PAST SIMPLE VS PAST CONTINUOUS

PAST SIMPLE FORM We form the past simple of regular verbs by adding –ed to the main verb. e.g. she watched TV last night. We form questions and negations with the auxiliary verb didn´t/ did not the subject and the main verb without –ed e.g. Did she watch TV last night? She didn´t watch TV last night. Irregular verbs don´t form the past adding –ed. (list) e.g. We went to London

Spelling Verbs ending in –e take only –d. dance –danced Verbs ending in a consonant + y, drop the y and take –ied. Try – tried. Verbs ending in a vowel + y, take -ed. Play – played Verbs ending in one consonant+vowel+consonant, double the last consonant and take -ed. Plan – planned Verbs ending in -l, double the l and take - ed. Travel - travelled

USE For actions which happened in the past and we know when they happened. e.g. He graduated four years ago For actions which happened repeteadly in the past but don´t happen any more. In this case we can use adverbs of frequency (always, often, usually, etc.) e.g. He often played football with his dad when he was five. (But he doesn´t play football with his dad any more). For actions which happened immediately one after the other in the past. eg.They cooked the meal first. Then they ate with their friends

PAST CONTINUOUS FORM We form the past continuous with was/were (past simple of verb to be) and the main verb with the -ing form suffix. We form questions by putting was/were before the subject. We form negations by putting the word not after was/were. Affirmative I/ He/ She was playing You/ We/ They were playing Negative I/ He/ She wasn´t playing We/ You/ They weren´t playing Interrogative Was I/ He/ She playing? Were We/ You/ They playing?

USE For an action which was in progress at a stated time in the past. We don´t know when the action started or finished. e.g. At three o’clock yesterday afternoon Mike and his son were playing with the dog. (We don´t know when they started or fiinished the action.) For a past action which was in progress when another action interrupted it. We use the past continuous for the action in progress (longer action) and the past simple for the action which interrupted it (shorter action). e.g. She was having a bath when the phone rang

For two or more actions which were happening at the same time in the past (simultaneous actions) e.g. While my father was smoking the pipe. my grandfather was reading a book. To give the background information in a story. e.g. The sun was shining and the birds were singing. Tom was driving his old truck through the forest.

PAST SIMPLE VS CONTINUOUS PAST CONTINUOUS A completed action at a stated time in the past. e.g. The plane landed at the airport at eight o´clock yesterday morning. Actions which happened immediately one after the other in past. e.g. First she read the advertisment and then she called the company An action which was in progress (was happening) at a stated time in the past. We don´t know when the action started of finished. e.g. At nine o´clock yesterdaty morning, the plana was flying to Tahiti from New York. Two actions were happening at the same time in the past. e.g. He was listening carefully while they were explaining the plan to him Background information E.g. The sun was shinning, the birds were singing Time markers Yesterday, last night/ week/ month, year, etc., two days/ weeks/ months/ years ago, then, when in 1992, etc While, when, as, all day/ night/ morming, etc.