Phrases

Talking About Past Events

100 phrases

If I remember correctly,

B2

Remembering something, but with a degree of uncertainty.

To the best of my recollection,

B2

Remembering something as accurately as possible.

Back then,

B2

Referring to a specific time in the past.

At that time,

B2

Referring to a specific moment in the past.

Previously,

B2

Before a particular time or event.

Earlier,

B2

Before the current time.

In the past,

B2

Referring to a period of time before the present.

Once upon a time,

B2

Beginning a story about the past, often informal.

Years ago,

B2

Referring to a time many years in the past.

Some time ago,

B2

Referring to a period of time in the past, less specific than 'years ago'.

A while back,

B2

Referring to a period of time in the past, informal.

During that period,

B2

Referring to a specific period of time in the past.

Throughout my childhood,

B2

Referring to the entirety of someone's childhood.

In my youth,

B2

Referring to someone's younger years.

When I was younger,

B2

Referring to a time in the past when someone was younger.

Prior to that,

B2

Before a particular event or time.

Up until then,

B2

Until a particular point in the past.

Beforehand,

B2

Before a particular event or action.

At one point,

B2

At a specific time in the past.

It happened that...

B2

Describing an event that occurred.

That time when...

B2

Referring to a specific past event.

From my experience,

B2

Based on past events.

Looking back on it,

C1

Reflecting on a past event.

In retrospect,

C1

Considering something after it has happened.

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