Past simple |
| Single completed actions |
Sony and Philips invented the CD in the early 1980s. |
| Repeated or habitual actions in the past |
We moved house a lot when I was a kid. |
| General truths about the past |
Early clocks were usually very unreliable. |
| Permanent situations and states in the past |
Did the ancient Egyptians have more advanced technology than other civilisations? |
| The main events in a story |
Frank turned on the TV and sat on the sofa. |
| The present (in conditional sentences) (see Unit 11 for more information) |
If we didn't have computers, what would the world be like? |
| The present (after wish, it's time, would rather, etc) (see Unit 13 for more information) |
I'd rather Michael didn't waste so much time playing video games. |
