Past Simple Vs Past Continuous

Past Simple Vs Past Continuous. English grammar with exercises. English ESL Worksheets. Free eBook and Free printable PDF

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Past Simple Vs Past Continuous

Past Simple Vs Past Continuous

Past Simple Vs Past Continuous

The past continuous and the past simple help us to show how two past actions or situations are connected.

The past simple describes actions that happened in a specific moment in the past. On the other hand, the past continuous describes actions that were in progress in the past.

The past simple is used to talk about finished actions in the past.

I traveled to Italy last summer.

The past continuous is used to describe an action in progress at a specific moment in the past, or to describe those actions that were interrupted by a short action in the past.

I was watching the game last Saturday at nine o’clock.

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When we use these two tenses together, it shows us that the past simple action happened in the middle of the past continuous action, while it was in progress.

While I was studying, I suddenly felt sleepy.

We often use these tenses to show an action interrupting another action.

I broke my leg when I was skiing.
As I was going to work, I saw an old friend.
We were watching television when the power went off.

When we have a sentence in past simple and another in past continuous we often use when and while.

Past Simple Vs Past Continuous: exercises

EXERCISE 1

Write sentences joining ideas together and using the words given.

e.g. I have a bath / the phone rings. (while)

While I was having a bath, the phone rang.

Paul has lunch / Jane arrives. (when)

I listen to music / my mum calls me. (when)

We go to our friends’ house /our car breaks down. (while)

Jimmy and Sue wait for me / they meet Anna. (while)

I talk / she enters the room. (when)

I don’t hear you / I listen to the radio. (because)

EXERCISE 2.

Put the verbs in brackets into the simple past or the past continuous.

e.g. I (drive) __________ when it (start) _____________ raining.

I was driving when it started raining

While Matt (cook) ______________, Jane (call) _____________ a friend.

Where Sheila (go) ___________________ when you (meet) _____________     her?

While we (work) _________________, the children (watch) _____________ TV

While I (study) ________________, my brother (interrupt) _____________ me.

James (play) _______________ football when the storm (begin) ___________.

When she (come) _______________ I (wait) _________________ for a taxi.

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