The past simple

I played

We broke

She didn’t jump

Did they run?

I was sick

They were in thebeach

The past continuous

I was playing

We were breaking

She wasn’t jumping

Were they running?

I was being sick

They were sunbathingin the beach

PAST SIMPLE

USES

It is normally followed by time expressions

Yesterday, in 1990, then, when…

Last month, last week, last summer…

3 days ago, some time ago, a week ago …

PAST CONTINUOUS

USES

This tense describes…

AN ACTION THAT WAS IN PROGRESS AT SOMEPOINT IN THE PAST.

My brother was working yesterday at 7

They were doing and exam last Friday at 2:30

TWO EVENTS TAKING PLACE AT THE SAME TIME INTHE PAST

Ellen was cooking while her sister was watching TV

It is normally used with times and expressions

At 10.00 this morning…

Yesterday evening at 9.00

I was eating chocolate

She was studying French

AS YOU CAN SEE, THE STRUCTURE IS VERY SIMPLE.

I wasn’t studying yesterday at 5 o’clock

Peter wasn’t living in San Francisco

They weren’t watching TV

Were they watching TV?

Was your best friend travelling to Paris?

SUBJECT + WAS/ WERE + GERUND (Verb + ing)

GERUND = continuous form of the verb

In Spanish= RUN– CorrerRUNNING- Corriendo

PAST CONTINUOUS AND PAST SIMPLE

We can find different situations

In this last situation you are going to findWHEN and WHILE in the sentences.They usually follow one rule

While I was driving to work, I had an accidentI was having a shower when the phone rangWhat were you doing when I called you last night?

Fill the gaps with the correct tense

It __________hard when we left the building. (rain)

was raining

While I _____________the report you rang. (read)

Was reading

He was going out to lunch when I _____him. (see)

saw

While he ______________I phoned him (cook)

Was cooking

Jimmy was taking a bath when the phone ____ (ring)

rang

SOME ONLINE ACTIVITIES 1. http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/pastsi

mpleorcontinuous/exercise1.html

2. http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/pastsimpleorcontinuous/exercise5.html

3. http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/pastsimpleorcontinuous/exercise6.html

4. http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/pastsimpleorcontinuous/exercise2.html

5. http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/pastsimpleorcontinuous/exercise4.html

When she was just a girl sheexpected the worldBut it flew away from her reachSo she ran away in her sleep and dreamed of paradise, Every time she closed her eyes

When she was just a girl sheexpected the worldBut it flew away from her reachand the bullets catch in herteethLife goes on, it gets so heavy The wheel breaks the butterflyevery tear’s a waterfallIn the night the stormy nightshe'll close her eyesIn the night the stormy nightaway she'd fly

And dream of paradise

She'd dream of paradise

And so lying underneath thosestormy skiesShe'd say, "Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh I know the sun must set to rise"

This could be paradise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G4isv_Fylg

Practice with song http://www.ejerciciodeingles.com/ejercicios-

practicar-past-simple-past-continuous-cancion-john-lennon/

http://www.ejerciciodeingles.com/ejercicios-verbos-past-simple-cancion-coldplay/ (coldplay – yellow)

http://www.ejerciciodeingles.com/ejercicios-past-simple-pronunciacion-terminacion-ed-cancion-james-blunt/ (james Blunt – beautiful)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayJNGnr_T3M(aerosmith – crying)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R04sLCmtz3E(oasis - Champagne supernova)