past simple: subject+verb-ed past continuous: subject+was/were+verb-ing past perfect simple: subject+had+verb-ed Past simple= I Jumped Past Continuous= I was Talking, We were Running Past Perfect Simple= I Had Walked

OK, basically they all work together when you're telling a story. This is how: Past simple actions are the "meat" of your story. The main actions, or the actions as you perceived them. However, they need context... Past continuous gives the background (continuing) action at that time. Usually, past continuous sets up a scene, which is changed by a past simple action. It comes before the past simple action. eg. I was walking down the street when I saw my friend. I was having a shower when the phone rang. Past perfect simple gives the history or reason behind the past simple action. It usually follows the past simple (but not always - you can use it to begin or give some history to the story), but tells us about an action which happened before the past simple action. eg. I couldn't get into my apartment last night; I had forgotten my keys. Past continuous and past perfect support the past simple action, and give it context. Put them all together... I was walking down the street when I saw my friend. She had just finished work. One day last year, I was studying at school when I heard a loud bang. A bomb had gone off nearby!

thanks Bionca..you helped me a lot..I understand now

Hello there, 1. Use past simple to talk about something that has happened and cannot be changed. Maybe yesterday, last year, this morning. It cannot be changed. For example, Yesterday, I WATCHED a movie. This morning, I WOKE up late. Last year, I WENT to the beach. 2. Use past continous for something that was happening at a certain time in the past. You usually use it with present simple. For example, When the door bell rang, I was taking a shower. When my husband came home, I was cooking. At 17:00 last night, I was doing my homework. 3.Use past perfect simple to talk about something that happened before something else in the past or something that happened before a certain period. for example: I had failed the test, becaused I didn't study. Before I went to Costa Rica, I had never left the country.