Past Simple:
● Form:
○ For regular verbs, add "-ed" (e.g., walked, played).
○ Irregular verbs have unique forms (e.g., went, saw, ate).
● Use:
○ To describe completed actions in the past.
○ To talk about a series of completed actions.
○ To describe past habits or states.
○ It is used for actions that started and finished in the past.
● Examples:
○ "I walked to the store yesterday."
○ "She ate dinner and then watched TV."
○ "They lived in that house for 10 years."
Past Continuous:
● Form:
○ "was/were" + verb + "-ing" (e.g., was walking, were playing).
● Use:
○ To describe actions that were in progress at a specific time in
the past.
○ To describe background actions in a story.
○ Often used to describe an action that was interrupted by
another action (past simple).
○ It is used for actions that were in progress over a period of
time in the past.
● Examples:
○ "I was watching TV at 8 p.m. last night."
○ "The birds were singing, and the sun was shining."
○ "I was studying when the phone rang."
Key Differences and Common Usage:
Key Differences Summarized:
● Completed vs. In Progress: The past simple deals with finished
actions, while the past continuous focuses on ongoing actions.
● Time Focus: The past simple often emphasizes a specific point in
time when something happened, while the past continuous
emphasizes a period of time during which something was
happening.
● Interruption: The past continuous is frequently used to describe
an action that was interrupted by another action in the past simple.
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Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb (past simple or
past continuous).
doorbell=
1. I was eating (eat) dinner when the doorbell rang (ring).
2. They were playing (play) football when it started (start) to rain.
3. She was studying(study) all night for the exam.
4. We were seeing (see) an accident while we were driving (drive) home.
5. What were you doing (you/do) at 8 p.m. last night?
Exercise 2: Choose the Correct Tense
Choose the correct tense (past simple or past continuous) for each
sentence.
1. When I arrived, they (were having / had) dinner.
2. He (was walking / walked) to school when he saw his friend.
3. I (wasn't listening / didn't listen) to the radio this morning.
4. She (was writing / wrote) a letter when the power went out.
5. They (were living / lived) in Paris for five years.
Exercise 3: Sentence Building
Combine the following sentences using "when" or "while."
1. I was reading (read) a book. The phone rang (ring)
2. She was cooking dinner (cook) dinner. He arrived (arrive) home.
3. They were playing (play) video games It started (start) to snow.
I was listening to music while my sister was watching a movie.
I was listening to music when my sister entered to the room.
