What is it for?
Past simple: Completed actions in the past
One day, at a tournament, Andy finally BEAT/USED TO BEAT his brother.
BEAT
One day, my sister and I (play) in the living room when suddenly my dad started shouting my sister's name.
WERE PLAYING
Last week, I was needing some new clothes
Last class, I needed some new clothes
One day, while we were watching one, my other brother and I quietly left the room
Past continuous: events that were in progress that got interrupted by another one
Andy STARTED/HAD STARTED teasing Jamie about the game
STARTED
I was only 2 and I (not know) how to write
I used to work at a festival last summer
I worked at a festival last summer
The next day, I was riding my bike down a steep hill near our house
Past continuous: long events in the past
Both Andy and his brother Jamie WERE/HAD BEEN good at tennis from a very young age.
My sister (deny) doing it and (blame) me
The phone rang while I was having dinner
He used to get terrified while watching horror films
When they USED TO/WERE PLAYING against each other, Jamie WAS ALWAYS WINNING/ALWAYS WON
(I, do) it? Of course I (not do)!
HAD I DONE - HADN'T
We went to my house and we were watching TV
We went to my house and we watched TV
Once I reached the bottom, I found out how he had done it.
Past perfect: Events that happened before another event in the past
He'd played against his brother hundreds of time before, but he DIDN'T WIN/HADN'T WON a match against him
HADN'T WON
My dad was furious because my sister (write) on the walls in our bedroom
HAD WRITTEN
When I arrived at the station, the train left
When I arrived at the station, the train had left