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Grammar Focus 4. Past Simple and Past Continuous

The document provides examples and exercises about using the past simple and past continuous tenses in English grammar. It contrasts the two tenses and how they are used to describe actions that happened at a specific time in the past or that were ongoing in the past. A number of exercises are included for students to practice forming sentences using the different tenses.

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Hanh My Hanh
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234 views4 pages

Grammar Focus 4. Past Simple and Past Continuous

The document provides examples and exercises about using the past simple and past continuous tenses in English grammar. It contrasts the two tenses and how they are used to describe actions that happened at a specific time in the past or that were ongoing in the past. A number of exercises are included for students to practice forming sentences using the different tenses.

Uploaded by

Hanh My Hanh
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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GRAMMAR FOCUS 4.

PAST SIMPLE AND PAST CONTINUOUS


Past simple Past continuous

I. Form: I. Form:
+) I played football yesterday. +) I was playing football at 3 p.m yesterday.

She ate lots of oysters in the party. They were eating some oysters at the party then.
-) I didn’t play football yesterday. -) I wasn’t playing football at 3 p.m yesterday.

She didn’t eat oysters in the party. They weren’t eating oysters at the party then.

?) Did you play football yesterday? ?) Was he playing football at 3 p.m yesterday?
Did she eat oysters in the party? Were they eating oysters at the party then?

II. Use: Past Simple describes an action that II. Use: Past Continuous describes an action that was
happened at a definite time in the past. on progress at an exact time in the past.

III. Past continuous used with past simple:

1. We often use the past continuous first to set the scene, and then the past simple for the
separate, completed actions that happen.
E.g: Susan was looking for Graham, so she didn't sit down. Instead, she tried calling him on her mobile
phone.
2. We often contrast an action in progress with a sudden event which interrupts it.
E.g: While Susan was trying to get onto the platform, a man grabbed her handbag.

Exercise 1: Write the verbs in brackets into Past continuous tense.


1. At 10.30 a.m Richard ……………………. (train) with his team for the football match.
2. Sheila ……………………. (fly) to Barcelona and she …………………..…. (read) a magazine.
3. My team …………………………… (lose) the match so I was very sad.
4. The housekeeper …………………………. (organize) the bedrooms.
5. The two friends ………………….……… (finish) the Maths project.
6. The manager ………………………….. (talk) to the customer.
7. Johnny ………………………..….. (wear) an elegant grey suit and a blue tie.
8. Miriam …………………..……… (shout) and I ……………………. (cry).
9. The photographers ……………………….. (take) good photos of the event.
10. The top model …………………………….. (present) a creation by Chanel.
11. A woman ………………………….. (explain) the pictures at the museum.
12. Interpol ………………………... (look )for the criminals.
13. The famous painter ………………………….. (give) an interview on TV.
14. Barbara ……………………………. (relax) in sea resort.
15. My sister ………………………. (paint) his nails in the bathroom.
16. The maid …………………………... (polish) the silverware.
17. The girls ……………………….. (rehearse) the play.
18. The cat ………………………….. (run) after the mouse.
19. The footballer …………………….…….. (kick) the football.
20. The policeman ………………..………… (question) the suspect at the police station.
20. Michael ………………………….. (not tell) the truth to me.
21 . Yolanda …………………..…… (not listen) to what I ……..………… (say).
22. The man …………….……… (try) to start the car.
23. He …………………….…. (get) furious and exhausted.
24. The parrot …………………………… (sit) on the pirate’s shoulder.
25. Liana ……………….……… (share) the limousine with some friends.
26. They ………………………….. (celebrate) her wedding anniversary.
27. Alex …………………..………. (design) some cool handbags.
Exercise 2: The following people were in the living room at nine o’clock last night. What were
they doing? Ask and answer questions using the prompts below. As in the example:
Q: What were Mr. Scott and Grandpa doing?
A: They were playing chess.

1. Mrs. Scott/ watch/ TV.


…………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………….
2. Grandma/ knit.
…………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………….
3. Lisa/ write/ letter.
…………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………….
4. Tom and Paul/ play/ their toys.
…………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………….
5. The cat/ sit/ by the fire.
…………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………….
Exercise 3: Join the sentences using as, when, while as in the example.
Example: Kim was looking out of the window. She saw Mike.
=> As/ When/ While Kim was looking out of the window, she saw Mike.
=> Kim was looking out of the window when she saw Mike.
1. Cathy was washing the dishes. She dropped a glass.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. The children were playing. Their father came home.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Robert was driving home. He got a flat tire.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. Mick and Charlie were living the bank. The police surrounded them.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Exercise 4: Using the notes first talk about the picture, then write a paragraph.
Exercise 5: Put the verbs in the brackets in Past Simple or Past Continuous.

Exercise 6: Match the sentences, then join them using WHEN, WHILE or AND.
Exercise 7: Put the verbs in the brackets in Past Simple or Past Continuous.

Exercise 8: Choose a verb from the list and complete the text using Past Continuous or Past
Simple.

___ The End___

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