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Past Simple and Past Continuous Forms and Functions
Past Simple and Past Continuous Forms and Functions
Past Simple and Past Continuous Forms and Functions
Past Simple
Function
1 We use the Past
simple for states and
actions which happened
in the past. We often
say when the action
happened.
I saw someone famous
yesterday.
2 The action can be
short or long, single or
repeated.
I dropped the glass and
it broke on the floor.
He took the train to
work every day.
3 We also use the Past
simple to talk about
states in the past.
When I was young, I
loved playing with my
toys.
Positive form
Negative
form
Question
form
I / you / he / she /
it / we / they
worked
I / you / he / she /
it / we / they
didnt (did not)
work
Did I / you / he /
she / it / we /
they work?
I / you / he / she /
it / we / they left
I / you / he / she /
it / we / they
didnt
(did not) leave
Did I / you / he /
she / it / we /
they leave?
Regular verbs:
base form + -ed
irregular verbs:
see list of
irregular verbs
on page 155
Regular and
irregular verbs:
subject+ didn't
(did not) +base
form
Regular and
Irregular verbs:
did+ subject
+ base form
Past Continuous
Function
Positive
form
Negative
form
Question
form
I / he / she / it
was working
I / he / she / it
wasnt
working
Was I / he /
she / it
working?
you / we / they
were
working
you / we / they
werent
(were not)
working
Were you /
we / they
working?