5.26 The past

When talking about the past, an adjunct of time or other time expression is necessary to specify the particular time in the past you are referring to. The time reference can be established in a previous clause, and the verbs in the following clauses are therefore put in the past tense.

• It was very cold that night. Over my head was a gap in the reed matting of the roof.
• I was talking to one of them yesterday. She said she got roast and Yorkshire pudding.