PAST SIMPLE AND PAST CONTINUOUS

1. We use PAST SIMPLE for:

- When we talk about a finished event in a certain moment (It doesn’t necessarily
have to inform us about the time).

I ate in your sister’s restaurant last week.

Common words with PS: a certain time ( last week, yesterday, two days ago, three
years ago), frecuency (often, sometimes, always), non-determined point (the other day, a
while ago, a long time ago...)

FORM: Past form of the verb:

- Regular verb: INFINITIVE+ -ED

- Irregular verb: 2nd column of the verb (ate, was/were, went, sat...)

REGULAR

I played We played
You played You played
He/she/it played They played

IRREGULAR

I ate We ate
You ate You ate
He/she/it ate They ate

2. We use PAST CONTINUOUS for:

- When we express a long or unfinished action

I was going to spend the day at the beach but I’ve decided to stay at home instead.

- To describe a long action being supressed by a short other

We were sleeping when we realized we were late.

- To describe a developing situation

It was getting dark.

Common structures with PC:

We usually use it with Past Simple to talk about a situation that happened in the past and
suddenly stopped:

While/As my mother was cooking, the doorbell rang.

Laura was getting sleepy when the movie started.

I was trying to explain but she refused to listen.

FORM: Auxiliar verb TO BE (was/were) in PAST+VERB+-ING (Doesn’t mind
whether it’s regular or irregular)

I was eating We were eating

You were eating You were eating
He/she/it were eating They were eating

1. Last Saturday when my brother arrived, I ________ TV (to watch)

2. The police arrested the murderer when he ________ an old woman (to attack)

3. My uncle ________ all his fortune playing in casinos (to lose)

4. Yesterday it rained all day and the river almost ________ its banks (to burst)

5. Last night when I left the party two gangs of hooligans ________ (to fight)

6. Last Friday my father ________ to Paris to visit my brother who works there (to go)

7. They ________ the new bridge in time for the Olympic Games (to finish)

8. My girlfriend didn't come with us to the cinema because she ________ (to study)

9. When the teacher entered the classroom the students ________ very loudly (to speak)

10. That terrible accident ________ yesterday evening (to happen)

11. Last night when the thieves ________ into my house I was sleeping (to break)

12. My parents ________ in the Cathedral of Seville 40 years ago (to get married)

13. The Socialist Party ________ the last elections and is now in power (to win)

14. The other day when I ________ tennis I hurt my leg (to play)

15. Philip ________ at home in very strange circumstances (to die)

16. Susan ________ Law in the university of Madrid (to study)

17. Yesterday when you came home I ________ the dog (to walk)

18. The plane ________ into the mountains due to the weather conditions (to crash)

19. He ________ late at the station and missed his train (to arrive)

20. The mother went to calm her little baby because she ________ (to cry)

21. My neighbour ________ a heart attack last year and still hasn't fully recovered (to
have)

22. This morning while my friends played football I ________ my homework (to do)

23. Last summer we ________ to the south of Spain for our holiday (to go)

24. Yesterday night it was raining when we ________ the Theatre (to leave)

25. This morning the dog ________ the postman when he was delivering the mail (to
attack)