Let's explore how to talk about what happened before something else happened, and the routines that used to shape your life.
Without looking anything up, tell me or write three things you remember about past tenses in English. What's the difference between "I arrived" and "I had arrived"? What about "I went" versus "I used to go"?
There's no right answer here. This is just to get your brain thinking about what you already know.
Imagine a story: You arrived at the cinema at 7:15 pm. The film started at 7:00 pm. Which action happened first?
The film started before you arrived. So when we tell the story, we use different tenses to show which action was first:
The action that happened first gets the past perfect (had started). The action that happened second gets the simple past (arrived). This shows the sequence.
✓ Before she called me, I had left the office.
I left → then she called. The leaving happened first, so: had left.
✓ He didn't eat dinner because he had already had lunch.
He had lunch → he didn't eat dinner. The lunch happened first, so: had had.
When do we use past perfect?
I'm going to show you a situation. You figure out what happened first, and then we'll build the sentence together.
Sarah arrived at the party at 9 pm. The party started at 8 pm. By the time she got there, most people had already left.
Question: What happened first — the party starting or people leaving?
Your turn — speak this aloud:
Using "had left" or another past perfect, complete this sentence:
"When Sarah arrived, ."
Say it out loud a few times. It doesn't need to be perfect.
Tom failed his driving test because he hadn't practised enough. He spent more time on social media than studying.
Question: What's the sequence here? What happened before he took the test?
Try it: Speak a reason why someone didn't get a job or didn't pass something. Use "hadn't..."
Example prompt: "She didn't get the job because she had..."
Create your own sentences using past perfect. Speak them aloud or write them down.
For each prompt below, create a sentence using had/hadn't. Say it aloud or type it. Focus on showing the sequence of events.
Complete: "When I arrived at [place], _____ had already _____." What had happened before you got there?
Complete: "I didn't _____ because I had already _____."
Think of a film or book. What had happened before the main action? Use past perfect to explain.
✓ You just created sentences showing sequence! Each sentence uses past perfect to show which action came first.
Now we're moving forward in time. Let's talk about things you did regularly in the past, but not anymore.
Key difference: Both talk about past habits, but slightly different situations:
| USED TO | WOULD |
|---|---|
| General states or repeated actions in the past | Repeated actions (usually with time markers like "always," "every day") |
| I used to live in London. | Every summer, we would go to the beach. |
| She used to be shy. | He would call his mother every Sunday. |
| Can use for states AND actions | Usually only for repeated actions |
Important: You can use EITHER used to or would for repeated actions. Choose the one that feels natural to you.
✓ I used to drink coffee every morning. / I would drink coffee every morning. (Both are correct!)
✓ As a child, I used to play with action figures. / As a child, I would play with action figures. (Both work!)
This is where you bring both together. You'll speak or write for a few minutes using what you've learned.
Speak for 2–3 minutes. Don't stop, even if you pause. Try to use:
Feedback: Did you use at least one past perfect sentence and one "used to" or "would" sentence? ✓
Even if you mixed verb forms or used simple past, you're building the muscle for these tenses. Every sentence is practice.
Without looking back, answer these from memory:
Reflect on your own learning. What was helpful? What was tricky?
✓ Use past perfect to show which of two past actions happened first
✓ Use used to / would to talk about past habits and repeated actions
✓ Tell stories and talk about your personal history with sequence and clarity
The next time you speak, notice when you naturally want to use these tenses. The more you use them, the more automatic they become.