PAST SIMPLE AND PAST CONTINUOUS
Past simple
The past simple shows us that an action was in the past, not in the present. Regular past simple verbs have -ed at the
end (e.g. called, played, arrived). Irregular verbs have a different form.
My parents called me yesterday.
I woke up early this morning.
Sam played basketball when he was at university.
We make the negative with didn't and the infinitive verb.
My parents didn't call me yesterday.
I didn't wake up early this morning.
We make the question form with did and then the subject and infinitive verb.
Did you wake up early this morning?
Did Sam play basketball when he was at university?
Past continuous
The past continuous shows us that the action was already in progress at a certain time in the past.
What were you doing at 8 p.m. last night? I was studying.
This means that I started studying before 8 p.m. and I continued after 8 p.m.
The past continuous can also show that an activity was in progress for some time, not just for a moment.
We were cleaning the house all morning.
We make the past continuous with was or were and the -ing form of the verb.
She couldn't come to the party. She was working.
Three years ago, we were living in my home town.
I tried to give him some advice, but he wasn't listening.
What were you doing this time last year?
Past continuous and past simple
When we use these two tenses together, it shows us that the past simple action happened in the middle of the past
continuous action, while it was in progress.
While I was studying, I suddenly felt sleepy.
We often use these tenses to show an action interrupting another action.
I broke my leg when I was skiing.
As I was going to work, I saw an old friend.
We were watching television when the power went off.
Can you see a difference in the meaning of these two sentences?
When the guests arrived, Jane was cooking dinner.
When the guests arrived, Jane cooked dinner.
In the first one, Jane started cooking dinner before the guests arrived. We know that because it uses the past
continuous. In the second sentence, the guests arrived first and then Jane started cooking.
RESUMEN
El past simple y past continuous son utilizados al mismo tiempo en frases en la que queremos describir situaciones
concretas en el pasado. Se describe una situación o acción usando el past continuous y esta es interrumpida por otra
acción en past simple, una que ocurre en un momento específico y está terminada.
La principal diferencia entre past simple y past continuous está en su uso.
El pasado simple de los verbos en inglés indica acciones pasadas que ya han terminado.
El past continuous se utiliza para hablar de acciones que estaban en progreso en un punto concreto del pasado.
Ejemplos:
When I came home, my brother was playing football. La acción de llegar a casa ya tuvo lugar y es en ese
momento cuando hay otra acción en progreso, mi hermano jugando al futbol.
I was studying my english lesson when the telephone rang. El teléfono sonó en un tiempo concreto que ya es el
pasado y mientras eso pasaba, otra acción se estaba llevando a cabo (estudiar la lección).
Past Simple Past Continuous
sucesión de acciones acciones que suceden simultáneamente
Ejemplo: Ejemplo:
Every morning I got up early, set off on my bike, visited the While I was cycling, my
villages along the way and talked to people. friends were probably sitting on the beach.
sucesos nuevos o repentinos acciones que ya habían comenzado
Ejemplo: Ejemplo:
When I was talking to a farmer in a village, my phone When I was talking to a farmer in a village, my
suddenly rang. phone suddenly rang.
Past Simple Past Continuous
mención de un hecho que sucedió señalar la continuidad o duración de una acción
Ejemplo: Ejemplo:
I spent my holiday in Wales. My friends were phoning to tell me the news.
Marcadores temporales
Los marcadores temporales nos permiten identificar el tiempo en el que debe expresarse una oración. A continuación,
una tabla que compara los marcadores temporales que se usan con frecuencia con el pasado simple y el pasado
continuo en inglés.
Past Simple Past Continuous
when
first
while
then
as long as
-Recordar que los verbos de estado (Stative verbs), no son utilizados en tiempos continuos. En los tiempos continuos
solo se utilizan verbos dinámicos (Dynamic verbs), es decir, que refieren a acciones.
-REMEMBER:
-Past continuous + WHEN + Past simple
-Past simple + WHILE + Past continuous
EJERCICIOS
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