SEMINAR 7 -- TH PAST SIMPLE V. CONTINUOS;  USED TO V. WOULD

THE SIMPLE PAST FOR PAST TIME
  -    we describe events, actions and situations that
     occurred in the past and now are finished      e.g. Sam
     phoned a moment ago.
  -    the situation is set at a definite time  in the past,
     the sentence often contains a time adverbial, or the time is
     understood from the situation or the context

We refer to:
  a)   a single definite event in the past
     e.g. The Normans invaded England in 1066.
            The plane left at 9 a.m.
            When did she arrive?
     
  b)   past habits, events that repeatedly occurred (we can
     also use the structure used to)
     e.g.   We spent our holidays in Spain when we were
     children.
              I smoked 30 cigarettes a day till I gave up.
     
  c)   a single unbroken state of affairs in the past (we can
     also use the structure used to)
     e.g. I once liked reading novels.
     
Typical expressions used with the past simple tense
  -    yesterday, yesterday evening
-    last week, month, year, last night
  -    two years ago, many years ago
  -    when? Questions
  -    when I was 5 years old, when I was a child
  -    prepositional phrases: at 4 p.m., in July, on Tuesday
-    till he arrived -- e.g. I waited till he arrived.
  -    always, often, never (expressions used in other tenses
     as well)

THE SIMPLE PAST DOES NOT ALWAYS REFER TO PAST TIME, IT CAN
ALSO REFER TO PRESENT OR FUTURE TIMES.

1) in indirect speech (or thought) -- if the reporting verb
is in the past it results in the so
     called backshift -- the verb in the subordinate clause
is past as well and refers to the
     present time  (the verb can be present too)
     e.g. Did you say you had (or have) no money?

2) with certain verbs  e.g. hope, think, wonder (verbs of
volition and mental state) the past tense reflects the
speaker's  tentativeness -- the past tense is more polite
           e.g. Do you want to see me now? ? Did you want to
see me now?
                  I wondered if you could help us. (I was
wondering ...-- is even more polite)

  In subordinate clauses, especially if clauses, the past
tense can refer to the present or
  future time.           e.g.  I wish I had a memory like
yours.
                                       It's time we took a
rest.
                                       I'd rather you came
tomorrow.

THE PAST PROGRESSIVE

  -    we describe situations or actions that were in progress
     at some time in the past
               e.g. I was living abroad in 1987, so I missed
the general election.

      -    often we don't know whether the action is
completed or not
               e.g. Mary was working on her essay last
night.

     -    or the action has duration and is not completed
                e.g.  One of the boys was drowning, but I
dived in and saved him.

     -   using expressions with all emphasize continuity
                e.g. It was raining all night.
                      They were quarrelling the whole time
they were together.
  -    with stative verbs the progressive tense expresses
     limited duration
     e.g. He was being silly.         X     He was silly.

  -    parallel actions -- two different subjects -- the actions
     are equal
     e.g. While I was working in the garden, my wife was
     cooking dinner.
     
  -    repeated actions
     e.g. When he worked here, Roger was always making
     mistakes.
            Aunt Lucy was always turning up without warning and
     bringing us presents.
     
  -    polite inquiries -- the progressive is more tentative
     e.g. I was wondering if you could give me a lift.
           I was hoping to borrow some money.
  
  -    with verbs like knock, tap or bang  (describe events
     without duration) the progressive implies repetition
     e.g. Someone was tapping on the window. (= more taps)
            Someone tapped on the window. (= one tap)
  
Past simple + past progressive
  -    progressive -- situation or action in progress in the
     past (in progress -- unfinished)
  -    simple -- a shorter action or event (seen as completed)
              e.g. I cut my finger while I was cooking.
                     I met her when she was going to the
  post office.
  
Compare the differences:
a)    When I came home, she made dinner.
       When I came home, she was making dinner.

b) The room was full of people and quite noisy, so I
couldn't hear what he said.
    The room was full of people and quite noisy, so I
couldn't hear what he was saying.
  d)   What did you do when you saw the accident?
     What were you doing when you saw the accident?

 Used to v. would


  -    the structure used to describes past habits which are
     no longer true
     e.g. I used to smoke a lot when I was young.
     
      -    when we speak about actions we can express the
past habit using would

           e.g. When we were children we would go (=used to
go) skating every winter.

     
     -     used to can be used about actions and states, would
only about actions -- not
             states!!
              e.g. We used to play football. / We would play
football.
             But!  I used to have a dog.   (not I would
have!!)



!!!Used to is not possible when we simply say
  a)   what happened at a past time -- I worked very hard last
     month.
  b)   how long it took -  I lived in Chester for three years.
c)   how many times it happened -  I went to France 7 times
last year.