Enga10 Past Simple Continuous

Past Simple &
Past Continuous
Past Simple & Past Continuous
Let’s look at some examples of sentences with the Past
Simple and the Past Continuous:
 I was sitting in a cafe when you phoned me.
 When you arrived at the party, was Mike already there?
 Yesterday we were watching TV when we heard a loud noise.

Remember…
Past Simple
Use
For actions that started and finished in the past or for habits and routines
in the past.
I went to the cinema yesterday.
I always visited my grandparents when I was young.
I lived near Braga for a couple of years.

Remember…
Past Simple: time markers
yesterday
the day before yesterday
last week / month / year, etc.
ago (two days ago, three weeks ago, etc.)
when (if two past sentences are joined together)

Remember…
Past Simple: form
REGULAR VERBS:
 Most verbs + ed / d visit – visited / love – loved
 Verbs ending in vowel + y + ed enjoy – enjoyed
 Verbs ending in consonant + y + ied study – studied
 Verbs ending in vowel + consonant + vowel double the
consonant + ed stop – stopped
Remember…
Past Simple: form
IRREGULAR VERBS: past forms vary (check Study Guide p. 32)
 go – went make – made
Useful irregular verbs:

 be – was / were: Julian was in Greece five years ago.
 do – did: I did the dishes last night.
(also used to form the negative and interrogative of all verbs)

 have – had: He had a dog when he was young.
Remember…
Past Simple: negative and interrogative
Form
subject + auxiliary to do in the Past Simple (did) + not +
main verb in the infinitive
He didn’t invite her to the party.
auxiliary to do in the Past Simple (did) + subject + main verb
in the infinitive + ?
Did you see me on the news last night?
Remember…
Past Continuous
Use
For past actions in progress at a particular time or for actions that
were in progress when another action in the Past Simple interrupted it.
Last night at 8 pm I was having dinner.

I was watching TV when my phone rang.
She was writing while I was dictating the rules.
Time markers when / while

Remember…
Past Continuous: affirmative
Form
subject + auxiliary to be in the Past Simple (was / were) + main
verb + ing
I was watching TV when John arrived.
They were having dinner and discussing their plans for
the weekend.
She was studying while he was finishing his book.
Remember…
Past Continuous: negative and interrogative
Form
subject + auxiliary to be in the Past Simple + not
(wasn’t / weren’t) + main verb + ing
I was not studying and you weren’t paying attention.
auxiliary to be in the Past Simple (Was / Were) + subject
+ main verb + ing + ?
Were you having a break?
GRAMMAR
PRACTICE
1. Complete the rules with the Past Simple or Past
Continuous.
Past Continuous for an action that was in progress
a. We use the __________________
Past Simple
when another action in the ________________ interrupted it.
b. We use the ________________ for actions that started and finished in
Past Simple
the past.
c. We use the __________________
Past Continuous for past actions in progress at a
particular time in the past.
Past Simple
d. We use the ________________ for habits and routines in the past.
2. Choose the correct verb option.
a. Stephan _____ a new guitar years ago.
1. ▢ was buying 2. ▢✓bought
b. Fortunately the band _____ yet when we arrived at the concert.
1. ✓
▢ wasn’t playing 2. ▢ didn’t play
c. What _____ at 7 o’clock yesterday evening?
1.✓
▢ were you doing 2. ▢ did you do
d. He _____ a pair of Converse trainers for my birthday last week.
1. ▢ was buying 2. ▢✓bought
3. Put the verbs in brackets in the Past Simple or Past
Continuous.
arrived
were you phoning (you / phone) to when I ___________
a. Who ___________________
(arrive) home?
were downloading (download) music when the
b. Last night they ___________________
crashed(crash).
Internet _____________
arrived
c. Mario _____________ (arrive) at Lara’s flat at 7 pm, but she
wasn’t
_____________ (be) there.
were watching (watch) a cool series.
d. At 10 pm last night we _______________
3. Put the verbs in brackets in the Past Simple or Past
Continuous.
was walking (walk) to school, he _______
e. While John _____________ met (meet) his
friend Judy.
rang (ring) my doorbell and then ______
f. Yesterday a naughty boy ________
ran away.
(run)
was
g. During the afternoon it ____________ (be) extremely windy.
were you thinking (you / think) when you ________
h. What __________________ bought(buy)
that hat?
GRAMMAR CLINIC
Diagnose and treat the grammar virus in each sentence.
a. While the musicians played, people were dancing.
While the musicians were playing, people were dancing.
________________________________________________________
b. My friend was crashing his mother’s car last night.
My friend crashed his mother’s car last night.
________________________________________________________
c. I talked to Sarah on the phone when my sister arrived.
I was talking to Sarah on the phone when my sister arrived.
________________________________________________________
d. Were you enjoying the last Eurovision contest?
Did you enjoy the last Eurovision contest?
________________________________________________________

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Past Simple &

 I was sitting in a cafe when you phoned me.

 When you arrived at the party, was Mike already there?

 Yesterday we were watching TV when we heard a loud noise.

I went to the cinema yesterday.

I always visited my grandparents when I was young.

I lived near Braga for a couple of years.

the day before yesterday

last week / month / year, etc.

ago (two days ago, three weeks ago, etc.)

when (if two past sentences are joined together)

Useful irregular verbs:

 do – did: I did the dishes last night.

(also used to form the negative and interrogative of all verbs)

Last night at 8 pm I was having dinner.

Time markers when / while

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