PAST SIMPLE

(+) SUBJECT + VERB IN THE PAST TENSE

* I woke up early this morning.

(-) SUBJECT + DID NOT/DIDN’T + VERB INFINITIVE

* I did not/ didn’t wake up early this morning.

(?) DID + SUBJECT + VERB INFINITIVE

* Did I wake up early this morning? Yes, I did. // No, I didn’t.

* For REGULAR VERBS, add -ed to the root form of the verb (or just -d if
the root form already ends in an e):

Play→Played

Type→Typed

Listen→Listened

Push→Pushed

Love→Loved

* For IRREGULAR VERBS, things get more complicated.

The simple past tense of some irregular verbs looks exactly like the root
form:
 Put→Put

Cut→Cut

Set→Set

Cost→Cost

Hit→Hit

* For other irregular verbs, including the verb to be, the simple past
forms are more erratic:

See→Saw

Build→Built

Go→Went

Do→Did

Rise→Rose

Am/Is/Are→Was/Were

WHEN WE ADD -ED TO A VERB THERE ARE SOME RULES ...

* Add "-ed" to a verb to change it to the past tense = "talk + ed =

talked"

* When the verb ends in "e", add only "d" = "arrive + d = arrived"

* When the verb ends in consonant + "y", change the "y" to "i" and add

"-ed" = "study + ed = studied"

* When a verb ends in vowel + "y", add "-ed" = "play + ed = played"

* When a one-syllable verb ends in vowel + consonant, double the
consonant = "stop + p + ed = stopped"

Tell the story – fill in the past simple tense

On Friday, the children _____________ (talk) about a day out

together in the country. The next morning, they

_____________ (go) to the country with their two dogs and

_____________ (play) together. Ben and Dave _____________

(have) some kites. Some time later the dogs _____________

(be) not there. So they _____________ (call) them and

_____________ (look) for them in the forest. After half an hour

the children _____________ (find) them and _____________

(take) them back. Charlie _____________ (be) very happy to

see them again. At lunch time Nick _____________ (go) to the

bikes and _____________ (fetch) the basket with some meat

sandwiches. Then they _____________ (play) football. Nick and

Dave _____________ (win). In the evening they _____________

(ride) home.
PAST PROGRESSIVE or CONTINUOUS
(+) SUBJECT + VERB TO BE IN THE PAST + VERB + ING
* I was studying all night.

(-) SUBJECT + VERB TO BE IN THE PAST + NOT + VERB

+ ING
* I was not / wasn't studying all night.

(?) VERB TO BE IN THE PAST + SUBJECT + VERB + ING

* Was I studying all night? Yes, I was. // No, I wasn’t.

* The action was already in progress at a certain time in the past:

What were you doing at 8 p.m. last night? I was studying.

This means that I started studying before 8 p.m. and I continued after 8
p.m.

* The past continuous can also show that an activity was in progress for
some time, not just for a moment.

We were cleaning the house all morning.

WHEN WE ADD -ING TO A VERB THERE ARE SOME

RULES ...
* When a verb ends in "e", drop the "e" and add "-ing"= "take + ing =
taking"

* When a one-syllable verb ends in vowel + consonant, double the

final consonant and add "-ing" = "hit + ing = hitting"
* When a verb ends in vowel + consonant with stress on the final
syllable, double the consonant and add "-ing" = "begin + ing =
beginning"

* When a verb ends in “y”, we add “-ing” after it = “study + ing =

studying”

* Do not double the consonant of words with more than one

syllable if the stress is not on the final syllable = "remember =
remembering"

Past Progressive Practice

Complete the following sentences using the correct form of the past
progressive tense of the verbs provided.

Ex. They were standing (stand) on the corner when I saw them.

