Past continuous and Past simple To talk about a temporary situation that existed at or around a particular time in the past, we can use the past continuous.

For example: At the time of the robbery, they were staying with my parents. My head was aching again, so I went.

Compare the use of the past continuous and the past simple in the following sentences

She was shaking with anger as she left the hotel. When he realised I was looking at him, he turned away. Sarah dropped her bag while she was getting into her car.

We often use the past simple to talk about a completed past events and the past continuous to describe the situation that existed at the time. The completed event might have interrupted the situation, or just occurred while the situation or event was in progress.

However... We don’t normally use the past continuous with certain verbs describing states. This house belonged to the King of Sweden

When we talk about two past actions or events that went on over the same period of time, we can often use the past continuous for both.

For example: Sally was reading to the children while Kevin was washing up. Mario was working in a resturant when I was living in London.

However... We can often use the past simple to express a similar meaning: Mario worked in a resturant while he lived in London.

When we talk about two or more past completed events that follow each other, we use the past simple for both. The first may have caused the second.

For example She got up when the alarm clock went off. He jumped out of bed and ran to see who the parcel was for.

When we talk about a permanent or long-term situation that existed in the past, we use the past simple rather than the past continuous. When I was a child I played the violin.

However, if the situation was temporary, we can also use the past continuous.

For example I was working in a car factory during the summer of 1976. (or I worked....) He worked hard all his life.

We use the past simple rather than the past continuous when we are talking about repeated actions or events in the past.

For example We visited Spain three times last year. I went past her house every day. She slept very badly whenever she stayed with her grandparents.

Look at these sentences: When his wife walked in, he dropped his glass. When his wife walked in, he was dropping his glass. When his wife was walking in, he was dropping his glass. When his wife was walking in, he dropped his glass. Which are correct?

past simple or past continuous? Now look at these two sentences: She looked away when I spoke to her. She was looking away when I spoke to her. In which one, A or B, do we get the idea that perhaps she was angry with me?

Think about it another way: …she looked away. …she was looking away. Which action seems quicker? Looked away. So if we want to suggest looked away is a quick action, because I spoke to her, sentence A is better. In sentence B, was looking away suggests a longer action. Perhaps she was looking away before I spoke to her.

We use the past continuous to describe a longer action. I spoke to Tom yesterday. I was speaking to Tom yesterday.

Now think about sentences 1 – 4 again. When his wife walked in, he dropped his glass. This one is most likely – she walked in and he drops the glass – two short actions. When his wife walked in, he was dropping his glass. This is almost impossible. You can’t drop a glass slowly. When his wife was walking in, he was dropping his glass. The same problem here. When his wife was walking in, he dropped his glass. This is possible. She walks in more slowly and he drops the glass. Maybe she just felt tired.

Now decide which sentences are possible Now decide which sentences are possible. In each pair, it might be one – or both. While I was having a shower, the phone rang. While I was having a shower, the phone was ringing. While he was walking home in the storm, a tree fell down. While he was walking home in the storm, a tree was falling down. When Mark saw Mary he was speaking to her. When Mark saw Mary he spoke to her.

While she was walking along the street, she was speaking to the baby. While she walked along the street, she was speaking to the baby. When the car left the track, a wheel came off. When the car was leaving the track, a wheel came off. While she was having lunch, the fire alarm was ringing. While she was having lunch, the fire alarm rang.

when or while? We often use while instead of when with the past continuous because it stresses that the action is longer. However, it is not wrong to use when in sentences like this. When I was having a shower. (is possible) While I was having a shower. (is maybe better)

Past continuous or past simple? While Ben ____(eat) his soup, the cat ___(jump) up on the table. She ___(unpack) the shopping when I ___(get) home. When Nick ___(arrive) at school, the pupils ___(leave). I ___(watch) TV while Joel ___(tell) her the news. I ___(take) a photo when they ___(feed) the lions. Mary ___(talk) to Ian when I ___(see) them. He ____(live) with his mother when they ____(get) married. Amy ____(have) a bath while Maggie ____(cook) the dinner. While Joe ___(work) in London, Kevin ____(travel). While I ____(talk) to the other driver, the police ____(turn up).

Write the missing verbs in either the past continuous or the past simple I _____(walk) along Victoria Street last week and I ___(meet) Cheri – do you remember her? She ___(get) engaged to Sid Evesham last month. Remember, he ____(work) at the hospital at the time. Anyway, we ____(go) for a cup of tea in the Café Royale. They have these delicious Danish pastries. Well, we ____(eat) them when Annie Ross ____(walk) in. I haven’t seen her since she ___(leave) for Australia. Anyway, it seems she ___(not get) there because while she ___(travel) through Malaysia she ___(meet) an English guy called Chris and they ____(fall) in love. He ____(have to) come back here because he was only on holiday ….

…. so she ___(come) back with him ….so she ___(come) back with him. Anyway, she ___(talk) about Chris and I suddenly ____(realise) that it was the same Chris who ____(break off) with Cheri six months ago. Cheri ____(realise) this too, and she ____(get up) and ____(leave). She ____(not finish) her Danish pastry – I ____(still eat) mine at the time. So I ___(finish) hers as well. Annie ____(still talk) – she ____(not notice) that Cheri was upset – so we ___(go) and ____(have) lunch together. Interesting morning – well, sort of.

Put the verbs into the correct form, past continuous or past simple.

I ___(see) Keith in town yesterday but he ___(not/see) me I ___(see) Keith in town yesterday but he ___(not/see) me. He ___(look) the other way. I ___(meet) Joe and Sarah at the airport a few weeks ago. They ___(go) to Madrid. We ___(have) a chat while we ___(wait) for our flights. I ___(cycle) home yesterday when suddenly a man ___(step) out into the road in front of me. I ___(go) quite fast but luckily I ___(manage) to stop in time and ___(not/hit) him.