The Tíxer
Productions
   presents
The Past Simple
         vs
The Past Continuous

  (the story of two brothers)
Starring
• The Past Simple         • The Past Continuous
  I played                  I was playing
  We broke                  We were breaking
  She didn’t jump           She wasn’t jumping
  Did they run?             Were they running?
Chapter 1

Use of the Past Simple
We use the past simple for finished actions in the past


                        When?




                       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
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…
Chapter 2

Use of the Past Continuous
We use the past continuous for actions happening in the past


               The action is in progress



                      The past


    We were watching TV with some friends

      I wasn’t studying English

     What were you doing yesterday morning?
The past continuous is normally used with
             times and time expressions


• At 10.00 this morning
• Yesterday evening at 9.00
Chapter 3

The two tenses together
Two or more verbs in the past simple

     One action follows the other action

        Got up     brushed       had


          1           2           3
Yesterday morning I got up, I brushed my teeth and
I had breakfast
Two or more verbs in the past continuous

     The actions happen at the same time


                  Was watching

                  Was listening
                   Was doing




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.
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?
The action expressed by the past continuous
begins before the action expressed by the past simple

  While is normally followed by the past continuous

   When is normally followed by the past simple
                         2nd
     1st


 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?
The End

Pastsimplevspastcontinuous

  • 1.
  • 2.
    The Past Simple vs The Past Continuous (the story of two brothers)
  • 3.
    Starring • The PastSimple • The Past Continuous I played I was playing We broke We were breaking She didn’t jump She wasn’t jumping Did they run? Were they running?
  • 4.
    Chapter 1 Use ofthe Past Simple
  • 5.
    We use thepast simple for finished actions in the past When? 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
  • 6.
    The simple pastis 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…
  • 7.
    Chapter 2 Use ofthe Past Continuous
  • 8.
    We use thepast continuous for actions happening in the past The action is in progress The past We were watching TV with some friends I wasn’t studying English What were you doing yesterday morning?
  • 9.
    The past continuousis normally used with times and time expressions • At 10.00 this morning • Yesterday evening at 9.00
  • 10.
    Chapter 3 The twotenses together
  • 11.
    Two or moreverbs in the past simple One action follows the other action Got up brushed had 1 2 3 Yesterday morning I got up, I brushed my teeth and I had breakfast
  • 12.
    Two or moreverbs in the past continuous The actions happen at the same time Was watching Was listening Was doing 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.
  • 13.
    Two or moreverbs 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?
  • 14.
    The action expressedby the past continuous begins before the action expressed by the past simple While is normally followed by the past continuous When is normally followed by the past simple 2nd 1st 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?
  • 15.