Uso de Expresiones Temporales para Hablar del Pasado

Curso de Inglés Intermedio B1: Primer Condicional y Pasado Continuo

Contenido del curso

Bienvenida al curso

1
Gramática Inglesa B1: Primer Condicional y Pasado Continuo
02:14 min

Un trabajo ideal

Proyectos y tareas

Trabajando en equipo

Visita del cliente

Clientes nuevos

Felicitaciones

24
Propuesta de Página Web: Creación y Presentación Efectiva
00:48 min
25
Autoevaluación del curso
26
Gramática Inglesa: Preguntas, Declaraciones y Condicionales
02:03 min

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0:005:23

Uso de Expresiones Temporales para Hablar del Pasado

Curso de Inglés Intermedio B1: Primer Condicional y Pasado Continuo

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Recursos

Understanding how to reference past events clearly is essential for fluent English communication. The word that serves as a powerful tool to connect ideas and refer back to specific moments, periods, or sequences in the past. Mastering this skill will help you sound more natural in conversations, interviews, and storytelling.

How can you use that to talk about a period of time in the past?

When you want to mention something about a specific period of time, you can use that combined with time expressions like at that time [0:42]. For example, if you are talking about the '80s — the decade between 1980 and 1989 — you could say:

"Walkmans were very popular at that time."

Here, at that time replaces the need to repeat "the '80s." This structure keeps your sentences clean and avoids redundancy. The phrase at that time is commonly used to refer back to a previously mentioned era or span of time.

How do you refer to a single event in the past?

You can also use that to point back to one specific event [1:17]. Imagine you attended an amazing concert last week. Instead of repeating all the details, you simply say:

"That day was so memorable."

The expression that day connects directly to the concert you already mentioned. This technique is especially useful in storytelling and interviews, where referring back to key moments keeps the conversation flowing naturally.

What about a sequence of events?

When describing multiple events in order, that helps you link them together [1:38]. Consider this example:

"I hiked in the morning, and after that, I watched the sunrise."
"Before that, I watched the sunrise."

The expressions after that and before that establish a clear timeline. You first mention the main event — hiking the mountain — and then add what happened before or after. This is the concept of a sequence of events, where that acts as an anchor connecting different actions in chronological order.

How does Emma use that in her job interview?

A practical example comes from Emma's job interview [2:08]. She explains her professional background using these structures naturally:

She joined an American company in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since it was still okay to fly at that time, she traveled frequently to New York City and Chicago to meet clients.
Before she joined the American firm, she worked with two local companies.

Emma's use of that demonstrates how these expressions work in real professional contexts. She references time periods, single events, and sequences smoothly, which helps the interviewer follow her story.

What can you learn from Emma's example?

A key takeaway is this true or false question from the lesson [3:38]: "Emma joined an American company in 2019. By that time, she had already worked for two other companies." The answer is true. The expression by that time means "before that specific moment," indicating she had prior experience at two local companies before 2019.

Notice how by that time combines with the past perfect tense (had already worked) to show that one event happened before another. This pairing is very common in English and strengthens your ability to describe past experiences with precision.

How can you practice these expressions?

Try building complete sentences using these five prompts [4:17]:

At that time.
After that.
Before that.
That day.
That week.

For example: "I graduated in 2015. At that time, I was living in a small town." Or: "I finished the project on Friday. That week was incredibly busy."

Using that to reference the past is a simple but effective strategy that makes your English sound more connected and natural. Share your practice sentences in the comments and keep building your confidence with these everyday expressions.

when I was younger I had a friend that taught me that my feelings are valued, after that we made such an amazing friendship, before that, I tough that I was being mean or rude to her just because of my behavior but it wasn't like that, now in this year we're not friends anymore because she needs to take her time to focus on herself, and I respect that, but she was taking that too serious and she completely forgive me so I was ready to talk with her That day was one of the worst days of my life, she was insulting me and treating me like the worst thing in the planet earth so in that same week I left our friendship to take a second place in my life as well as her with her bad mood and all her traumas. i did it but i don't regret it because i choose my paece

Woow, the life being life! It was hard! I hope that you

Good history!

Back to 2019 I was about to finish my bachelor degree as a Software engineer, ++at that time++ I was looking for a job so day after I finished my studies, some guy contact me via LinkedIn. He told me if I was able to have an interview with him, ++after that++ I said yes, of course and then I got the job, that was my first interview.

But ++before that++ I was working with my dad at his workshop. I remember ++that day++ when I told my dad; That I have a new job, he was really happy for me. when I stared my new job I realized I had a couples of friends working there as well; my first week there, ++that week++ was amazing. I'll never forget.

Great work

Hi Isaac, thank you. But I think the right expression would be "Great Job", Keep going you can do it !!!

Practice:

At that time, I went to Cusco, Peru.
After that, I couldn’t believe I had seen Machu Picchu and its great beauty.
Before that, I was very excited to travel to Peru.
That day, my heartbeat was very strong.
That week was special to me.

"That" to talk about the past

A period of time in the past.
A single event in the past.
A sequence of events in the past.

