Past Tense Simple and Past Tense Continuous

I. Past Tense Simple

II. Past Tense Continuous

We use Past Tense Simple:

We use Past Tense Continuous:
To express an action completed at
to express an action in progress at a
some time in the past : Yesterday I
certain moment in the past: At 7
met my old friend Jack.
oclock I was having dinner.
To express a past habit or a repeated
To indicate that an action was going on
action in the past: Mother drank 3
at a time when something else took
cups of coffee a day.
place: While she was crossing the
In this case USED TO or WOULD may
street, she saw the accident.
To express 2 or more that were going
also be employed: Mother used to/
would drink
on at the same time in the past: While
3 cups of coffee a day.
I was reading a book, my sister was
Note: Would cannot be employed
typing a letter.
with STATE
In Indirect Speech, to express a
VERBS!
Present Continuous form from Direct
To introduce someones words in
Speech: My puppy is sleeping now,
Direct Speech: Where are the
the boy explained.
The boy explained that his puppy was
children? , mother asked.
sleeping then.
To express two or more simultaneous

With always, to express a repeated

actions in the past: When he entered
action in the past which annoys the
the house, he saw his friends waiting
speaker: The two pupils were always
for him round the table.
laughing during my classes.
After the constructions: I wish,
would rather, as if, if only, its
The time expressions we use with Past Tense
(high) time
Continuous:
I wish I were on holiday now.
When, while, at that time, (just)
He is speaking as if he knew
everything about
as, then
the matter.
He was running down the stair when
Its time my son learned German,
he fall.
too.
My friends arrived just as the train
was leaving the station.
The time expressions we use with Past
I told him he should not read while he
Tense Simple:
was eating.
when, then, yesterday, ago, last,
the other day, once upon a time,
in 1995, before, after
I finished my essay 2 days ago.
Yesterday my aunt invited me for a
coffee.
After dinner I helped my mother
wash the dishes.