Past Simple Vs. Past Continuous

Past Simple Vs. Past Continues

by Miss Melissa

​Past Simple

​

What did you do yesterday?

​

​Past Simple

• ​For finished events in the past

​Examples

​I went to the cinema.

​

Regular Verbs​

• ​ed: played

• ​d: danced

• ​consonant- vowel- consonant: double consonant + ed:

• rob ----> robbed

• ​ied: cry -----> cried

​Irregular Verbs

• ​Totally change

How do we make these​ structures?

​+ Tom studied for the exam.

​

​

​- Anna didn't do her homework.

​

​

​? Where did you go yesterday?

​Past Continuous

​

​What were you doing at 6pm yesterday?

​

​Past Continuous

• ​For an interrupted action in the past

• I was getting ready to go when I overheard my parents.

• +always​ for expressing irritation or for describing past activities in a negative way.

• ​I was always thinking up good excuses for not getting on with my homework.

• ​For failed plans or unfilled expectations. We can also use was going to or was due to.

• ​I was going to give it up, but then I thought, no, I can do this.

• ​I was due to go off on holiday to Greece.

​How do we make these​ structures?

​

​+ I was playing at the park.

​+ Cris and Alex were playing video games.

​- Kim wasn't watching TV.

​- You weren't studying for the exam.

​

​? Where was he playing?

​? What were they doing yesterday?