ESL CONNECT | Past Simple and Past Continuous

Explanation: past simple and past continuous

Use the past simple for finished actions in the past. Use the past continuous for actions in progress at a specific moment in the past.

1. Past simple

The past simple talks about a completed action.

Form	Structure	Example
Affirmative	subject + past verb	I watched TV yesterday.
Negative	subject + didn’t + base verb	She didn’t go out.
Question	Did + subject + base verb?	Did they study?

2. Past continuous

The past continuous talks about an action that was happening at a moment in the past.

Form	Structure	Example
Affirmative	subject + was/were + verb-ing	I was studying at 8 p.m.
Negative	subject + wasn’t/weren’t + verb-ing	They weren’t sleeping.
Question	Was/Were + subject + verb-ing?	Were you listening?

3. Was or were?

Subject	Past continuous auxiliary	Example
I / he / she / it	was	She was cooking.
you / we / they	were	They were playing.

4. Past simple + past continuous together

Use the past continuous for the longer action in progress. Use the past simple for the shorter action that interrupts it.

Examples:
I was walking home when it started to rain.
She was studying when her phone rang.
They were having dinner when I arrived.

5. When and while

Word	Use	Example
when	often before the shorter past simple action	I was sleeping when the phone rang.
while	often before the longer past continuous action	The phone rang while I was sleeping.

Remember:
Long action: I was watching TV.
Short action: The phone rang.
Together: I was watching TV when the phone rang.

Past simple practice

Choose the correct past simple form.

1. I __________ to the cinema yesterday.

go went was going

2. She __________ a film last night.

watched was watching watch

3. We __________ yesterday.

didn’t studied didn’t study weren’t study

4. __________ Maria at school?

Did you saw Were you see Did you see

Write the sentence

Make negative: She went to school yesterday.

Answer: She didn’t go to school yesterday.

Past continuous practice

Choose the correct past continuous form.

1. I __________ at 8 p.m.

studied was studying were studying

2. They __________ football at 5 p.m.

was playing played were playing

3. He __________ to the teacher.

wasn’t listening didn’t listening weren’t listening

4. __________ TV at 9 o’clock?

Did you watching Were you watching Was you watching

Write the sentence

Use the past continuous: They / have dinner / at 7 p.m.

Answer: They were having dinner at 7 p.m.

Past simple + past continuous with when

Use when before the shorter action.

1. I __________ dinner when my friend __________.

cooked / was arriving was cooking / arrived was cooked / arrived

2. They __________ home when it __________ to rain.

walked / was starting were walking / started was walking / started

3. She __________ when the phone __________.

slept / was ringing was sleeping / rang were sleeping / rang

4. He __________ when someone __________ on the door.

studied / was knocking was studying / knocked were studying / knocked

Past simple + past continuous with while

Use while before the longer action in progress.

1. My friend __________ while I __________ lunch.

was arriving / had arrived / was having arrived / had

2. I __________ them while they __________ TV.

called / were watching was calling / watched called / was watching

3. He __________ while he __________ in the park.

fell / was running was falling / ran fell / were running

4. She __________ a message while she __________ for the bus.

was sending / waited sent / was waiting sent / were waiting

Past simple or past continuous?

Choose the best verb form.

1. At 10 p.m., I __________ a book.

read was reading did read

2. Yesterday, we __________ our grandparents.

were visiting visited was visiting

3. What __________ at 8 o’clock last night?

did you do were you doing was you doing

4. I __________ the phone because I was sleeping.

wasn’t hear didn’t heard didn’t hear

5. It __________ when we left school.

rained was raining were raining

Correct the mistake

Correct: I watched TV when the phone was ringing.

Answer: I was watching TV when the phone rang.

Complete: They / play football / when / it / start to rain.

Answer: They were playing football when it started to rain.

Mixed practice

Choose the best answer.

1. We __________ dinner when John __________.

had / was arriving were having / arrived was having / arrived

2. She __________ a glass while she __________ the kitchen.

was breaking / cleaned broke / was cleaning broke / were cleaning

3. I __________ to school when I __________ my friend.

walked / was seeing was walking / saw were walking / saw

4. My parents __________ while we __________.

called / were studying were calling / studied called / was studying

5. He __________ when someone __________ at the door.

slept / was knocking was sleeping / knocked were sleeping / knocked

Write your own answers

1. What were you doing yesterday at 8 p.m.?

2. What did you do last weekend?

3. Complete: I was ________ when ________.