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Here's an exercise to practise the verb tenses. Choose the past simple or past continuous tense. You can review how to use the past simple here and how to use the past continuous here. Finally, click here to download this exercise in PDF with answers.
- Using The Past Continuous
2: In the same way, we can use the past continuous for the...
- Using The Past Simple
Using the past simple. Read about how to make the past...
- Using The Past Continuous
Jul 28, 2024 · Grammar explanation. The past continuous and the past simple help us to show how two past actions or situations are connected. Past simple. The past simple shows us that an action was in the past, not in the present. Regular past simple verbs have - ed at the end (e.g. called, played, arrived).
The past continuous describes a longer action or situation, and the past simple describes a shorter action or event. The short action in past simple often interrupts the longer action in past continuous. We use the past simple for completed actions that happened one after the other. Compare:
We use the past continuous to talk about events and temporary states that were in progress around a certain time in the past. We use the past simple to talk about events, states or habits at definite times in the past. Compare. Emphasising main events with the past simple.
In general, the past simple describes a completed action while the past continuous describes an interrupted action in some way - that is, one which happens around another action or time. Wear is an unusual verb in that it is usually in the continuous unless you are talking about a particular event or situation.
Use the past continuous to talk about things that were in progress in the past. Past Continuous Positive. To form the past continuous positive, use subject + (to be) + verb + -ing. Examples: “What were you doing when I called you?” “I was studying.” She was playing guitar at the party. At 5:30 last night, we were driving home.
Choose past simple, past continuous or past perfect to complete the sentences below. It was Sunday afternoon. I 1 a cookery program on TV when I 2 how hungry I was. But of course I was hungry; I 3 anything since lunch, and I 4 a race in the morning. “Biscuits!”.
