PAST SIMPLE AND PAST CONTINUOUS

NAME: ANGIE VANESSA CARDENAS ARMERO

DATE: 29/07/2022.
The past simple is used:
For an action that started and ended in the past.

*I saw a ghost last Friday.

For a repeated action in the past.

*When I was young, I watched lots of television every day after school.*
*I always gave my mother flowers on her birthday.
*(We could also say, I used to watch lots of television.)

For stative verbs, which are verbs that do not express an action, but a
state of mind or being, e.g. have (own), be, think (believe), know,
dislike, need, owe, understand, wish.
*He had a small cottage in the woods.
*He wasn't afraid of ghosts.

Regular past simple tense verbs end in -ed.

*I talked to my uncle yesterday.
*I phoned my girlfriend this morning.

Irregular past simple tense verbs do not end in -ed.

*You need to learn irregular past tense verbs.
*I felt sick yesterday morning so I went to the doctor.

The past continuous tense is used:

When talking about TWO actions in the past; one continues for a
period, and the other starts and ends (past simple).
*While I was talking on the phone, someone stole my car.
*I was making breakfast when the cat knocked over the milk carton, so I
burnt the toast.
These sentences usually use while or when.

To talk about TWO actions in the past, both happening over a period.
*I was working on my computer and my children were watching television.

To talk about a TEMPORARY activity taking place over a limited time.

The past continuous tense is was / were + the present participle.
*I was living in Indooroopilly when it happened.
*I was staying at my friend's house while my parents were touring Italy.
(The present participle is the base of a verb + ing i.e. walk walking).
Act v ty 1

Choose which verb tense (simple past or past continuous) fits

better.

1. I (a) - I didn't hear you come in.

a) was sleeping b) slept

2. I (b) to see her twice, but she wasn't home.

a) was coming b) came

3. What (b) ? I was watching TV.

a) did you do b) were you doing

4. Robin Hood was a character who (a) from the rich and gaveto
the poor.
a) stole b) was stealing

5. Hey, did you talk to her? Yes, I (a) to her

a) was talking b) talked

6. I (a) home very late last night.

a) came b) was coming

7. How long (a) the flu?

a) did you have b) were you having

8. (b) a good time in Brazil? Yes, I had a blast!

a) Were you having b) Did you have

9. We (b) breakfast when she walked into the room.

a) had b) were having

10. Last month I decided to buy a new car, and today I finally
(a) it.
a) bought b) was buying
Act v ty 2

Read the story and answer the following questions.

A DISASTROUS DINNER

Last Friday, Mrs. Anderson planned to have a delicious dinner. She bought a
T-bone steak and some cream and apples for an apple pie. When she
came home from the shops she put her shopping on the table. While she
was setting the table, her two pets sat underneath it and watched her. Then
she went to the kitchen to make the pastry for the pie. She was a little
forgetful so she didn’t realize the steak, cream and apples were still on the
table. While she was making the pastry, the dog jumped on a chair and
looked longingly at the steak. At last it took the steak in its mouth and
jumped off the chair, just as Mrs. Anderson was coming back into the dining
room. Mrs. Anderson screamed, but the dog ran into the garden. She ran
after the dog. While she was chasing the dog, the cat jumped on the table
and started drinking the cream. Mrs. Anderson didn’t manage to catch the
dog, and she came back into the dining room. When she saw the cat, she
shrieked, and the cat got such a fright that it jumped a meter into the air,
and leapt out the window. Mrs. Anderson threw her broom at the cat, but
she missed, and broke the window. At the same time she overbalanced
and put her hand in the cream, spilling it all over the tablecloth. Poor Mrs.
Anderson - she had no dinner, only a dirty tablecloth and a broken window.

Glossary: set the table - put knives and forks, plates, salt etc. on the table., underneath -
under it., longingly - e.g. the dog wanted it but knew it couldn’t have it., shriek - louder
than scream., get a fright - suddenly (not the same as be frightened)., overbalance - to
lose your balance and fall.

Answer these questions about the story. Answer in complete sentences.

1. What did Mrs. Anderson plan?

She planned to have a delicious dinner
2. Why did she buy cream and apples?
She bought them for an apple pie
3. When did her pets watch her?
While she was setting the table
4. Where did she leave the steak?
She left the steak on the table
5. When did the dog jump on the chair?
While she was making the pastry for the apple pie
6. How did the dog look at the steak?
The dog looked at the steak longingly
7. When did the dog jump off the chair?
While Mrs. Anderson was coming back into the dinning room
8. Where did the dog go?
 The dog ran into the garden
9. What was she doing when the cat jumped on the table?
She was chasing the dog
10. What did Mrs. Anderson do when she saw the cat?
She shrieked.

