Past continuous and past simple
Look at these examples to see how the past continuous and past simple are used.
When I woke up this morning, it was snowing.
I was sleeping when you called me.
Try this exercise to test your grammar.
- Grammar test 1
Read the explanation to learn more.
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). Irregular verbs have a different form, usually with a different vowel sound (e.g. wake → woke, break → broke, feel → felt).
My parents called me yesterday.
I woke up early this morning.
Sam played basketball when he was at university.
We make the negative with didn't and the infinitive verb.
My parents didn't call me yesterday.
I didn't wake up early this morning.
We make the question form with did and then the subject and infinitive verb.
Did you wake up early this morning?
Did Sam play basketball when he was at university?
Past continuous
The past continuous shows us that the action was already in progress at a certain time in the past.
What were you doing at 8 p.m. last night? I was studying.
This means that I started studying before 8 p.m. and I continued after 8 p.m.
The past continuous can also show that an activity was in progress for some time, not just for a moment.
We were cleaning the house all morning.
We make the past continuous with was or were and the -ing form of the verb.
She couldn't come to the party. She was working.
Three years ago, we were living in my home town.
I tried to give him some advice, but he wasn't listening.
What were you doing this time last year?
Past continuous and past simple
When we use these two tenses together, it shows us that the past simple action happened in the middle of the past continuous action, while it was in progress.
While I was studying, I suddenly felt sleepy.
We often use these tenses to show an action interrupting another action.
I broke my leg when I was skiing.
As I was going to work, I saw an old friend.
We were watching television when the power went off.
Can you see a difference in the meaning of these two sentences?
When the guests arrived, Jane was cooking dinner.
When the guests arrived, Jane cooked dinner.
In the first one, Jane started cooking dinner before the guests arrived. We know that because it uses the past continuous. In the second sentence, the guests arrived first and then Jane started cooking.
Do this exercise to test your grammar again.
- Grammar test 2
In the grammar test 1, question number 7, "I saw you driving down Green Street yesterday! Where......?" why the answer is "were you going"? why not "where did you go"?
Hello Fajar_Hilyan,
The speaker saw the action of driving (i.e. going from one place to another) while it was in progress and so the continuous aspect is appropriate.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
It is the past action continuously happen in the certain past.
Good
i didn't go out yesterday because i was prepiring for my next exames
2. We arrived the stadium so late, and the game were starting already.
Please, check my expressions.
Hi, I am new English Learner.
Question:
She cooked dinner(Past Simple, Action 1). Guests arrived(Past Simple, Action 2). They were eating dinner together(Past Continuous , Action 3 ).
Is that right ?
Hi ismetsezer,
When we want to show a sequence of activities we use past simple for each, so the third action here should be 'They ate dinner together'.
We use past continuous when an action is not finished at a particular time or when another action happens. For example:
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
I had so much fun, when i was playing with you guys.
One day, my father asked me:
-I saw you driving down the High Street ,in hurry, yesterday. Where were you going?
I told him:
-My boss called me to dealing with an urgent problem.
He said:
I was really worried about you.