We often use the past simple tense for single completed events and past states and we use the past continuous for temporary or interrupted actions. We use the past perfect tense for actions which happened before a time in the past. This unit looks at the differences between the past and the past perfect tenses and used to/would + infinitive.

(For uses of the present perfect tense for past time 3.1, 3.2. For past forms which refer to the future (future in the past) 5.3.)

2.1 PAST SIMPLE
2.1A Form
2.1B Past actions and states

2.2 PAST CONTINUOUS
2.2A Form
2.2B Actions in progress
2.2C Interrupted actions
2.2D Other uses

2.3 PAST PERFECT
2.3A Form
2.3B Actions and states before a time in the past
2.3C Sequence in the past
2.3D Unfulfilled intentions

2.4 PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
2.4A Form
2.4B Uses
2.4C Contrast with other forms

2.5 USED TO/WOULD
2.5A Form and meaning
2.5B Past habits
2.5C Past states

The present simple and the present continuous tenses are the most common ways of expressing present time in English. The present simple describes things that are generally true, while the present continuous describes things that are true at the time of speaking, but which may change. This unit looks at the present time uses of these two tenses. They can also express future time (Unit 4) and past time (1.1E, 1.2E).

1.1 PRESENT SIMPLE
1.1A Form
1.1B General truths and facts
1.1C Repeated events/actions
1.1D Series of events/actions
1.1E Other uses

1.2 PRESENT CONTINUOUS
1.2A Form
1.2B Things which are true now
1.2C Repeated events
1.2D Series of events
1.2E Other uses

1.3 VERBS RARELY USED IN THE CONTINUOUS
1.3A Verbs of believing, having, liking, etc.
1.3B Using these verbs in the continuous
1.3C Sense verbs
1.3D Performative verbs

I asked god to take away my habit
God said no it is not for me to take away,but for you to give it up

Alfredo di Lelio lovingly invented a dish for his wife in his restaurant in 1914. The dish became famous as Fettuccine Alfredo. Famous chef Auguste Escoffier named Peach Melba and Melba toast after opera singer Nellie Melba. Even the all-important but humble breakfast can now be had as Eggs Benedict XVI, named after the, well, famous Pope. Go ahead, have a serving of these delicious didyouknow titbits...

·         Chicken à la d'Albufera – Louis-Gabriel Suchet (1770–1826), one of Napoleon's generals and marshal of France for a time, was named duc d'Albufera after a lake near Valencia, Spain, to mark his victory there during the Peninsular War. Famed 19th-century French chef Marie-Antoine Carême (Antonin Carême) created several dishes in the duke's honor, including duck, beef, and the sauce that accompanies this chicken.

·         Lobster Duke Alexis – the Russian Grand-Duke Alexis (future Alexander III) (1845–1894) made a highly-publicized visit to the U.S. in 1871. A dinner for him at Delmonico's featured this, and was kept on the menu by chef Charles Ranhofer.

·         Château-Ausone red Bordeaux wine – Ausonius (310-395 A.D.), the poet employed by Valentinian I to tutor the Roman emperor's son, retired to the Bordeaux region and wrote about oyster farming. The wine named after him is said to be made of grapes grown on the site of his villa.

·         Battenburg cake – probably named after one of the late-19th century princely Battenberg family living in England, who gave up their German titles during World War I and changed their name to Mountbatten.