Download - Past Simple Versus Past Continous
The TíxerProductions
presents
The Past Simple vs
The Past Continuous
(the story of two brothers)
Starring
• The Past Simple
I played
We broke
She didn’t jump
Did they run?
• The Past Continuous
I was playing
We were breaking
She wasn’t jumping
Were they running?
Chapter 1
Use of the Past Simple
We use the past simple for finished actions in the past
Yesterday I went to the cinema with my friends
What time did you arrive home?
I didn’t pass my English test last term
When?
The past
The simple past is normally followed by time expressions
• Yesterday, in 1990, then, when…
• Last month, last week, last summer…
• 3 days ago, some time ago, a week ago…
Chapter 2
Use of the Past Continuous
We use the past continuous for actions happening in the past
We were watching TV with some friends
I wasn’t studying English
What were you doing yesterday morning?
The action is in progress
The past
The past continuous is normally used with times and time expressions
• At 10.00 this morning
• Yesterday evening at 9.00
Chapter 3
The two tenses together
Two or more verbs in the past simple
One action follows the other action
Yesterday morning I got up, I brushed my teeth andI had breakfast
Got up brushed had
1 2 3
Two or more verbs in the past continuous
The actions happen at the same time
Last night, while my father was watching the TV,my sister was listening to the radio and I was doingmy homework in my bedroom.
Was doing
Was listening
Was watching
Two or more verbs in the past simple and the past continuous
The action expressed by the past simpleinterrupts the action expressed by the past continuous
While I was driving to work, I had an accidentI was having a shower when the phone rang
What were you doing when I called you last night?
The action expressed by the past continuousbegins before the action expressed by the past simple
While I was driving to work, I had an accidentI was having a shower when the phone rang
What were you doing when I called you last night?
While is normally followed by the past continuous
When is normally followed by the past simple
1st
2nd
The End