MARCH 9TH EIGHT GRADE

Past Simple and Past Continuous

The past simple is used:

For an action that started and ended in the past.

*I saw a ghost last Friday.

For a repeated action in the past.

*When I was young, I watched lots of television every day after school.*

*I always gave my mother flowers on her birthday.

*(We could also say, I used to watch lots of television.)

For stative verbs, which are verbs that do not express an action, but a

state of mind or being, e.g. have (own), be, think (believe), know,

dislike, need, owe, understand, wish.

*He had a small cottage in the woods.

*He wasn't afraid of ghosts.

Regular past simple tense verbs end in -ed.

*I talked to my uncle yesterday.

*I phoned my girlfriend this morning.

Irregular past simple tense verbs do not end in -ed.

*You need to learn irregular past tense verbs.

*I felt sick yesterday morning so I went to the doctor.

The past continuous tense is used:

When talking about TWO actions in the past; one continues for a

period, and the other starts and ends (past simple).

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

*I was making breakfast when the cat knocked over the milk carton, so I

burnt the toast.

These sentences usually use while or when.

To talk about TWO actions in the past, both happening over a period.

*I was working on my computer and my children were watching television.

To talk about a TEMPORARY activity taking place over a limited time.

The past continuous tense is was / were + the present participle.

*I was living in Indooroopilly when it happened.

*I was staying at my friend's house while my parents were touring Italy.

(The present participle is the base of a verb + ing i.e. walk walking).

EXERCISES

PAST SIMPLE

&

PAST CONTINUOUS

Activity 1

Choose which verb tense (simple past or past continuous) fits

better.

1. I ________ - I didn't hear you come in.

a) was sleeping b) slept

2. I ________ to see her twice, but she wasn't home.

a) was coming b) came

3. What ________? I was watching TV.

a) did you do b) were you doing

4. Robin Hood was a character who ________ from the rich and gave

to the poor.

a) stole b) was stealing

5. Hey, did you talk to her? Yes, I ________ to her

a) was talking b) talked

6. I ________ home very late last night.

a) came b) was coming

7. How long ________ the flu?

a) did you have b) were you having

8. ________ a good time in Brazil? Yes, I had a blast!

a) Were you having b) Did you have

9. We ________ breakfast when she walked into the room.

a) had b) were having

10. Last month I decided to buy a new car, and today I finally

________ it.

a) bought b) was buying

Activity 2

Read the story and answer the following questions.

A DISASTROUS DINNER

Last Friday, Mrs. Anderson planned to have a delicious dinner. She bought a

T-bone steak and some cream and apples for an apple pie. When she

came home from the shops she put her shopping on the table. While she

was setting the table, her two pets sat underneath it and watched her. Then

she went to the kitchen to make the pastry for the pie. She was a little

forgetful so she didn’t realize the steak, cream and apples were still on the

table. While she was making the pastry, the dog jumped on a chair and

looked longingly at the steak. At last it took the steak in its mouth and

jumped off the chair, just as Mrs. Anderson was coming back into the dining

room. Mrs. Anderson screamed, but the dog ran into the garden. She ran

after the dog. While she was chasing the dog, the cat jumped on the table

and started drinking the cream. Mrs. Anderson didn’t manage to catch the

dog, and she came back into the dining room. When she saw the cat, she

shrieked, and the cat got such a fright that it jumped a meter into the air,

and leapt out the window. Mrs. Anderson threw her broom at the cat, but

she missed, and broke the window. At the same time she overbalanced

and put her hand in the cream, spilling it all over the tablecloth. Poor Mrs.

Anderson - she had no dinner, only a dirty tablecloth and a broken window.

Glossary: set the table - put knives and forks, plates, salt etc. on the table., underneath -

under it., longingly - e.g. the dog wanted it but knew it couldn’t have it., shriek - louder

than scream., get a fright - suddenly (not the same as be frightened)., overbalance - to

lose your balance and fall.

Answer these questions about the story. Answer in complete sentences.

1. What did Mrs. Anderson plan?

2. Why did she buy cream and apples?

3. When did her pets watch her?

4. Where did she leave the steak?

5. When did the dog jump on the chair?

6. How did the dog look at the steak?

7. When did the dog jump off the chair?

8. Where did the dog go?

9. What was she doing when the cat jumped on the table?

10. What did Mrs. Anderson do when she saw the cat?

Activity 3

Complete the following sentences with the correct form (Past Simple or Past

Continuous).

