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    Past Continuous Vs Past Simple

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    Liz Lalupu
    The document discusses the difference between the past simple and past continuous tenses in English. The past simple is used for short, definite actions while the past continuous is used for longer actions that were interrupted by shorter actions. Examples are provided such as "She was cleaning the window when the phone rang" where "cleaning" is the longer past continuous action interrupted by the shorter past simple action of "rang". Connectives like "when" and "while" can be used to link the two actions.

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    Past Continuous Vs Past Simple

    Uploaded by

    Liz Lalupu
    22 views13 pages
    The document discusses the difference between the past simple and past continuous tenses in English. The past simple is used for short, definite actions while the past continuous is used for longer actions that were interrupted by shorter actions. Examples are provided such as "She was cleaning the window when the phone rang" where "cleaning" is the longer past continuous action interrupted by the shorter past simple action of "rang". Connectives like "when" and "while" can be used to link the two actions.

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    Original Title

    Past Continuous vs Past Simple

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    The document discusses the difference between the past simple and past continuous tenses in English. The past simple is used for short, definite actions while the past continuous is used for longer actions that were interrupted by shorter actions. Examples are provided such as "She was cleaning the window when the phone rang" where "cleaning" is the longer past continuous action interrupted by the shorter past simple action of "rang". Connectives like "when" and "while" can be used to link the two actions.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    22 views13 pages

    Past Continuous Vs Past Simple

    Uploaded by

    Liz Lalupu
    The document discusses the difference between the past simple and past continuous tenses in English. The past simple is used for short, definite actions while the past continuous is used for longer actions that were interrupted by shorter actions. Examples are provided such as "She was cleaning the window when the phone rang" where "cleaning" is the longer past continuous action interrupted by the shorter past simple action of "rang". Connectives like "when" and "while" can be used to link the two actions.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 13

    Past Continuous

    vs

    Past Simple
    PAST SIMPLE vs PAST CONTINUOUS
    Past Simple
    • I woke up early this morning.
    • I didn’t wake up early yesterday.
    • Did you wake up early this morning?

    Past Continuous
    • I was doing my homework.
    • You were watching TV.
    • He wasn’t swimming across the river.
    • Were you listening to music?
    • A short action interrupted another longer action in the
    past

    Rosie was cleaning the window


    when the telephone rang.
    She was cleaning the window when the phone rang.

    Longer action Short action


    (past continuous tense) (past simple tense)

    the phone rang


    She was cleaning the (This action interrupted the
    window longer action)
    Now

    Past
    While the children were playing in
    Longer action
    (past continuous tense)

    the park, it started to rain.


    Short action
    (past simple tense)
    Kate / read a book the dog / come

    Kate was reading a book when the


    dog came.

    While Kate was reading a book, the


    dog came.
    Mike / drive a car see / a helicopter

    Mike was driving his car when he


    saw a helicopter.

    While Mike was driving his car, he


    saw a helicopter.
    WHEN or WHILE
    We use when or while to connect two actions in the
    sentences
    When
    When I arrived to the party, all my friends were
    dancing.
    When past simple (short action)
    While

    While I was talking on the phone, someone stole my car.

    While past continuous (longer action)


    Dylan / dive see / a turtle

    Dylan was diving when he saw


    a turtle.

    While Dylan was diving, he saw


    a turtle.
    Arthur / do homework his friends / arrive

    Arthur was doing his homework


    when his friends arrived.

    While Arthur was doing his


    homework, his friends arrived.
    Kate / cycle to work feel / hungry

    Kate was cycling to work when she


    felt hungry.

    While Kate was cycling to work, she


    felt hungry.
    PAST SIMPLE vs PAST CONTINUOUS
    QUESTIONS

    - What happened while Rosie was cleaning


    the window?

    - What happened while the children were


    playing in the park?

    - What happened while Kate was reading a


    book?
    - What was Rosie doing when the telephone
    rang?

    - What were the children doing when it


    started to rain?

    - What was Kate doing when the dog came?

    - What was Arthur doing when his friends


    arrived?

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