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Tenses
Quick rule
Past simple = the events in order. Past continuous = the background scene. Past perfect = the earlier event behind the story.
I was waiting at the gate when they announced the delay.
By the time we arrived, the meeting had already started.
The sun was going down and nobody had brought a torch.
He apologised because he had forgotten to reply.
Common mistake
✗ When I arrived, they already left. → ✓ When I arrived, they had already left.
Short practice
I ___ (read) when the lights ___ (go) out. → was reading / went