The document compares and contrasts the past simple and past continuous tenses in English. It discusses their different uses - the past simple for completed actions and the past continuous for ongoing actions. It provides examples of using each tense alone and together. When using both tenses together, the past simple can interrupt or follow an action in the past continuous. Time expressions like "while" and "when" are also discussed in determining which tense to use.

1. The Past Simple
vs
The Past Continuous
(the story of two brothers)

2. 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?

3. Chapter 1
Use of the Past Simple

4. 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

5. 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…

6. Chapter 2
Use of the Past Continuous

7. 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

8. The past continuous is normally used with
times and time expressions
• At 10.00 this morning
• Yesterday evening at 9.00

9. Chapter 3
The two tenses together

10. Two or more verbs in the past simple
One action follows the other action
Yesterday morning I got up, I brushed my teeth and
I had breakfast
Got up brushed had
1 2 3

11. 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 doing
my homework in my bedroom.
Was doing
Was listening
Was watching

12. Two or more verbs in the past simple
and the past continuous
The action expressed by the past simple
interrupts the action expressed by the past continuous
While I was driving to work, I had an accident
I was having a shower when the phone rang
What were you doing when I called you last night?

13. The action expressed by the past continuous
begins before the action expressed by the past simple
While I was driving to work, I had an accident
I 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

14. The End