2. • The Past Simple
I played
We broke
She didn’t jump
Did they run?
• The Past Continuous
I was playing
We were breaking
She wasn’t jumping
Were they running?
3. Use of the Past Simple
We use the past simple for finished actions in the past
When?
The past
Yesterday I went to the cinema with my friends
What time did you arrive home?
I didn’t pass my English test last term
4. The simple past 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…
5. Use of the Past Continuous
We use the past continuous for actions happening in the past
The action is in progress
The past
We were watching TV with some friends
I wasn’t studying English
What were you doing yesterday morning?
6. The past continuous is normally used with
times and time expressions
• At 10.00 this morning
• Yesterday evening at 9.00
7. The two tenses together
Two or more verbs in the past simple
One action follows the other action
Got up
brushed
had
1
2
3
Yesterday morning I got up, I brushed my teeth and
I had breakfast
8. Two or more verbs in the past continuous
The actions happen at the same time
Was watching
Was listening
Was doing
Last night, while my father was watching the TV,
my sister was listening to the radio and I was doing
my homework in my bedroom.
9. Two or more verbs in the past simple
and the past continuous
The action expressed by the past simple
interrupts the action expressed by the past continuous
While I was driving to work, I had an accident
I was having a shower when the phone rang
What were you doing when I called you last night?
10. The action expressed by the past continuous
begins before the action expressed by the past simple
While is normally followed by the past continuous
When is normally followed by the past simple
2nd
1st
While I was driving to work, I had an accident
I was having a shower when the phone rang
What were you doing when I called you last night?