My practice:

At that time, I was really sad.
After that, I went home.
Before that, I called my mom.
That day, I was at home.
That week, I was as sick as a dog.

At the start of the year I moved to another city, the city was like 1 hr far than my old house. At that time I was so excited cause I really wanted a big change in my life and I knew that change could brought new experiences. The first weeks I started to search job around my house but I was not successful, but I don't gave up, so I tried harder. To got job first I searched my resources, so I went to the apps that help to find a job, and I tried but I had to wait, before that and don't had any respond I had to go out and fill cvsand go to the many business to ask for job, that day was so tired cause the day was really hot and I was a little nervous and afraid of cause made that really took me out of my comfort zone

At that time, i was very confused After that, i thought about my dreams Before that i had to work to myself That day i was so excited o start again That week, something special started to happen to me

-At that time,, Argentina only had two mundials. -After that day, we were the champions. -Before that movie, i was okey with her -That day i creid a lot, because she left me :( -That week, we said to many things each other, but nothing matters

at that time i had been working with a small bussines firm.
i woke up at 6:30 am. after that i had many study sessions.
at 7:00 am i had breakfast. before that i did exercise.
that day was hardly enough.
that week was too fast for me.

Bro, you’re awesome!

True

For many years, my country was very dangerous. There were many homicides every day, and at that time, we couldn’t go everywhere because gangs controlled many areas. But in 2019, that changed. Salvadorans elected a new president, and El Salvador became a safer country. After that, life got better.

I used to work in a veterinary clinic. At that time, I really loved working there; my coworkers were gentle and nice. After that, most of them quit and new people came, so the clinic wasn't the same. Before that, I enjoyed going to work and staying there, but since then I didn't like going to work anymore. The environment felt heavy because the new people weren't very friendly. At that point, I wanted to quit the job but I couldn't. One year later, my dog died and it was so painful for me. That week I had to take some time off, but my boss didn't like it, so she preferred to fire me. That day, I felt sad but relieved at the same time; I finally felt free from that job.

My turn

(2019) At that time, people bought a lot of toilet paper.
My nephews and I played soccer in the evening, after that we took a shower.
I studied in the morning, before that I prepared my coffee.
That day was fun because I saw my grandmother.
That week was awful, I lost my wallet and had no money to eat. Thank you for this class

I was working in the tech industry at that time I went to eat something after that I met with Carlos to work in the project I met with Carlos to work in the project before that I went to eat something That day I was too busy with the office’s party That week I had a business trip

that day was when i saw spiderman was so memorable

Period of time: The 80s I'm sorry but i can not resist https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QmfahQZUFs

That's awesome!

jajajaja... is great !

When I graduated I was very happy and that day I remember my mom was crying for my achievement

At that time I ran far away After that I slept for three hours Before that I took a shower That day was my worst day That week I did many thinks.

when I was sixteen I had many friends , at that time I went out much with my friends to partys and restaurants we always went out to 7:00 first to eat but before that we decided who picked up who, after that we chose what party we wanted to go was it very fun. when was it 2020 I went out to a party but i had to a accident in my car that day i didn´t forget, all that week i was gathering money for pay the car´s repairs

Yesterday, I went to a concert. That was an amazing day. That made me to remember when I was younger. At that time I only were 10 years old. After that, the concert, I were to get some to eat. I had to visit my friend to do homework. Before that I had to pick up some medicines for me. That day was amazing.

Bienvenida al curso

Gramática Inglesa B1: Primer Condicional y Pasado Continuo

Un trabajo ideal

Uso de "Have to" y "Had to" para Expresar Obligación

Uso de Expresiones Temporales para Hablar del Pasado

Uso de Adjetivos seguidos de Infinitivos en Español

Cómo usar "prefer to" para comparar en inglés

Uso de "Mustn't" para Expresar Obligaciones Negativas

Proyectos y tareas

Uso del Primer Condicional para Ofertas Persuasivas

A lot of vs. much: cuándo usar cada uno

Uso del Presente Simple para Actividades Futuras Programadas

May, might y could para expresar posibilidad

Inglés para entrevistas de trabajo

Trabajando en equipo

Cómo usar till y until para deadlines

Sugerencias y Ofertas con "Why Don't" en Inglés

Uso de Verbos Frasales Separables en Inglés

Cómo los sufijos crean sustantivos en inglés

Visita del cliente

Uso del Primer Condicional en Inglés para Futuros Posibles

Diferencias entre presente perfecto simple y continuo

Uso de Cuantificadores: Hardly Any, Not Much, Not Many

Uso y reconocimiento de verbos transitivos en español

Práctica de conversación en inglés (contexto profesional)

Clientes nuevos

Uso de Pronombres Indefinidos en Inglés

Pasado continuo con "when" para interrupciones

Other, the other y another en inglés

Felicitaciones

Propuesta de Página Web: Creación y Presentación Efectiva

Autoevaluación del curso

Gramática Inglesa: Preguntas, Declaraciones y Condicionales

Uso de Expresiones Temporales para Hablar del Pasado