The document discusses the past simple and past continuous tenses in English. It provides examples of their uses including: describing finished past actions using past simple (e.g. "climbed") versus ongoing past actions using past continuous (e.g. "was climbing"). It also discusses using past continuous to describe actions happening at a specific past time and past simple with time expressions like "last night."

1. Past Simple & Past Continuous

2. What were you saying ? I wasn’t listening … I was just presuming that… Hum… I’m terribly sorry…

3. What were you doing last night at 10:25, Ms. Jamieson? I was dinning out with the Parksons. She has a good alibi, I dare say,Holmes,don’t you think?…

4. Speculating... Mr. Bullock was climbing the stairs when he tripped and fell… Mr. Bullock climbed the stairs when he tripped and fell… Upon my faith,Watson…That’s it!

5. Past Simple Past Continuous Details of actions that finished in the past Result Action in progress at a definite time in the past The action was still happening when another action started in the past

6. Did you hear or see anything strange last night at 10:25? I was preparing to go to bed when I heard someone screaming. Well, I was trying to read last night around 10:15 when I saw a strange light at my window.

7. Past Continuous Mr.Bullock and Ms. Jamieson were arguing about something… … when I walked into the room. Past Simple

8. Could you tell me what you were doing exactly at 10,25 last Monday ? Did you see or hear anything suspicious? Strange…

9. While / As + Past Continuous Years ago / in ( year)/ from (year ) to ( year) + Past Simple Last…/ yesterday + Past Simple

10. I was waiting for an imp ort ant cal l. 4) While Mr. Emerson was reading the little girl a story , … a) I got a package in the b) mail .When I opened it… I cal led Roger at nine last nig ht,… c) I found a surprise. 1) Why weren’t you at the meeting place? d) but he was at the library studying . 2) she fell asle ep, so he closed the boo k . 3)

11. The End