, the film .
3
We a small flat near the river.
4
Whenever the power cut out, Dad candles and we played cards.
5
We for two hours before the bus finally arrived.
6
No sooner the door than the alarm went off.
7
It was the first time I sashimi.
8
While we through the forest, a deer ran across the road.
9
She very shy as a child.
10
By the time the meeting started, I my slides.

Narrative tenses + “used to” / “would” for past habits

Choose the correct option for each gap below.
1
By the time we ____ at the cinema, the film ____.
A.
B.
C.
2
When I was a child, we ____ in a small village and every summer we ____ berries in the forest.
A.
B.
C.
3
She ____ dinner when the lights ____ suddenly.
A.
B.
C.
4
I ____ the book because I ____ the ending online.
A.
B.
C.
5
Every time we visited, Grandpa ____ us a story by the fire.
A.
B.
C.
6
She ____ for an hour before the bus finally ____.
A.
B.
C.
7
We were exhausted; we ____ since dawn.
A.
B.
C.
8
I ____ him at school, but I hardly remember him now.
A.
B.
C.
9
While the children ____ quietly on the floor, their mother ____ the invitations.
A.
B.
C.
10
The phone ____ while I ____ the report.
A.
B.
C.

Narrative tenses + “used to” / “would” for past habits

Fill in the gaps with the verbs in brackets in the correct verb tense or form. Use would/used to in TWO gaps.
1
I (walk) to the station when I realised I had left my wallet at home.
2
By the time the guests arrived, Nina (cook) for two hours.
3
We (not/notice) the error until the report was published.
4
When I was a child, we (spend) every August at my grandparents’ farm.
5
She (already/leave) when I got to the office.
6
While the manager (speak), the fire alarm went off.
7
After they (finish) the prototype, they sent it to QA.
8
On winter evenings, Grandpa (tell) us the same story by the fire.
9
He looked exhausted because he (work) all night.
10
As soon as I (turn) the key, the engine started.