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Past Simple and Past Continuous

The document provides information on using the past simple and past continuous tenses in English. It includes examples of forming positive, negative, and interrogative sentences in both tenses. Key points covered are: - Using "did" for past simple negatives and questions. - Examples contrasting the past simple (to describe completed actions) and past continuous (to describe ongoing actions happening at a specific time in the past). - Short answers for yes/no questions using the past tenses are either "Yes, I/he/she/it did" or "No, I/he/she/it didn't."

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Cármina Vaz
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
157 views

Past Simple and Past Continuous

The document provides information on using the past simple and past continuous tenses in English. It includes examples of forming positive, negative, and interrogative sentences in both tenses. Key points covered are: - Using "did" for past simple negatives and questions. - Examples contrasting the past simple (to describe completed actions) and past continuous (to describe ongoing actions happening at a specific time in the past). - Short answers for yes/no questions using the past tenses are either "Yes, I/he/she/it did" or "No, I/he/she/it didn't."

Uploaded by

Cármina Vaz
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PAST SIMPLE

Grammar-guide & practice


We use did in past simple negatives and questions:
Infinitive
Positive
Negative
play
I
played.
I
play
start
He
started
He
start
Did not
watch
She
watched
She
watch
(didnt
have
It
had
It
have
)
see
We
saw
We
see
do
You
did
You
do
go
They
went
They
go
E.g.:
I watched TV but I didnt watch. (not I didnt watched)
They went
but Did they go?
You did
but Did you do?

Question
I
play?
He
start?
She watch?
Did
It
have?
We see?
You do?
They go?

Study the word order in questions:

What
How
Where

Did
Did
did
did
did

+ Subject
+ Infinitive
your sister
phone
you
do
the accident
happen?
your parents
go

you?
yesterday evening?
for their holiday?

Short answers.
Yes,

I/he/she/it
We/you/they

did.

No,

I/he/she/it
We/you/they

didnt.

1- Write sentences about the past (yesterday, last week, etc).


a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

Jim always goes to work by car. Yesterday he went to work by car.


Rachel often loses her keys. She __________________________ last week.
Kate meets her friends every evening. She ___________________ yesterday evening.
Our friends come to see us every Friday. They ___________________ last Friday.
I eat an orange every day. Yesterday I ___________________________.

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2- Complete these sentences with the verb in the negative.


a)
b)
c)
d)

I saw Barbara but I didnt see Jane.


They worked on Monday but they _____________________ on Tuesday.
We went to the post office but we ______________________ to the bank.
She had a pen but she _____________________ any paper.

3- Write questions with DID?


a) I watched TV last night. And you? Did you watch TV last night?
b) I had a good holiday. And you? ______________________________________
c) I finished work early. And you? ______________________________________
4- What did you do yesterday? Write positive or negative sentences.
a)
b)
c)
d)

(watch TV) I watched TV. OR. I didnt watch TV.


(get up before 7 oclock). _______________________________________________
(have a shower) _______________________________________________________
(eat meat) ____________________________________________________________

5- Put the verb in the correct form positive, negative or question.


a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

We went to the cinema but the film wasnt very good. We didnt enjoy it. (enjoy).
Tim ____________ some new clothes yesterday two shirts, a jacket. (buy)
The party wasnt very good, so we ________________ long. (stay)
I cut my hand this morning. How _____________________ that? (do)
_____________ yesterday? No, it was a nice day. (rain)

PAST CONTINUOUS
Grammar-guide & practice
Its 6 oclock now.
Sarah is at home. She is watching television.
At 4 oclock she wasnt at home.
She was at the sports club.
She was playing tennis. She wasnt watching television.
3:00
she began playing

4:00
she was playing

4:30
she stopped playing
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Was / were + -ing is the past continuous:


Positive
I
He
She
It
We
You
They

doing
watching
playing
running
living
were
etc
was

Negative
I
He
She
It
We
You
They

doing
was not
watching
(wasnt)
playing
running
were not living
etc
(werent)

Question
I
doing
He
Was
watching
She
playing
It
running
We
living
Were You
etc
They

What were you doing at 11:30 yesterday? Were you working?


What did he say? I dont know. I wasnt listening.
It was raining, so we didnt go out.
In 1985 we were living in Canada.
What were you doing at 3 oclock? I was cleaning the house and Suzy was doing her
homework.

Past Simple
A: What did you do yesterday morning?
B: We played tennis. (from 10 to 11:30)

Past Continuous
A: What were you doing at 10:30?
B: We were playing tennis.

Beginning

End

Beginning

(10:00)

(11:30)

(10:00)
We were playing.
(unfinished action)

We played. (complete action)

Jack read a book yesterday.


Did you watch the film on television last
night?
It didnt rain while we were on holiday.

Jack was reading a book when the phone rang.


Were you watching TV when I phoned you?
It wasnt raining when I got up.

What happened? The phone rang. (past simple)


What was Jack doing when the phone rang?
He was reading a book.

(past continuous)

What did you do when the phone rang? He stopped reading and answered the phone. (past simple)
Jack began reading before the phone rang.
So: When the phone rang, he was reading.
1- Put the verb into the past continuous or past simple:
a) A: What were you doing (you/do) when the phone rang (ring)?
B: I was watching (watch) television.
b) A: Was Jane busy when you went to see her?
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B: Yes, she ___________________________ (study)


c) A: What time _______________ (the post / arrive) this morning?
B: It _______________ (come) while I ________________ (have) breakfast.
d) A: How ________________ (you/break) the window?
B: We ________________ (play) football. I _________________ (kick) the ball and it
__________ (hit) the window.
e) A: What ____________________ (you/do) at 2 oclock this morning?
B: I ________________ (sleep)
2- Write sentences about what you were doing last week and what you did yesterday.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
k)

I was cleaning the house when my mother arrived.


My wife arrived late last night.
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

NOTE:
DO is a general word for actions:
- What are you doing this evening? (not What are you making?)
- Shall I open the window? No, its OK. Ill do it.
- I did a lot of things yesterday.
MAKE = produce / create.
- She is making coffee.
- The jacket was made in France.

Do

An exam / a test
A course
Homework
A favor
Exercises
Housework

Make

A mistake
An appointment
A phone call
A list
A noise
A bed

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