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When should we use past simple, and when past perfect? I've tried to make it up, but don't actually understand why and when we use each.

I (found) a kitten at the entrance of a friend's house.

It (fell) from a height of 1.7 metres and (had been) there for 3 (or) 4 days, in a cold, damp and dirty basement, without food and water.

On the fifth day we (found? ) it in the awful state.

Arthur ( got? ) him out of there.

It's body was completely lifeless. We (took?) it to the clinic and they decided to warm it up. The kitten (lasted?) for an hour and a half and (had died?) of exhaustion.

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  • Ask yourself - what happened at the time you are talking about, and what had already happened? You found the kitten. At that time it had been in the basement for several days, so the fall was in the past; it had fallen. The rest of the incidents happened after you found it, so they don't need the past perfect.
    – Kate Bunting
    Commented Jun 18, 2022 at 13:19
  • Ah, so that's the logic. Thank you!
    – Liana
    Commented Jun 18, 2022 at 13:27
  • I've converted my comment to an answer, so if you are happy with it you can accept it.
    – Kate Bunting
    Commented Jun 18, 2022 at 13:34
  • If you listen to professional storytellers -- try the children's department in a public library -- you'll see that after the scene is set, the storyteller will typically use the present tense as much as possible. In the oral tradition, I mean. I think this makes the story more immediate and gripping for the audience. / I agree with Kate if you're writing the story. It can be helpful to draw a timeline.
    – aparente001
    Commented Jun 18, 2022 at 18:35

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Ask yourself - what happened at the time you are talking about, and what had already happened?

You found the kitten. At that time it had been in the basement for several days, so the fall was in the past; it had fallen.

The rest of the incidents happened after you found it, so they don't need the past perfect.

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