Past Continuous vs. Simple Past

Past Continuous vs. Simple Past (Part I)

Lengua Extranjera III

• El pasado continuo (past continuous) expresa la duración de una acción pasada y no indica si está terminada, mientras que el pasado simple (past simple) se refiere a una acción puntual que empezó y acabó en el pasado.

• Remember, para Past Continuous vamos a utilizar: was/were + verb. ing

• Para Simple Past, utilizaremos el sujeto + el verbo en pasado simple.

El pasado simple describe acciones acabadas y el pasado continuo no especifica si la acciones finalizaron o no, sino que enfatiza que estaban en desarrollo.

• He travelled around the world.

  Viajó por todo el mundo.

• I was travelling around the world.

  Estaba viajando por todo el mundo.

How can I use both tenses?

• We are going to use two connectors:

• When (cuando)

• While (mientras)

Past continuous: When / While

• When I was checking my Instagram, I received a message from my crush.

• I found a photograph of my childhood when I was cleaning my bedroom.

• While I was eating a hotdog in the park, I saw my best friend walking on the street.

• My brother called me while I was watching a movie.

Multiple Choice

Choose the best option for the following sentence:

"_____ I was taking a shower I heard a terrible noise".

• While

• Moreover

Multiple Choice

Choose the best option for the following sentence:

"The lights went out ____ I was watching TV".

• when

• then

Multiple Choice

Choose the best option for the following sentence:

"My cellphone turned off ____ I was winning at Free Fire's Match".

• while

• next

Multiple Choice

Choose the best option for the following sentence:

" ______ I was listening to music I saw an UFO on the window".

• When

• Then

When: Only for Simple Past

• I was reading a book when the phone rang.

• My sister was playing football when the ball hit me.

• I was texting with my crush when my little brother interrupted me.

• When Alexa finished her homework, her father was watching the baseball match.

• My mom and dad were sleeping when the downpour started.

Multiple Choice

Choose the best option for the following sentence:

"I was having a shower ____ suddenly the door opened by itself".

• when

• then

Multiple Choice

Choose the best option for the following sentence:

"____ I arrived home, my mom was cooking spaghetti".

• when

• while

Multiple Choice

Choose the best option for the following sentence:

"I was watching a horror movie ____ a baby started to cry, it was so scary".

• when

• nevertheless

Multiple Choice

Choose the best option for the following sentence:

"Lilly and their friends were talking through a video call ____ the Internet went out".

• when

• while

Now you do it!

• Use Simple Past and Past Continuous in order to create sentences.

Multiple Choice

Carlos was playing videogames ____ his Xbox console overheated.

• while

• when

Multiple Select

I ate a sandwich _____ my brother was eating pizza.

• while

• when

Multiple Choice

____ Hannia was talking with her best friend, she received a phone call.

• why

• while

Multiple Choice

Esteban was washing the car ____ it started to rain.

• while

• when

Multiple Select

_____ me and my friend were walking on the street, we found a lost wallet with 5000 pesos.

• While

• When

• First

Multiple Choice

When I was reading the newspaper, the storm _____

• started

• starting

Multiple Choice

We were talking ____ she had to hang up because she received an important e-mail from her boss.

• when

• while

Multiple Select

My friend and I were playing basketball _____ my sister was drawing a landscape.

• while

• when

Multiple Choice

We were paying too much for the "Disney+" suscrption when my friend ____ in a solution.

• thinking

• thought

Multiple Choice

I was so happy singing my favorite song ____ I didn't realize that my brother was recording a live video on Facebook.

• when

• while

Multiple Choice

Peter cut his finger ____ he was cooking dinner.

• while

• next

Multiple Choice

While the kids were playing football, Derek ____ the ball and then he broke the window.

We have to run!

• kicked

• kicking

Multiple Choice

I was _____ a TikTok when a lady looked at me so strange.

• making

• create

Multiple Choice

The stupid ad interrupted the amazing video ____ my friend and I were watching a video on YouTube.

• while

• suddenly

Open Ended

Create your sentence using when or while using past continuous and simple past.

For example:

Mr. Gonzalo was teaching English when I fell asleep.

While I was doing the homework my computer got frozen.

I was hanging the clothes when the sandstorm started.

I was watching TV while my father was talking with my uncle.

While we were dancing at the party, my friend was too drunk and he started to throwing-up.