Past simple vs past continuous
Past simple is used to talk about events, states or habits at definite times in the past.
Past continuous emphasizes the action or event in progress around a time in the past.
Past simple Common mistakes
I went to the store yesterday. To form the past continuous we use was/were + verb (-ing).
She did her homework last
night. I waiting for him almost two hours.
He read a book last month.
I was waiting for him almost two hours.
We mostly use the past simple tense (we played) for
repeated actions in the past.
We were playing tennis every morning.
Past continuous We played tennis every morning.
I was walking to school when We use the past continuous when we want to say what was
it started to rain. happening (what was in progress) at a particular time in
I was watching TV when the the past.
message came.
He was eating dinner when They watched TV when I came.
the power went out.
They were watching TV when I came
Past simple Past continuous
Past simple formula: Past continuous formula:
Subject + verb (base form) + -ed/did/have/was Verb “to be” (was/were) + present participle (-ing
form)
Past completed actions Actions in progress at a certain time in the past
We went to the zoo last week. Yesterday at 10 p.m. I was sleeping.
Sorry, what did you say? I was watching TV at 7 o’clock.
Situations in the past Interrupted actions in progress (in the past)
I lived in India for 6 years. (I don’t live there While he was listening to music, the phone rang.
anymore)
A series of actions in the past Actions in progress at the same time
She got up, got dressed and had breakfast. Jane was doing her homework while her brother
was reading a book.
Signal words: when, ago, last week/year/month Signal words: while, as, at that time, at + time (at 10
etc., yesterday, in + year (in 2006) p.m.)
Non-action verbs (or stative verbs) cannot be used in past continuous.
✨Verbs of the senses: hear, see, smell, look, seem, sound.
✨Opinion: believe, consider, like, love, hate, prefer, think
✨Possession: have, own, belong
✨Also: agree, be, depend, need, mean, remember, realize, recognize, seem, want
1. Put the verbs in brackets into the past simple or the past continuous. Type the completed
sentences into the box.
a) While I (drive), I (have) an accident.
b) Kate (have) dinner and then she (do) her homework.
c) The thieves (hide) in the kitchen when the police (come) in.
d) Sam (plan) a party and then he (phone) his friends.
e) While we (clean) the house, we (break) some glasses.
f) Alan (look) out of the window when he (see) a UFO.
2.Complete the sentences with the correct answer from a, b, c or d:
1) She couldn't answer the door while she ____ on the telephone.
a) was talked
b) was talking
c) were talking
d) were talked
2)They must have woken up early. They ____ breakfast when I came downstairs.
a) was make
b) made
c) was made
d) were making
3)"What did you do after you heard the noise?" "I ____ outside the window."
a) did look
b) looked
c) were looking
d) was looking
4)What ____ when I interrupted you?
a) was you reading
b) were you reading
c) did you read
d) you were reading
5)"What time did you leave the house?" "We ____ at 9am."
a) leave
b) was leaving
c) were leaving
d) left
6)When she was younger, she ____ every weekend.
a) were swimming
b) swim
c) swam
d) was swimming
