The document compares and contrasts the past simple and past continuous tenses. It explains that the past simple is used for finished actions, often with time expressions like "yesterday" or "last week." The past continuous is used for ongoing actions in the past, frequently paired with phrases like "at 10:00" or "yesterday evening." It also discusses using the two tenses together, with the past simple interrupting or following an action in the past continuous.

1. The Tíxer
Productions
presents

2. The Past Simple
vs
The Past Continuous
(the story of two brothers)

3. Starring
• The Past Simple • The Past Continuous
I played I was playing
We broke We were breaking
She didn’t jump She wasn’t jumping
Did they run? Were they running?

4. Chapter 1
Use of the Past Simple

5. 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

6. 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…

7. Chapter 2
Use of the Past Continuous

8. 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?

9. The past continuous is normally used with
times and time expressions
• At 10.00 this morning
• Yesterday evening at 9.00

10. Chapter 3
The two tenses together

11. 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

12. 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.

13. 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?

14. 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?

15. The End