PAST SIMPLE VS PAST CONTINUOUS

PAST SIMPLE
+ Irregular verbs: 2
nd
column (see-saw)
Yesterday I read a comic
+ Regular verbs: +ed (cook-cooked)
Last week I watched a movie
- subject+ didnt+ inf
Last year I didnt go to the beach
? Did + subject+ inf
Did you study English last course?
PAST CONTINUOUS
+ subject + was/were +verb -ing
I was having a shower
- subject +wasnt /werent + verb-ing
They werent watching TV
? Was / were+ subject+ verb-ing
Was she listening to music...?
Exceptions
Exceptions when adding 'ed' :
when the final letter is e, only add d.
Example: love - loved
after a short, stressed vowel, the final
consonant is doubled
Example: admit - admitted
final L is always doubled in British English (not
in American English)
Example: travel - travelled
after a consonant, final y becomes i. (but: not
after a vowel)
Example: worry - he worried
but: play - he played
Exceptions when adding 'ing' :
silent e is dropped (but: does not apply for -ee)
Example: come - coming
but: agree - agreeing
after a short, stressed vowel, the final
consonant is doubled
Example: sit - sitting
final L is always doubled in British English (not in
American English)
Example: travel - travelling
final ie becomes y.
Example: lie - lying
One action after another or actions happening at the same time?
Past simple: She came home, switched on the TV and watched the news. (one after another)
Past continuous: Simon was playing tennis while his father was reading a book.



New action or already in progress?
If you want to express that a new action happened in the middle of another action, you need
both tenses.
Past Simple,new action: My mobile rang (when I was having a bath)
Past Continuous, action already in progress: While I was having a bath, my mobile suddenly
rang.
Only mentioning or emphasising progress?
Do you just want to mention that an action took place in the past (also used for short
actions)? Or do you want to put emphasis on the progress, e.g. that an action was taking place
at a certain time?
Simple Past (just mentioning): Kate swam yesterday.
Past Continuous (emphasizing progress): Yesterday at five oclock Kate was swimming
SOME SPECIAL VERBS
The following verbs are usually only used in Simple Past (not in the continuous form).
state: be, cost, fit, mean, suit
Example: We were on holiday.
possession: belong, have
Example: Sam had a cat.
senses: feel, hear, see, smell, taste, touch
Example: He felt the cold.
feelings: hate, hope, like, love, prefer, regret, want, wish
Example: Jane loved pizza.
brain work: believe, know, think, understand
Example: I did not understand him.
introductory clauses for direct speech: answer, ask, reply, say
Example: I am watching TV, he said.
Signal words
Past Simple: First, then
Past Continuous: When, while, as long as


Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).
1. While Tom (read)____was reading__________, Amely (watch)__was watching_____ a
documentary on TV.
2. Marvin (arrive)___arrived___________ to the class, (switch)____switched ____ on the
computer and (check)____checked____ his emails.
3. The thief (sneak)______________ into the house, (steal)______________ the jewels
and (leave)______________ without a trace.
4. Nobody (listen)__was listening____________ while the teacher (explain)___was
explaining____ the tenses.
5. While we (do)______________ a sight-seeing tour, our friends (lie)______________ on the
beach.
6. He (wake)______________ up and (look)______________ at his watch.

1. Put the verbs into the correct tense
2. I (jog)_______was jogging_______ in the park, when two
squirrels (cross)______crossed________ my way.
3. Robert (fall)__fell____________ off the ladder when he (pick)_____was
picking_________ cherries.
4. Archimedes (discover)______________ the theory of buoyancy while
he (take)______________ a bath.
5. When we (travel)______________ around Ireland, we (meet)______________ some very
nice people.
6. While she (speak)______________ on the phone, the milk (boil)______________ over.
7. When I (leave)___left___________ the house this morning, the sun (shine)___was
shining___________ .
8. Caroline (burn)______________ her hand when she (iron)______________ her clothes.

Put the verbs into the correct tense
1. Two days ago, a murder (happen)______________ in Market Street at about seven pm.
2. Yesterday, Sherlock Holmes (arrive)______________ at the crime scene to investigate.
3. He (ask)______________ one of the tenants in the house.
4. What (do / you)______________ yesterday at seven?
5. I (watch)______________ a football match on TV.
6. (be)______________ you alone?
7. Yes, I (be)______________.
8. (hear / you)______________ anything suspicious?
9. Yes, about seven o'clock, two people (argue)______________ in the hallway. But the
football match (be)______________ so interesting. So I just (turn)______________ up the
telly and then (hear / not)______________anything anymore.

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).
1. When I (get)______________ up yesterday, the sun (shine)______________.
2. It (is)______________ a beautiful morning.
3. So I (decide)______________ to cycle around a little.
4. I (go)______________ to the shed and (take)______________ out my bike.
5. While I (cycle)______________ past some villages, I (see)______________ some people in
their gardens.
6. One man (mow)______________ the grass while his wife (pick)______________ strawberries.
7. After one hour of cycling in sunshine, a big fat raincloud
suddenly (appear)______________ and it (start)______________ to rain.
8. Luckily, a farmer (notice)______________ me and (tell)______________ me to come in.
9. While it (rain)______________ outside, I (sit)______________ in the farmer's house.
10. After a while, the sun (come)______________ out again.
11. I (thank)______________ the farmer for his hospitality and (move)______________ on.

In the following sentences put the verbs in brackets in either past simple or past continuous
tense. Put any other words in the brackets in the correct place. Look at the example provided.

1. While the teacher was explaining (explain) the sum on the blackboard, the children were
throwing (throw) paper aeroplanes around the classroom.
2. Eve........................................(live) in Athens when she ........................................(meet) the
man who was to become her husband.
3. ........................................you........................................(work) at McIlroys when
they........................................(have)that terrible fire!
4. As it........................................(get)foggier it........................................(become) almost
impossible to steer the boat along the narrow canal.
5. I........................................(hear) a strange noise just as I........................................(go) to
sleep.
6. When the fire alarm ........................................(go)off, we ........................................ (leave )
the building as quickly as possible.
7. At the place where we ........................................(live) before, our
neighbours........................................(always/have) violent arguments late at night.
8. I ........................................(hope) youd come round for tea one afternoon next week.
9. On looking out of the window, Dick........................................(see) it was another dreary day.
The wind........................................(blow) hard and big black clouds
........................................(gather) on the horizon.
10. While the others........................................(lie) on the beach, poor old
Gary........................................ (work) in the office as usual.