PAST SIMPLE
VS. PAST CONTINUOUS
B1
PAST SIMPLE PAST CONTINUOUS
FORM FORM
REGULAR VERBS: Verb to be in the PAST + vb-ing
> ADD -D / -ED
IRREGULAR VERBS:
> Check irregular verbs list I was (not) running
You were (not/weren’t) running
I ran/played I didn’t run/play
She/He/It was (not/wasn’t) running
You ran/played You didn’t run/play We were(not/weren’t) running
She ran/played She didn’t run/play You were(not/weren’t) running
We ran/played We didn’t run/play They were (not/weren’t) running
You ran/played You didn’t run/play
They ran/played They didn’t run/play ??
Were you listening to music?
Was he doing the washing-up while I was
having a shower?
?? What were you doing yesterday at 5 p.m.?
DID + S + verb … ?
DID you GO to the cinema last week?
Did she have a driver’s license in 2015?
PRONUNCIATION «-ED»
• -d sound
• Played, called, cleaned, offered, loved, used, amazed,
damaged, …
• -t sound
• Helped, looked, sniffed, lauged, washed, kissed, danced, fixed,
cooked, …
• -id sound > words ending in –d or –t
• Waited, started, watched, needed, wanted
USES
PAST SIMPLE PAST CONTINUOUS
• COMPLETED ACTIONS • ACTIONS HAPPENING AT A
• REPEATED ACTIONS IN THE PAST MOMENT IN THE PAST
• GENERAL TRUTHS ABOUT THE • TWO ACTIONS IN PROGRESS
PAST AT THE SAME TIME
• MAIN EVENTS IN A STORY • BACKGROUND
INFORMATION IN A STORY
PAST SIMPLE - EXAMPLES
PAST SIMPLE • I WENT to the cinema last
week.
• COMPLETED ACTIONS We had a writing masterclass
two days ago.
• I worked there five years ago.
_________________________
• She always played
basketball.
• REPEATED ACTIONS IN THE • I went to the theatre four
times last month.
PAST • We had English class every
Monday.
PAST SIMPLE - EXAMPLES
PAST SIMPLE • The UK belonged to the
European Union.
• GENERAL TRUTHS ABOUT • Fifty years ago, people didn’t
spend as much on
THE PAST entertainment as they do
today.
_________________________
• Josh opened the doors and
looked inside the room.
• She entered the kitchen and
• MAIN EVENTS IN A STORY couldn’t believe what she
saw.
P. CONTINUOUS - EXAMPLES
PAST CONTINUOUS • I was doing my homework.
• Were you listening to me?
• ACTIONS HAPPENING AT A • She was playing football
yesterday at 11 a.m.
MOMENT IN THE PAST
• He was reading a book. I
was watching Friends.
________________________
• I was living in Valencia while
she was studying there.
• TWO ACTIONS IN PROGRESS • I was reading a book while
you were doing the washing-
AT THE SAME TIME up.
HELPFUL HINTS
The past simple is often used with: The past continuous is often used with:
- Yesterday
- Last week/summer/year/… - At that moment
- In January/2002/… - At one/two/three o’clock
- An hour / a week/ a year AGO - while
- WHEN
Phrases (ROUTINE in the past):
- Every Monday/week
- Each Friday
- Once/twice a week/month
- Three times a year
- Always
- Usually/normally
- Often/regularly
- Sometimes
- Rarely/ hardly ever
- Never
- HOW OFTEN did you….?
USED TO
• DISTANT PAST HABITS AND STATES
When I was four, I used to eat ice cream every day.
++ -- ??
I used to go I didn’t use to go Did I use to go?
I never USED TO go
You used to go You didn’t use to go Did you use to go?
You never USED TO go
She used to go She didn’t use to go Did she use to go?
She never USED TO go
We/you/they used to go We/you/they didn’t use to Did We/you/they use to
go go?
We/you/they never USED
TO go
