Usage
We use Past Simple for
- (a) actions in progress
- (b) finished actions in the past.
He was play football yesterday.
He played football yesterday.
Yesterday I ______ (walk) to school.
walked
play / rain
FOR EXAMPLE
I played outside when it started to rain.
Make negative → She played tennis yesterday.
She didn’t play tennis yesterday.
We use Past Continuous for
(a) repeated habits in the past
(b) actions in progress at a certain time in the past.
b
They watched TV when the lights was going out.
They watched TV when the lights went out.
She ______ (read) a book when I called her.
was reading.
watch / call
She was watching TV when I called her.
Make a question → They visited London.
Did they visit London?
Which tense do we use? → "She ______ (watch) TV when the phone rang."
She was watching TV when the phone rang.
She didn’t went to school last Monday.
She didn’t go to school last Monday.
They ______ (not/play) football last weekend.
didn’t play.
cook /cut
He was cooking pasta when he cut his finger.
Make Past Continuous → He writes a letter.
He was writing a letter.
What are the verb markers for Past continuous?
yesterday at 7 am
two days ago in the morning
while
during
We were danced at the party when you called.
We were dancing at the party when you called.
What ______ you ______ (do) at 7 pm yesterday?
were you doing.
run / fall
I was running in the park when I fell.
Make Past Simple → We are watching TV now.
We watched TV.
"I was reading when my cat jumped on the table." → Which action is long, which is short?
Long = was reading, Short = jumped.
While I cooked, the phone was ringing and rang.
While I was cooking, the phone rang.
While Tom ______ (fix) his bike, his friend ______ (help) him.
was fixing / was helping.
study / forget
She studied hard but forgot everything in the exam.
Make ONE sentence: He watched TV. I read a book. → Use while.
He watched TV while I read a book. / He was watching TV while I was reading a book.