24805 past continuous and past simple

Name: ________________. Grade: ________________. Date: _____________.

PAST CONTINUOUS V/S PAST
SIMPLE
Simple Past

Past Continuous

Form:
Form:

- - with
Pastregular
form ofverbs:
“be” +
infinitive
ing form +of-ed
verb
-

with irregular verbs: 2nd column of
the table of the irregular verbs

Used simple past to describe a completed
action at a specific time in the past.

Used to describe an action in progress at a
specific time in the past. In other words,
something was happening, and was
We use the expressions: Yesterday interrupted by another event.
(Ayer), Last year (el año pasado), Last

The thing that was happening uses the Past
week (la semana pasada), Last Month (el
Continuous, and the thing that interrupted
mes pasado), Time ago (tiempo atrás),
uses the Simple Past.
etc

Forms:

Affirmative sentences:
Use the same form of the verb every time
regardless the subject.
regular verbs

irregular verbs

I played football.

I went to the
supermarket.

Negative sentences:
Use the auxiliary did (Simple Past of do) every
time regardless the subject.
regular verbs

irregular verbs

I did not play
football.

I did not go to the
supermarket.

Contraction of negative sentences:

Positive

Negative

Question

I / he / I was
she / it speaking.

I was not
speaking.

you /
we /
they

You were not Were you
speaking.
speaking?

You were
speaking.

Was I

speaking?

NOTE:
two actions happening at the same time
(in the past)
Example:
While she was preparing dinner, he

regular verbs

irregular verbs

I didn't play
football.

I didn't go to the
supermarket.

Questions:
Use the auxiliary did (Simple Past of do) every
time regardless the subject.
regular verbs

irregular verbs

Did you play
football?

Did I go to the
supermarket?

was washing the dishes.


1. Put the words in order and write positive sentences in simple past.
1) he / the question / answer He answered the question_______________________________
2) you / a question / ask ________________________________________________________
3) the dog / bark ______________________________________________________________
4) they / us / call _____________________________________________________________
5) we / a mountain / climb ______________________________________________________

2. Write the negative sentences in simple past.
1)

They collected postcards. they did not (didn’t) collect the postal___________________

2)

You jumped high. ___________________________________________________________

3)

Albert played squash. ________________________________________________________

4)

The teacher tested our English. _____________________________________________________________

5)

Fiona visited her grandmother._________________________________________________

3. Put the words in order and write questions in simple past.
1) Anna / the window / open Did Anna open the window?_______________________
2) she / home /walk ____________________________________________________
3) you / in the garden / work _____________________________________________
4) you / a song / sing ___________________________________________________
5) she / on a chair / sit _________________________________________________
4. Put the words in order and write positive sentences in past progressive.
1) you / play / cards You were playing cards _________________________________
2) Alice / walk / around the lake __________________________________________
3) Caron / listen / to the radio ____________________________________________
4) we / read / a book about Australia ______________________________________
5) Linda / look for / her ring
______________________________________________
5. Put the words in order and write negative sentences in past progressive.
1) Sarah and Luke / not / work Sara and Luke are not working___________________
2) Mister Miller / not / teach / chemistry ___________________________________
3) Barry / not / drive a lorry _____________________________________________
4) Mandy / not / have / lunch ____________________________________________
5) Albert / not / play / tennis ____________________________________________
6. Put the words in order and write questions in past progressive.
1) Rachel
/
feed
/
the
__________________________

cat

Was

Rachel

feeding

the

cat?

2) the children / paint / a picture __________________________________________
3) Clark / repair / his computer ___________________________________________
4) Hazel / swim / in the pool _____________________________________________
5) Lucas
/
have
/
_______________________________________________

a

shower

7. Fill in the blanks with the correct tense ( Simple Past or Past progressive – When or
While)
1) I ____________ (read) a book when the accident _____________ (happen).
2) While ___________ (do) my homework, somebody __________ (call) my name.
3) My father and my brother ____________ (repair) the car in the garage when the
earthquake ______________ (happen).

4) I ___________ (play) when I ____________ (hurt) my knee.


5) ____________ we were getting ready for the picnic, it ___________ (start) to rain.