PAST SIMPLE AND PAST CONTINUOUS

PAST SIMPLE

AFFIRMATIVE: SUBJECT + VERB + ED (or irregular form) They talked about life

They ate chocolate cake

NEGATIVE: SUBJECT + DIDN’T + VERB (in base form) He didn’t talk (talked) about his life

They didn’t eat (ate) cookies

INTERROGATIVE: DID + SUBJECT + VERB (in base form) ? Did he go (went) to the cinema last night?

Did he talk (talked) to the teacher?

PAST SIMPLE

To express actions that happened in a certainmoment of the past.

YESTERDAY

LAST + TIME UNIT (year, month, second, minute…)

NUMBER + TIME UNIT + AGO

Sometimes we don’t need to mention when theaction happened:

Who wrote “Hamlet”?

Cristopher Columbus discovered America

PAST CONTINUOUS

AFFIRMATIVE:

SUBJECT + WAS/WERE +VERB + ING

Last night, I was studying at home

NEGATIVE:

SUBJECT + WAS/WERE +NOT + VERB + ING

She wasn’t walking

INTERROGATIVE:

WAS/WERE + SUBJECT + VERB + ING ?

Were you talking to Tom?

PAST CONTINUOUS

To express past actions with some duration effect.The action started before that moment and probablycontinued after that.

I was studying all day yesterday (duration effect)

I studied all day yesterday (just informing, no effect)

To express two past actions happening at the sametime. Used with WHILE.

While you were reading the paper, I was doing myhomework.

PAST SIMPLE & CONTINUOUS

A long action (Continuous) interrupted by a short action (simple) in the past (use of when before thePast Simple):

I was singing a song when it began to rain

He was talking on the phone and she interrupted him.

When telling a story, the FACTS can go in PastSimple, the descriptions and atmosphere go in Continuous.

PAST SIMPLE & CONTINUOUS

It a beautiful day. The sun ______and the birds . He _____ confident and he what he mustdo. He to the people in thesquare. They at himexpectantly.

was was shiningwere flying felt

knew

spokewere looking