1. A: What (you, do) ___________________ when you heard that noise?

B: I (try) ___________________ to change a light bulb that had burnt out.

2. After I (find) ___________________ the wallet full of money, I (go,

immediately)___________________ to the police and (turn)

___________________ it in.

3. The doctor (say) ___________________ that Brian (be) _________________ too

weak to go to work and that he (need) ___________________ to stay at home

for a couple of days.

4. My best friend (arrive) ___________________ at my house a little before 9:00

pm, but I (be, not) ___________________ there. I (study) ___________________

at the library for my final examination in Italian.

5. John is in the living room working on his computer. At this time yesterday,

he (work, also) ___________________ on his computer. That's all he ever does!

6. I (call) ___________________ you last night after dinner, but you (be,

not)___________________ there. Where were you?

B: I (work) ___________________ out at the gym.

7. When I (walk) ___________________ into the busy office, the secretaries

(talk)___________________ on the phone with customers, a clerk (work,

busily)___________________ at his desk, and two managers (discuss, quietly)

___________________ methods to improve customer service.

8. I (watch) ___________________ a thriller on T.V. when the electricity went

out. Now I am never going to find out how the film ends.

9. Samantha (be) ___________________ in the room when Bob (tell)

___________________ me what happened, but she didn't hear anything

because she (be, listen) ___________________ to music.

10. It's strange that you (call) ___________________ because I (think, just)

___________________ about you.

Activity 4

Find the Past Simple of the following verbs:

Work ____________________ come __________________

Walk ____________________ speak __________________

Talk _____________________ see ____________________

Clean ___________________ do _____________________

Live _____________________ go _____________________

Wash ___________________ sing ____________________

Complete what Jenny says using the following verbs in the Past

Continuous:

Jenny is telling her teacher why she couldn't study for an exam.

It was impossible for me to concentrate! I went to my bedroom and my

mother _________________________ the carpet with the vacuum cleaner.

Then I went to the living room but my brother Paul _______________________

on the sofa. He ____________ his guitar. After that I decided to go to the

kitchen.

There, my grandmother _________________________ and she ___________ also

____________________ TV. Finally, I went out to the garden where I found my

sister. She __________________ to her Walkman and she ___________________

at the top of her voice.

watch listen sing clean cook play lie

Activity 5

Write the correct form of the verb, using the Past Simple or the

Past Continuous tense.

A: I __________________________ (see) Peter and John in the park on Sunday.

B: _________________________________ (they/play) football?

They always play football on Sundays.

A: No, they ______________________ (not/be).

They _______________________ (talk) with some girls.

B: ____________________________ (you/say) hello to them?

A. Although I _______________________ (call) their names, they

_______________ (not/hear) me.

B: Maybe they _______________________ (not/notice) you ________________

(be) there

Put the verbs in brackets into the Past Continuous or the Past

Simple.

1) Frank _______________ (finish) his lunch and ____________ (ring) his friend

Jason.

2) Jason ____________ (watch) TV when Fran______________ (phone) him.

3) He ____________ (turn off) the TV when he ____________ (hear) the phone

ringing.

4) They _________________________ (decide) what to do when Jason

_____________________ (suggest) going to the club.

5) Frank _______________ Jason ____________ (pick up) and _________________

(drive) to the club.

6) Two other people _______________________(use) their tennis court when

they _________________________ (arrive).

7) They ______________________ (drink) a soda and ____________________

(eat) a sandwich while they _____________________(wait) to play.

8) While they __________________________ (play), it ________ (start) to rain so

they ______________________ (have) to stop playing.

Activity 6

Put the verbs into the correct form (past progressive).

1. When I phoned my friends, they (play) ___________________

Monopoly.

2. Yesterday at six I (prepare) ___________________________ dinner.

3. The kids (play) ____________________ in the garden when it suddenly

began to rain.

4. I (practice) ___________________- the guitar when he came home.

5. We (not / cycle) ____________ all day.

6. While Aaron (work) __________ in his room, his friends

(swim)______________ in the pool.

7. I tried to tell them the truth but they (listen / not) _______________.

8. What (you / do) _______________ yesterday?

9. Most of the time we (sit) ________________ in the park