This week we are celebrating 10 years of Learning English materials on the BBC World Service web site.

In this programme we hear from two of the current Learning English team about what they were doing 10 years ago in April 1996. Callum Robertson focusses on the grammar of talking about the past.

Before you listen to the programme look at these comprehension questions. You can hear the answers in the programme. Check your understanding by trying the quiz from the Extras section below. You can also download this programme in mp3 format and follow it with a transcript.

1: Where was Nuala living in 1996?
2: What bad habit did she use to have?
3: What was Doug's job in 1996?
4: Where was Doug livng in 1996?

Listen to London Life
	10 years ago

Grammar and vocabulary from the programme

Past continuous
was/were + present participle ('ing' form)

Examples
I was working as a teacher in 1996
I was living in Switzerland then.
Ten years ago I was studying for my exams.

used (to do)
This phrase can be used to talk about habits you had in the past.

Examples
When I was younger I used to cycle everywhere, now I take my car.
When she was a teenager she always used to be late for school.

a freelance (journalist/producer/teacher etc)
somebody who is not employed by a single company but who can work for different organisations

Example
He was a freelance journalist for many years before he started working only for the Guardian newspaper.

Programme script (pdf - 19k)

Download this programme (mp3 - 1.8mb)