GRAMMAR HELP : SIMPLE OR CONTINUOUS PAST

Observe and practice

1. Choose the correct past tense.

a. The detective discovered/ was discovering that the suspect was/ was being dead.
b. As I called/was calling the police, someone knocked/ was knocking me down.
c. A lot of photographs came/ were coming and took/ were taking photos.
d. I didn’t know/ wasn’t knowing the man who ran/was running away.
2. Complete the sentences with either the simple past or the continuous past.
a. The detective (decide) to question the victim’s husband.
b. While he (sit) in the detective’s office, the man (start) crying.
c. First, he (examine) the crime scene and then, he (look) at the body.
d. The next day, the police (arrest) the murder who (hide) in a garage.

HOW DO WE USE IT ?
Simple Past :
 The simple past is formed by adding _________ to regular verbs . For irregular verbs, you
must use the ____________ column.
 The auxiliary is ……………………… , for ……………………… and ………………………
phrases.
 The simple past is used to describe a completed action in ____________
 C’est le temps du ……………………… .
 It usually corresponds to a ……………………… or ……………………… in French.
ATTENTION : évitez de traduire systématiquement un verbe au passé composé par un
present perfect !
Preterit be+ing / past continuous :
 The past continuous is formed with ……………………… (2 possibilities : ………… for the
1st et 3rd person singular or ……………).
 Il sert à montrer qu’une action était …………………………………………… dans le passé.
 Il se traduit généralement par …………………………………… en français.

WHEN DO WE USE THE PAST CONTINUOUS ?

The past continuous shows us that the action was already in progress at a precise time in the past.

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

When we use the simple past and the continuous past 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.

YOUR TURN !

A) Explain the difference between the following sentences.

When the guests arrived, Jane was cooking dinner.
When the guests arrived, Jane cooked dinner.
B) Simple past or continuous past ? Conjugate the verbs.

1. We first …………………………………………… (meet) when we

…………………………………………… (be) at university.

2. The investigation …………………………………………… (begin) in 1989.

3. The murderer …………………………………………… (wear) a black coat.

4. He …………………………………………… (break) the window when the police

…………………………………………… (arrive).

5. I’ve got an alibi. Yesterday, I …………………………………………… (go) to the cinema with my

friends.

6. He …………………………………………… (kill) her 2 weeks ago.

7. The police …………………………… (question) her when her phone ………………………… (ring).