1. The sun____________(shine) when I woke up this morning.

2. It_______________(rain) when I left the office.

3. I_______________(eat) dinner when you called me.

4. She got very sick while she_______________(travel) overseas.

5. Martin_______________(work) in the garden when it started to rain.

6. I____________(cook) dinner when the phone rang.

7. Mr. Johnson cut himself while he ________________(shave).

8. She fell asleep while she_______________(watch) the movie.

9. Andrea broke her ankle when she_________________(skate).

10. I saw a bad accident while I:_________________(drive) home.

11. She found a ten dollar bill while she__________________(walk) home.

12. They_______________(speed) when the accident happened.

13. The baby______________(sleep) when we got home from the party.

14. She broke a plate while she________________(do) the dishes.

15. When you called, I____________(take) a shower.

16. David met his neighbors while he_________________(move) into his new
apartment.

PAST SIMPLE and PAST PROGRESSIVE

* When we use these two tenses together, it shows us that the past
simple action happened in the middle of the past continuous action,
while it was in progress.

While I was studying, I suddenly felt sleepy.

* We often use these tenses to show an action interrupting another

action.

I broke my leg when I was skiing.

As I was going to work, I saw an old friend.

We were watching television when the power went off.

* Can you see a difference in the meaning of these two sentences?

- When the guests arrived, Jane was cooking dinner.

- When the guests arrived, Jane cooked dinner.
* In the first one, Jane started cooking dinner before the guests arrived.
We know that because it uses the past continuous.

When the guests arrived, Jane was cooking dinner.

* In the second sentence, the guests arrived first and then Jane
started cooking.

When the guests arrived, Jane cooked dinner.

Past Progressive Tense VS. Simple Past Tense

Directions: Read each situation below and answer the following questions.
Use your imagination to answer the questions in the simple past.

Ex. Dan was walking to work when it started to rain.

What was Dan doing when it started to rain? He was walking to work.

What did Dan do when it started to rain? He opened his umbrella and ran to the
bus stop.

1. Maryann was writing a letter to her boyfriend when the electricity went
out.

What was Maryann doing when the lights went out?

_______________________________________________________________

What did Maryann do when the lights went out?

_______________________________________________________________

2. Brenda was cooking dinner when she saw a mouse on the kitchen floor.

What was Brenda doing when she saw the mouse?

_______________________________________________________________
What did Brenda do when she saw the mouse?
_______________________________________________________________

3. Last week Andrew was having coffee with his beautiful new secretary
when his wife came into the café.

What was Andrew doing when his wife came into the café?
_______________________________________________________________

What did Andrew do when his wife came into the café?
_______________________________________________________________

4. Kevin was painting the house when he fell off the ladder.

What was Kevin doing when he fell off the ladder?

_______________________________________________________________

What did Kevin do when he fell off the ladder?

_______________________________________________________________

5. I was walking to work when I saw the car accident.

What were you doing when you saw the accident?

_______________________________________________________________

What did you do when you saw the accident?

_______________________________________________________________
 Past Progressive Vs. Simple Past – Practice
Directions: Complete the following sentences using the correct form (past
progressive or simple past) of the verbs provided.

1. Chris ____ (fall) off the ladder while he______ (paint) the ceiling.

2. You _____ (study) when I_____ (call) you last night?

3. They____ (drive) very fast when the policeman_____ (stop) them.

4. While I_____ (drive) to work yesterday, I______ (see) an accident.

5. I _____ (read) a great book last week.

6. My friends_____(drop in) for a visit while I ________(watch) TV last night.

7. I _____(see) Andrea at the party last night. She ______(wear) a beautiful

dress.

8. The children ______(go) to bed at 9:00 last night. At 10:00, they ______(sleep).

9. We _______ (have) dinner at a new restaurant last night. While we ______(eat),

one of the waiters ______(drop) a tray on the floor.

10. Monty __________ (work) in his garage last night when he

__________(hear) a loud noise. He ________(put) down his tools and ______(go)
outside into the yard. While he _________(look) around, someone ________ (run)
out of his front door. Monty _________(call) the police. He _________ (tell) the
police that the robber ________ (wear) a black ski jacket and jeans.