The Past Progressive Tense and the Simple Past Tense


 We use the past progressive to describe past situations or actions that were in
   progress at some time in the past. The structure to form the past progressive
   tense is:
               Subject + aux. to be + main verb with ing + complement.
                  I        was             watching          T.V last night.
 We use the simple past tense to show an action that occured one time and then

  stopped. The structure to form the simple past tense is:
                  Subject + main verb in simple past + complement.
           The telephone             ran               at ten o´clock.
The Past Progressive Tense and the Simple Past Tense


 We use the past progressive and the simple past tense to show one event

    interrupting an action in progress.

    I was watching T.V when the telephone ran.

    When the telephone ran, I was watching T.V.

 We use the past progressive and the simple past tense to emphasize the fact that

  two or more actions were in progress at the same time.

    I was working in the garden while my wife was cooking dinner.

    While I was working in the garden, my wife was cooking dinner.

Simple past and past progressive.

  • 1.
    The Past ProgressiveTense and the Simple Past Tense  We use the past progressive to describe past situations or actions that were in progress at some time in the past. The structure to form the past progressive tense is: Subject + aux. to be + main verb with ing + complement. I was watching T.V last night.  We use the simple past tense to show an action that occured one time and then stopped. The structure to form the simple past tense is: Subject + main verb in simple past + complement. The telephone ran at ten o´clock.
  • 2.
    The Past ProgressiveTense and the Simple Past Tense  We use the past progressive and the simple past tense to show one event interrupting an action in progress. I was watching T.V when the telephone ran. When the telephone ran, I was watching T.V.  We use the past progressive and the simple past tense to emphasize the fact that two or more actions were in progress at the same time. I was working in the garden while my wife was cooking dinner. While I was working in the garden, my wife was cooking dinner.