PAST SIMPLE vs PAST CONTINUOUS

USES

We use the PAST SIMPLE:

for an action that occurred at a definite time ( stated or implied) in the past. E.g. My friends and I went to a concert yesterday For actions that happened immediately one after the other in the past: E.g. I drove to the theatre, parked the car and went to the main entrance - For habits or states which are now finished: E.g. They played in small clubs when they were not famous

Note: Used to can also be used instead of the past simple for habits or repeated actions in the past.

The time expressions we use with the past simple are: yesterday - then - when - How long ago? last night/week/month/year/Friday/October, etc. three days /two weeks ago, in 1999, etc. When we want to emphasise an action or situation in the past, particularly to emphasise that is actually happened, or that it was different to what someone else thinks, we can use the emphatic past simple, with did. E.g. You lived in London, didnt you? No, but I did stay there once We dont use the emphatic past simple with the verb to be.

- The Past Simple can also refer to the present in conditional sentences (If I had more money,) and after a certain phrases (Its about time we left/Id rather you came at five oclock). This is called the unreal past because it refers to now, not the past. FORM: REGULAR VERB +ED or IRREGULAR VERB? To put a verb into the Past Simple tense we usually add - ED to the infinitive form. E.g. Jump jumpED" If the E is the last letter of the infinitive, we only add the D. E.g. arrive arriveD

If the last three letters of the infinitive are consonant vowel consonant, we must double the last consonant: E.g. stop stopPed" If a verb has only three letters and ends in -ay, the Past Simple is formed with -aid: E.g. Pay paid If a verb ends with a consonant + -y, we change the y for i and add ED. E.g. Cry "cried or try-tried Verbs that end with a vowel + -y, we just add ED. E.g. Stay- stayed or play - played

The spelling of many important verbs is irregular. We must learn them one by one. E.g. Go went, buy bought, come came

EXAMPLES

TO BE
Affirmative sentences: I/He/She/It was late

You/We/They were late Negative sentences: I/He/She/It was not (wasnt) late You/We/They were not (werent) late

Questions: Was I/He/She/it late? Were You/We/They late?

REGULAR VERBS

Affirmative sentences: I/He/She/It/You/We/They started on Friday Negative sentences: I/He/She/It/You/We/They did not (didnt) start on Friday Question: Did I/He/She/It/ You/We/They start on Friday?

- A number of verbs form their past in an irregular way. These are the most used irregular verbs:

Present begin build

Past began built

Present break buy

Past broke bought

Present bring catch

Past brought caught

choose cut eat find get hear leave ring sell sit spend swim tell wear

chose cut ate found got heard left rang sold sat spent swam told wore

come do feel fly give keep lose run send sleep stand take think win

came did felt flew gave kept lost ran sent slept stood took thought won

cost drink fight forget go know make see sing speak steal teach understand write

cost drank fought forgot went knew made saw sang spoke stole taught understood wrote

->>>>><<<<<PAST CONTINUOUS:

USES
We use the PAST CONTINUOUS:

- For an action which was in progress at point in the past. We dont mention when the action started or finished. E.g. At 9 oclock yesterday she was having dinner

- For an action which was in progress when another action interrupted it. We use the past continuous for the action in progress (the longer action), and the past simple for the action which interrupted it (shorter action). E.g. We were eating when the concert started

- For two or more simultaneous actions in the past. E.g. Mike was working while his friends were playing football

- To describe the atmosphere, setting, etc. and to give background information in a story. E.g. It was raining and the wind was howling as we were walking towards the station

Note: When there are two past continuous forms in a sentence with the same subject, we can avoid repetition by just using the present participle (-ing form) and leaving out the subject as well as the verb to be.

E.g. Tony was eating his lunch; he was listening to the evening news He was eating lunch while listening to the evening news

- Some people use the term past progressive instead of past continuous. They mean the same thing.

FORM:

WAS/WERE + PRESENT PARTICIPLE

The final e is dropped (but: ee is not changed) + ing E.g.come coming (but: agree agreeing)

After a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled + ing E.g. sit sitting

L as final consonant after a vowel is doubled (in British English) +ing E.g. travel travelling

The final -ie becomes y +ing E.g. lie - lying or die - dying

EXAMPLES

Positive Sentence:

I / he / she / it was working You / we / they were working

Negative Sentence:

I / he / she / it was not (wasnt) working You / we / they were not (werent) working

Question:

Was I / he / she / it working? Were You / we / they working?