Past Continous

SIMPLE PAST TENSE
AND
PAST CONTINIOUS
TENSE
1
THE SIMPLE PAST
• The simple past is used to describe actions and
events that are now completed and no longer true
in the present.
• We use the simple past to indicate exactly when

an action or event took place in the past
2
1. Put the verbs into the correct form.
• Last year I ______(spend)
spent my holiday in Ireland.It ______(be)
was
great.I _________
travelled (travel) around by car with 2 friends and we
________
visited (visit) lots of interesting places.In the evenings we usually
_______
went (go) to a pub.One night we even _________(learn)
learnt some
Irish dances.We ______

were (be) very lucky with the weather.It
didn’t rain
____________(not/rain) a lot.But we ______
saw (see) some beautiful
rainbow.
3
PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE
• The Past Continuous describes an action that was
already happening at a time in the past and was not
finished at the time.
• It means that the action was in progress at a certain time

in the past.
Example: At 5 o´clock Mark was playing football with his

friends.
• It is often used with time expressions as while and as.
4
It is the past form of simple
continuous tense
• He is listening to music now.
• He was listening to music at this time yesterday.
5
Past continuous tense
Affirmative Negative
Was not
I was I Wasn’t
You You were not
We were We weren’t
They studying studying
They
He He was not
She was She wasn’t
It It
6
Past continuous tense
Interrogative
Was I
you
Were we
studying?
they
he
Was she
it
7
NOTE: Verbs of thinking and feeling usually do not use
the Past Continuous but the Past Simple.
E.g.: think, know, see, hear, like
• We were good friends.We knew each other well.

(not “were knowing”)
• I was enjoying the party but Chris wanted to go home.

(not “was wanting”)
8
Use the past continuous together with the
simple past:
• I was watching TV. when the phone rang.
now
• What were you doing when the phone rang?

(background description – I was watching T.V.)
• What happened when you were watching T.V.?
(specific event – the phone rang.)
9
2. Fill in the gaps with the past continuous of the
verbs in brackets.
1. Mark ____________
was studying (study) when the telephone rang.
2. They _______________
weren’t watching ( not/watch) T.V when Susan arrived.
3. ______
Were we __________
shopping (shop) when we met Susan?
4. While I ____________
was crossing (cross) the street, a car had a puncture.
5. The teacher ____________

wasn’t talking (not/talk) when John arrived.
6. The pupils ___________

were playing (play) when the bell rang.
7. Lucy ____________
was studying (study) when someone knocked at the door.
10
Use the past continuous to describe actions
that were happening at the same time:
• I was watching TV. while he was talking on the phone.
now
11
3.What were they doing at 3 o’clock
yesterday?
03.00
Jim
Sarah
Philip
Sally the
Tom
Jack
Ann
baby
WhileWhile
Philip
While was
While
Sally playing
Sarah
Jim
was
was
was computer
cleaning
playing
dancing,
the games,
the Jack
house,
violin,
was Tom
The
Ann was
listening
baby
waswasplaying
having
to
crying.
music.basketball
a bath.
at 3 o’clock yesterday.
12
4.What were they doing yesterday?
08.00
David Celine
10.00
George Adam
05.00
Mary Bob
13
And now it’s your turn !
What were you doing

yesterday
14
Simple Past Past Continuous
1. To say what happened at a 1. To say that something was in
specific time in the past progress at a certain time in
the past
2. To describe a shorter action 2. To describe a background

that happened in the middle of situation (was / were + ING)
another situation
•I watched T.V. last night. •I was watching T.V. at 8.30

pm last night. (I started at 8.00 pm
and was still watching T.V. at 8.30 pm).
Key word: when Key word: while
15
5.Fill in the blanks with simple past or past
continuous.
My friend 1)________
invited (invite) me to a party.Everyone 2)_____________
was chatting
(chat) and the DJ 3)___________

was playing (play) great music all night long. I
4)________
danced (dance) with a tall and very good-looking man. He
5)_______
was (be) quite friendly. While we 6)___________
were talking (talk), a
beautiful woman with long blond hair 7)________

asked (ask) him to
dance. He 8)________
said (say) yes! I 9) ___________(eat)
was eating some pizza when
suddenly the most good-looking man at the party 10)________

asked (ask) me
to dance. I 11)______
was (be) the happiest woman in the world! We 12)
________
had (have) a wonderful time that evening.
16
17

Past Continous

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Past Continous

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Past Continous

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

SIMPLE PAST TENSE

• We use the simple past to indicate exactly when

Irish dances.We ______

• It means that the action was in progress at a certain time

Example: At 5 o´clock Mark was playing football with his

• It is often used with time expressions as while and as.

• He is listening to music now.

• He was listening to music at this time yesterday.

• We were good friends.We knew each other well.

• I was enjoying the party but Chris wanted to go home.

• What were you doing when the phone rang?

5. The teacher ____________

6. The pupils ___________

What were you doing

2. To describe a shorter action 2. To describe a background

•I watched T.V. last night. •I was watching T.V. at 8.30

Key word: when Key word: while

(chat) and the DJ 3)___________

beautiful woman with long blond hair 7)________

suddenly the most good-looking man at the party 10)________

You might also like