Past Simple / Past Continuous

Past Simple / Past Continuous

By Johanna Meza

Lets refresh our memory!​

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1. ​I was running for the bus when I drop my phone.

2. I was running for the bus when I dropped my phone.

​Past Simple

An action that happened at a particular moment in the past.

We use WHEN with it.

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I was doing my makeup WHEN the phone rang.​

Subject | Subject

​Past Continuous

We use it for a background action or to describe a situation over a period of time in the past.

I was taking a shower when the phone rang.​

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Subject | Subject

​Past Simple / Past Continuous

We use them together to talk about two actions. The past simple describes the main action and the past continuous the background detail.

An action happens first and the other interrupts the other action.​

I was taking a shower when the phone rang.​

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Subject | Subject

Multiple Choice

I was watching TV when you _____ me. (call)

• call

• called

• calling

Multiple Choice

I__________ (watch) TV when you called me.

• were watching

• spoke

• was watching

Multiple Choice

When the phone ____ (ring) She was playing video games.

• ring

• rang

• was ringing

Multiple Choice

I was playing video games _____ the phone rang.

• when

• rang

• was playing