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3º ESO UNIT 1 THE PAST SIMPLE & THE PAST CONTINUOUS

Form

Past Simple Past Continuous

irregular verbs: see 2nd column of irregular verbs

I spoke

regular verbs: verb + ed

I worked

past form of 'be' + ing form of verb

I was speaking

you were speaking

he / she / it was speaking

we were speaking

they were speaking

Exceptions

Exceptions when adding 'ed' :

when the final letter is e, only add d.

Example: love - loved

after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is

doubled

Example: admit - admitted

final l is always doubled in British English (not in

American English)

Example: travel - travelled

after a consonant, final y becomes i. (but: not after a

vowel)

Example: worry - he worried

but: play - he played

Exceptions when adding 'ing' :

silent e is dropped (but: does not apply for -ee)

Example: come - coming

but: agree - agreeing

after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant

is doubled

Example: sit - sitting

final l is always doubled in British English (not in

American English)

Example: travel - travelling

final ie becomes y.

Example: lie - lying

Use

After another or at the same time?

Do you want to express that the actions in the past happened one after another or at the same

time?

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Past Simple Past Continuous

after another

She came home, switched on the computer and

checked her e-mails.

at the same time

Simon was playing on the computer while his

brother was watching TV.

New action or already in progress?

If you want to express that a new action happened in the middle of another action, you need

both tenses: Simple Past the new action and Past Progressive for the action already in

progress.

Past Simple Past Continuous

new action

My mobile rang (while I was sitting in a meeting.)

action already in progress

While I was sitting in a meeting, (my mobile

suddenly rang.)

Only mentioning or emphasising progress?

Do you just want to mention that an action took place in the past (also used for short

actions)? Or do you want to put emphasis on the progress, e.g. that an action was taking place

at a certain time?

Past Simple Past Continuous

just mentioning

Colin played football yesterday.

emphasising progress

Yesterday at six o'clock, Colin was playing football.

Certain Verbs

The following verbs are usually only used in the Past Simple (not in the Continuous form).

state: be, cost, fit, mean, suit

Example: We were on holiday.

possession: belong, have

Example: Sam had a cat.

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senses: feel, hear, see, smell, taste, touch

Example: He felt the cold.

feelings: hate, hope, like, love, prefer, regret, want, wish

Example: Jane loved pizza.

brain work: believe, know, think, understand

Example: I did not understand him.

introductory clauses for direct speech: answer, ask, reply, say

Example: “I am watching TV,“ he said.

Signal words: When and While

“While” may indicate the use of the Past Continuous:

While we were running in the London marathon, our friends supported us along the way.

Our friends supported us along the way while we were running in the London marathon.

“When” may (but not always) indicate the Past Simple:

When the accident happened, they were looking the other way.

They were looking the other way when the accident happened.

EXERCISES

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Past Simple or Past Continuous).

1. While I (do) ........................ the washing-up, I (break) ........................... a plate.

2. At the same time Tom (play) ............................ the piano, his mother (do) ........................... the

washing-up.

3. He (drink) ......................... some juice and then he (eat) .............................. a few crisps.

4. I (have) ............................... dinner when I suddenly (hear) .................................... a loud bang.

5. An old friend (pass) ..................... by to see my father while he (work) ...................... in the

garden.

6. She (get) .............................. to school, (take) .......................... out her textbooks and (begin)

................................... to revise for the exam.

7. When it (start) ........................... to rain, our dog (want) .................................... to come inside.

8. When* Jane (do) ............................ a language course in Ireland, she (visit) .........................

Blarney Castle. (Be careful here!)

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9. When I (be) ............................ on my way home, I (see) ................................... an accident.

10. I (not / understand) ................................. what they (talk) ............................................ about.

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Past Simple or Past Continuous).

1. When I (get) ................................. up yesterday, the sun (shine) ............................................. .

2. It (is) ............................................. a beautiful morning.

3. So, I (decide) ..................................... to cycle around a little.

4. I (go) ........................................ to the shed and (take) ...................................... out my bike.

5. While I (cycle) ............................ past some villages, I (see) ........................... some people in

their gardens.

6. One man (mow) ................................ the grass while his wife (pick) ......................................

strawberries.

7. After one hour of cycling in sunshine, a big fat raincloud suddenly (appear) ..............................

and it (start) ................................... to rain.

8. Luckily, a farmer (notice) ...................................... me and (tell) ....................................... me to

come in.

9. While it (rain) .................................. outside, I (sit) .................................. in the farmer's house.

10. After a while, the sun (come) ............................................ out again.

11. I (thank) .................................... the farmer for his hospitality and (move) ............................ on.