Act v ty 3

Complete the following sentences with the correct form (Past Simple or Past
Continuous).

1. A: What (you, do) YOU DO when you heard that noise? B: I (try) WAS
TRYING to change a light bulb that had burnt out.

2. After I (find) FOUND the wallet full of money, I (go,

immediately) WENT to the police and (turn)
TUREND it in.

3. The doctor (say) _SAID that Brian (be) WAS too weak to go to work and
that he (need) _NEEDED to stay at homefor a couple of days.

4. My best friend (arrive) ARRIVED at my house a little before 9:00 pm, but I
(be, not) WAS NOT there. I (study) WAS STUDYING at the library for my
final examination in Italian.

5. John is in the living room working on his computer. At this time yesterday,
he (work, also) WAS ALSO WORKING on his computer. That's all he ever does!

6. I (call) CELLED you last night after dinner, but you (be, not) WERE
NOT there. Where were you?
B: I (work) WAS WORKING out at the gym.

7. When I (walk) WALKED into the busy office, the secretaries

(talk)WAS TALKING on the phone with customers, a clerk (work,
busily) WAS WORKING BUSILY at his desk, and two managers (discuss,
quietly) WAS DISCUSSING QUIETLY methods to improve customer service.

8. I (watch) WAS WATCHING a thriller on T.V. when the electricity went

out. Now I am never going to find out how the film ends.

9. Samantha (be)WAS in the room when Bob (tell)

TOLD me what happened, but she didn't hear anything because she
(be, listen) WAS LISTENING to music.

10. It's strange that you (call) CELLED because I (think, just)
WAS JUST TINKING about you.
Act v ty 4

Find the Past Simple of the following verbs:

Work WOKED Come CAME

Walk WALKED speak SPOKE
Talk TALKED see SAW
Clean CLEANED do DID
Live LIVED go WENT
Wash WASHED sing SANG

Complete what Jenny says using the following verbs in the Past
Continuous:

Jenny is telling her teacher why she couldn't study for an exam.

watch listen sing clean cook play lie

It was impossible for me to concentrate! I went to my bedroom and my

mother WAS CLEANING the carpet with the vacuum cleaner.
Then I went to the living room but my brother Paul WAS LYING
on the sofa. He WAS PLAYING his guitar. After that I decided to go to
thekitchen.
There, my grandmother WAS COOKING and she WAS also
WATCHING TV. Finally, I went out to the garden where I found my
sister. She WAS LISTENING to her Walkman and she WAS SINGING
at the top of her voice.
Act v ty 5

Write the correct form of the verb, using the Past Simple or the
Past Continuous tense.

A: I SAW (see) Peter and John in the park on Sunday.

B:WHERE THEY PLAYING (they/play) football?
They always play football on Sundays.
A: No, they WEREN’T (not/be).
They WERE TALKING (talk) with some girls.
B: DID YOU SAY (you/say) hello to them?
A. Although I CALLED (call) their names, they
(not/hear) me.
B: Maybe they DIDN’T NOTICE (not/notice) you WERE
(be) there

Put the verbs in brackets into the Past Continuous or the Past
Simple.

1) Frank FINISHED (finish) his lunch and RANG (ring) his friend
Jason.

2) Jason WAS WATCHING_ (watch) TV when Fran PHONED (phone) him.

3) He TURNED OFF (turn off) the TV when he HEARD (hear) the phone
ringing.

4) They WERE DECIDING (decide) what to do when Jason

SUGGESTED (suggest) going to the club.

5) Frank PICKED Jason UP (pick up) and DROVE (drive) to the club.

6) Two other people WERE USING (use) their tennis court whenthey
ARRIVED (arrive).

7) They DRANK (drink) a soda and ATE (eat) a sandwich while they
WERE WAITING (wait) to play.

8) While they WEW PLAYING (play), it STARTED (start) to rain sothey

HAD(have) to stop playing.
Act v ty 6

Put the verbs into the correct form (past progressive).

1. When I phoned my friends, they (play) WERE PLAYING

Monopoly.

2. Yesterday at six I (prepare) WAS PREPARING dinner.

3. The kids (play) WERE PLAYING in the garden when it suddenly

began to rain.

4. I (practice)WAS PRACTICING the guitar when he came home.

5. We (not / cycle) WEREN’T CYCLING all day.

6. While Aaron (work) WAS in his room, his friends

WORKING (swim) WERE
SWIMMING in the pool.

7. I tried to tell them the truth but they (listen / not) WEREN’T LISTENING.

8. What (you / do) WERE YOU DOING yesterday?

9. Most of the time we (sit) WERE SITTING in the park.