Past
Simple vs. Past Continuous
Student’s Worksheet – Introduction
Ex. 1 Read the text and name the tenses used in it. Decide which verbs refer to actions in progress or completed at the moment in the past.
There was an accident in Regent Street yesterday afternoon. Somebody was hurt, so an ambulance arrived. Mark was walking by when a policeman stopped him and started asking him questions. Policeman: What were you doing when the accident happened? Mark: I was at the bus-stop. I was waiting for my bus. Policeman: Did you see the accident? Mark: No, I wasn’t looking in that direction because I was reading a newspaper. Suddenly I heard terrible noise and saw the crashed cars. |
Ex. 2 Complete the definitions.
We use: _________________________
for single completed past actions – we say when they happened or know it from the context, e.g. _____________________
for a series of past actions completed one after another, e.g. ___________________
for past habits, for past likes and dislikes
with yesterday, last (week), two (days) ago, in 1975, etc.
We form the tense:
Positive: Subject + __________
Negative: Subject+ __________ + __________
Question: (Wh +) ______ + Subject+ _________ ?
We use: _________________________
for an action in progress at a stated time in the past, usually interrupted by another, shorter action expressed in the past simple, e.g.______________________________
series of actions happening at the same time, e.g. _________________________
background information in a story
with when, while, as, all day/night…
We form the tense:
Positive: Subject + __________ + __________
Negative: Subject+ __________ + __________
Question: (Wh +) ______ + Subject+ _________
These verbs are usually not used in continuous tenses: see, hear, feel, taste, smell, know, remember, forget, understand, think, believe, hate, like, love, need, want, belong, be, have (=possess).
Student’s Worksheet – Practice 1
Ex. 1 Fill in the gaps with the correct form of the verbs. Use Past Simple.
I __wrote___ (write) two letters yesterday.
She __________ (go) to the cinema at 6 p.m.
They __________ (play) tennis last Sunday.
My parents __________ (not go) to work yesterday.
__________ (you buy) a present for your sister?
Where __________ (your mother go) last evening?
Mark __________ (break) the school record in running last Monday.
Children __________ (have) dinner two hours ago.
My grandparents __________ (not watch) TV yesterday.
__________ (they visit) you yesterday?
I __________ (not turn) on the radio.
Ex. 2 Fill in the gaps with the correct form of the verbs. Use Past Continuous.
I __was writing__ (write) letters all day yesterday.
You ________________ (play) basketball at two o’clock.
I couldn’t get through because you ________________ (talk) on the phone with somebody else.
Who ________________ (you talk) to then?
They ________________ (not plant) trees at noon.
She ________________ (not speak) to me all week.
I didn’t take an umbrella because it ________________ (not rain).
What ________________ (you do) at 7 o’clock yesterday?
________________ (you watch) TV when it happened?
What ________________ (you wear) at the party?
Sarah ________________ (not cook) at one o’clock.
Ex. 3 Underline the correct form.
George __fell_/was falling off the ladder while he was painting/painted the ceiling.
While Tom was cooking/cooked dinner, the phone rang/was ringing twice.
Ann was waiting/waited for me at home when I arrived/was arriving yesterday.
Tim was taking/took a photograph of me while I wasn’t looking/didn’t look.
What did you do/were you doing at this time yesterday?
I saw/was seeing Carol at the party. She wore/was wearing a beautiful dress.
I was breaking/broke a plate last night while I was doing/did the washing up.
Did you watch/Were you watching television when I was coming/came?
I was reading/read in bed when suddenly I heard/was hearing a scream.
We didn’t go/wasn’t going out because it rained/was raining.
We were doing/did our homework while our mum was cooking/cooked dinner.