28 English lessons about the concept of the past

English Lesson: I used to be able to run five miles without breaking a sweat. Now I get winded after the first five minutes.

1. “I used to be able to run five miles without breaking a sweat. Now I get winded after the first five minutes.”

English Lesson: Those were the days, huh?

2. “Those were the days, huh?”

English Lesson: Remember that sketchy neighborhood we used to live in?

3. “Remember that sketchy neighborhood we used to live in?”

English Lesson: That was passed down to me by my grandfather.

4. “That was passed down to me by my grandfather.”

English Lesson: What do you think people did back before they had electricity or running water?

5. “What do you think people did back before they had electricity or running water?”

English Lesson: Her health had been deteriorating for many years.

6. “Her health had been deteriorating for many years.”

English Lesson: It seems like it was only yesterday that we first met here.

7. “It seems like it was only yesterday that we first met here.”

English Lesson: The next thing I know, I'm sprawled out on the floor.

8. “The next thing I know, I'm sprawled out on the floor.”

English Lesson: You should have seen the look on his face. It was priceless!

9. “You should have seen the look on his face. It was priceless!”

English Lesson: My grandpa used to tell me about how he had to get up at the crack of dawn every day to start work on the farm.

10. “My grandpa used to tell me about how he had to get up at the crack of dawn every day to start work on the farm.”

English Lesson: He's past his prime now, but he was a great player at his peak.

11. “He's past his prime now, but he was a great player at his peak.”

12. “We lost touch with each other after high school.”

13. “He's an old childhood friend of mine.”

14. “Their current President is a former business executive.”

15. “I saw this incredible documentary the other day on the state of the public school system.”

16. “Prior to that, I spent two years as an administrative assistant at a recruiting agency.”

17. “I was slammed all week.”

18. “We were able to raise just under fifteen thousand dollars.”

19. “You could have killed someone!”

20. “I've lived here for nearly 15 years, off and on.”

21. “I've come a long way since then.”

22. “I would've had to pay a hundred-dollar fine if it had been late.”

23. “You remember how you used to always play that song on your dad's stereo?”

24. “I think you forgot to attach the PDF.”

25. “It was great meeting you the other day.”

26. “We spent the first month just debating what to call ourselves.”

27. “Did he mention where he was going?”

28. “I ran into someone I haven't seen in years.”