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Simple Past vs.

PastContinuous

When do we

use

each tense?

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Use the simple past for:

1) action that happenedin the past and is . . .

, done, finished

2) completed actionsthat happened once after

the other past.3) past habits orrepeated actions in thepast

4)An action in the pastthat interrupted a longeraction in progress.

Use the pastcontinuousfor

1) action that was inprogress at a specificpoint in the past OR

) focusing on anaction that continuedfor a long time in thepast

!) Simultaneous actionsin progress in thepast.

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Simple Past $"#amples)

%ction that was completed in the past&'om wentfishing last wee(.

wor(eduntil &** p.m. +esterda+.

,+ famil+ cameto visit me last +ear.

-'ime "#pressions freuentl+ used with the simplepast&+esterda+/ last 000000/past dates $in 1*)/ 00000 ago/ etc.

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Past Continuous $"#amples)

%ction that was in progress at a particularpoint in the past&

%t &** +esterda+/ 'om was pla+ingsoccer.

Sophia wasnt home last night when calledher. thin( she was wor(ing.

2isa and her hus3and were visitingus lastwee(.

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4rammar

Structure&

5ere are some remindersa3out how to ma(ethesimple past and pastcontinuous&

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6or regularver3s/ simpl+ use the 7edform of thever3 in a positive sentence.

When was a child/ 00000000000 the piano.

8onna 00000000000000 and 000000000000000in Paris when she was +ounger.

pla+ed

lived studied

--9e careful withspelling changes:

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6or irregularver3s/ use the correct past tense form in positivesentences.

2ast wee(/ 00000000000 +ou a letter.

'he students 0000000000000 a speech in

"nglish. 'he+ 0000000000 a great ;o3:

Unfortunately, these forms must be memorized!

sent

gave

did

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'he ver3 9"

Remem3er the forms of ver3 9" for thesimple past tense&

/ 5e/ She/ t W%S

'he+/ We/

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Simple Past $=egative)

6or all ver3s $">C"P' 3e)/ use&

didn?t simple formof @"R9

A

"#amples . . .

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1) Sara wor(ed +esterda+.Sara didnt wor(+esterda+.

) 'he+ had an argument.'he+ didnt havean argument.

!) Sam too( classes last +ear.Sam didnt ta(eclasses last +ear.

B) learned how to sew. didnt learn how to sew.

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@"R9 9"$=egative)

6or this ver3 O=2

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'he Past Continuous&

8ont forget that @"R9 9" is part ofthis structure.

/ 5e/ She/ tW%S

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"#amples&

,+ mom was tr+ingto call me last night/3ut wasnt home.

'he (ids were stud+inglast night at &**.

was cleaningm+ house all da++esterda+.

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Past Continuous$=egative)

6or this tense/ simpl+ %88 the word =O'after the ver3 9".

'he+ were arguing last night.'he+ were =O'arguing last night.

She was +elling at me.

She was =O'+elling at me.

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mportant =ote a3outPast Continuous:

Some ver3s are =O' t+picall+ used in thecontinuous tense. nstead/ we prefer touse these ver3s in the simple tenses $simplepresent or past).

'hese ver3s are called S'%'@"$or nonaction) ver3s. 5ere are some e#amples&want li(e love hate

(now need see hear3elieve understand have $possession)forget remem3er3elong

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"#amples&

li(edRome.

=O'& was li(ing Rome.

She hada headache.=O'& She was having a headache.

(new the answer.

=O'& was (nowing the answer.

0000000000000

0000000000000

0000000000000

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Using 3oth tenses together&

Sometimes we use 3oth the simple pastand the past continuous together to

mean . . .

'hat one action $simple past)interrupted

a continuing action $past continuous)

"#amples . . .

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1.8an 3urnedhis hand while he wascoo(ingdinner.Din the middle of coo(ing dinner/ he3urned his hand.

. When 5elen called/ we werehavingdinner.

Din the middle of eating dinner/ 5elencalled.continuing action D past continuous

interrupting action D simple past

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We can use ver3s in pastcontinuous to sa+ that two actions

were happening simultaneousl+in thepast&

"#. Eim was at the par(. 5e wassittingon the grass and reading.