PART THREE When speaking in the past, we put everything in the past tense, even if it's still true now. I was married for four years and got divorced. My ex-husband WAS a carpenter. (he's still a carpenter) Compare with a conversation in the present tense: A: I started dating a man. He is a carpenter. B: Really? My ex-husband is a carpenter

PART TWO 5 I sighed and went back to the blue jumper. If I [don’t try] it on, how [do] I know if it fits me well? I should give it a try. 【It happened in the past, but they are hypothetical. They didn't happen. Can I use the simple present tense? 】 (Here, the speaker is telling you how his/her thoughts in the present tense while the incident itself is in the past. The speaker could've also shared his/her thoughts in the past tense. Can you use the simple tense to tell this story? Yes, we often recount past events in the simple tense to keep the listeners'/readers' attention. News reporters in the media usually report in the present tense. EXAMPLE: 96 remain missing as Hurricane Watahoochi destroys the Nanapoopoo Island. So, I'm walking down the street when I see this man coming out of the store. He looks at me and... 
 6 I should ask him about Twitter, but I didn’t think it WAS a good idea either. It was not bad. I just didn’t like behaving like this. People always say that this [is] a world that [focuses] on one’s appearance, and I [want] to be a person who [can] see people’s hearts. If I [ask] for his Twitter address, wouldn’t I become the kind of person I don’t like? 【Although this happened in the past, my point of view has not changed. If I use the past tense, does it mean that the I'm dead? 】 (You are explaining your past thoughts about his behavior at the time they happened in that past moment. If you want to make the point that you still feel that way, retell the story in the present. I should ask him about Twitter, but I don't think it is a good idea either. It isn't bad. I just don’t like behaving like this. People always say that this [is] a world that [focuses] on one’s appearance, and I [want] to be a person who [can] see people’s hearts. If I [ask] for his Twitter address, won'’t I become the kind of person I don’t like?

1. THAT was the first time I HAD met such a tall person (We usually refer to past events with 'that'. 'Had' sounds more natural but either is ok) This is the first time I HAVE met such a tall person (If you are referring to a current event, aka speaking TO the tall person, 'this' and present perfect is appropriate 2. Because she HAD always been impatient (means: from my past experience talking to her, she was impatient in conversations) Because she WAS always impatient (means: she was impatient in every situation) ^Either of these is ok "I didn’t think she was likely to HAVE listened to me for long" --> this means at that past moment in which I am speaking, the conversation I am talking about has ALREADY OCCURED, and I do not know whether or not she listened, so I am guessing. This is probably not what you mean. "I didn't think she was likely to listen" is correct in that case. 3. This is actually not a past conditional, it is present: talking to yourself in the present. The formula for this is [present condition] + [future result] = If I don't try it on, how will I know if it fits? 4. If you thought this in the past, and decided not to ask him about his twitter, the correct is: People always say that this [is] a world that [focuses] on one’s appearance, and I WANTED to be a person who COULD see people’s hearts. If I ASKED for his Twitter address, wouldn’t I become the kind of person I don’t like? If you are thinking this in the present, and have not decided whether to ask him, the correct is: People always say that this [is] a world that [focuses] on one’s appearance, and I WANT to be a person who CAN see people’s hearts. If I ASK for his Twitter address, WON'T I become the kind of person I don’t like? Very advanced, I hope this is clear:)

PART ONE: 1 This was the first time I [had met] such a tall person. 2 This was the first time I [met] such a tall person. (In this sentence, the meaning is essentially the same -- both finished actions. The difference is that #1 is still relevent within the context of the conversation to now.) EXAMPLE OF A CLEAR CHANGE IN MEANING: I lived in Spain for three years. (I don't live there anymore.) I have lived in Spain for three years. (I still live there.) 3 Because she [had] always been impatient, I didn’t think she was likely to have listened to me for long. 4 Because she [was] always impatient, I didn’t think she was likely to listen to me for long. 【What’s the differences? I think these two sentences can be used in past tense.】 (Yes, both the present perfect and the simple past indicate the past tense. Like #1 & #2, there is NOT always a significant difference in meaning between the two tenses.)