1. 1 Past Time Isabel Allende: Precious Past Moments Focus on Grammar 5
Part I, Unit 2
By Ruth Luman, Gabriele Steiner, and BJ Wells
Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

2. Simple Past
Use the simple past to describe actions, events, or states at a specific past time.
Isabel Allende grew up in South America.
In the 1950s, she attended a private school in Bolivia.
now
past
future

3. Past Progressive
Use the past progressive to express an action that was in progress (not finished) in the past.
Allende was working for the United Nations. . .
. . . when she married her first husband in 1962.
1962
now
past
future

4. Present Perfect
Use present perfect to express actions, events, or states completed at an indefinite time in the past.
Isabel Allende has lived in Peru, Chile, and Venezuela.
She has done numerous lecture tours
in America and Europe.
now
past
future

5. Simple Past vs. Present Perfect
Present perfect: for events at an indefinite time in the past
Simple past: for events at a definite time in the past
Isabel Allende has traveled all over Europe.
In 1964, she traveled all over
Europe with her husband and daughter.
1964
now
past
future

6. Practice 1 Form sentences with present perfect or simple past.
now
past
future
Example:
4. (live) in the U.S. for over 15 years
She has lived in the U.S. for over 15 years.
She had her daughter in 1963.
(have) her daughter in 1963
She married her second husband in 1988.
3. (marry) her second husband in 1988
1. (work) for several magazines
She has worked for several magazines.
2. (move) to Venezuela with her family in 1975
She moved to Venezuela with her family in 1975.

7. Past with Used To
Use used to + base form to show habitual events that were true in the past but not today.
She used to be on the editorial staff of a Chilean magazine called Paula.
She used to write many humorous and feminist articles for that magazine.
now
past
future

8. Past Perfect 1
Use the past perfect to express events that happened before a past event.
Allende had published many magazine articles . . .
. . . before she wrote her famous novel House of Spirits.
now
past
future
before past event
past event

9. Past Perfect 2
The past perfect is often used with by or by the time. The by clause may precede or follow the main clause.
By the time Isabel Allende returned to Chile in
. . . fifteen years had gone by.
now
fifteen years
past
future
1976
1991

10. Practice 2
Form sentences with simple past and past perfect using before.
She had worked for the United Nations before she had her son Nicolas.
(work) for the United Nations
Example:
(have) her son Nicolas
now
past
future
She had been a contributor to Mampato magazine before she directed the magazine.
(be) a contributor to Mampato Magazine
Isabel had published several novels before she started a trilogy for young adults.
2. Isabel (publish)
several novels
(direct) the magazine
(start) a trilogy for young adults

11. Past with Was / Were Going To
Use was / were going to + base form to describe events that were supposed to happen but did not.
Isabel Allende was going to stay in Chile, but after the military coup in 1973, she had to leave the country.
In 1978, they were going to separate, but Allende soon returned to her husband.
now
past
did not happen
future

12. Practice 3
Form sentences with was / were going to.
Allende was going to live in Chile, but she had to flee the country.
Allende planned to live in Chile.
She had to flee the country.
Example:
She was going to write a letter, but the letter turned into a novel.
She planned to write a letter.
The letter turned into a novel. 1
They were going to stay together, but they divorced in 1987.
They planned to stay together.
They divorced in 1987. 2

13. References
Copyright © 2006 Pearson Education and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Photo Credits:
Isabel Allende © Loria Barra