The document discusses the past simple and past continuous tenses in English. The past simple uses a single verb to talk about completed actions in the past, while the past continuous uses "was/were + verb+ing" to describe actions that were ongoing or in progress at a specific time in the past. The document provides examples of how to use each tense and when each is appropriate, such as using past continuous to emphasize that an action was in progress or happening simultaneously with another action.

1. PAST SIMPLE AND
CONTINUOUS
AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION, PLEASE DO THE FILL IN EXERCISE.
ChiaraSbarbada2015

2. The PAST SIMPLE is
formed by ONE verb.
It can be regular or
irregular.
I studied English
yesterday.
I saw a football match
last Sunday.
The PAST
CONTINUOUS is
formed by TWO verbs:
1) Past simple of BE
2) verb +ing.
I was doing my
homework.
ChiaraSbarbada2015

3. When you use SIMPLE
PAST you express that
the actions in the past
happened one after
another
She came home,
switched on the
computer and checked
her e-mails.
When you use Past
Continuous the
actions in the past
happened at the
same time
Simon was playing on
the computer while his
brother was watching
TV.
ChiaraSbarbada2015

4. When you use SIMPLE
PAST
you only want to
mention that an
action took place in
the past
Colin played football
yesterday.
When you use Past
Continuous
You want to put
emphasis on the
progress, e.g. that an
action was taking
place at a certain time
Yesterday at six
o'clock, Colin was
playing football.
ChiaraSbarbada2015

5. When my mobile rang I was sitting in a
meeting.
If you want to express that a new action
happened in the middle of another action, you
need both tenses: Simple Past for the new
action and Past Continuous for the action
already in progress.
My mobile suddenly
rang.
While (mentre) I was
sitting in a meeting,
ChiaraSbarbada2015

6. 1. While Tom (play)…..…… the piano, his
mother (do)……..… the washing-up.
2. When I (be) …..…… on my way home, I (see)
…..…… an accident.
3. I (fall) …..…… asleep while I (watch) …..…… TV last
night.
4. Tom (break) …..…… his leg when he (play)
…..…… frisbee.
ChiaraSbarbada2015