FACULDADE DE CIÊNCIAS DE EDUCAÇÃO

Curso de Licenciatura em Ensino de Português

Past Simple Versus Past Continuous

Barnabé José Namaumbo

Lichinga, Maio de 2024

FACULDADE DE CIÊNCIAS DE EDUCAÇÃO

Curso de Licenciatura em Ensino de Português

Trabalho de Campo a ser submetido

na coordenação do curso de
Licenciatura em ensino de português
UNISCED

Tutor:

Past Simple versus Past Continuous

Barnabé José Namaumbo

Lichinga, Maio de 2024

INDEX

Introduction-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------1

General objectives----------------------------------------------------------------------------1

Specific objectives---------------------------------------------------------------------------1

Methodology----------------------------------------------------------------------------------1

Structure of past simple and past continuous………….………………..…………..1

Conclusion …………………………………………………………………...…….4

Bibliography-----------------------------------------------------------------------------.----5
INTRODUCTION

This study has a brief description of past simple and past continuous in order to
improve the knowledge in grammar field.

GENERAL OBJECTIVES

 The main objective of this study is to investigate the differences between

past simple and past continuous.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

The specific objectives of the current study are:

 To identify the structures of past simple and past continuous.

 To analyze the use and usage of past simple and past continuous

METHODOLOGY

A mixed method data collection approach was used for the study. The assessment
framework was consisted of various set of tools for data collection, which mainly
included mapping and scaling to identify the target population, quantitative and
qualitative assessments.

The process also included quantitative self-completion surveys with the samples of
target populations and additional qualitative assessments through series of Focus
Group. Discussions and in-depth interviews with the selected groups or individuals
of target population. The research required extensive consultations with experts
from different fields of education and other social group.

THE STRUCTURE OF PAST SIMPLE AND PAST CONTINUOUS

The past continuous and the past simple help us to show how two past actions or
situations are connected.

The past simple shows us that an action was in the past, not in the present. Regular
past simple verbs have -ed at the end (e.g. called, played, and arrived). Irregular
verbs have a different form, usually with a different vowel sound (e.g. wake →
woke; break → broke, feel → felt)

Regular past simple tense verbs end in -ed.

I talked to my uncle yesterday.

I phoned my girlfriend this morning.

Irregular past simple tense verbs do not end in -ed.

I felt sick yesterday morning so I went to the doctor.

She bought a second hand car.

They brought a present at her birthday.

The past simple is used:

a) For an action that started and ended in the past.

I saw a ghost last Friday.

b) For a repeated action in the past.

When I was young, I watched lots of television every day after school.

I always gave my mother flowers on her birthday.

c) For stative verbs, which are verbs that do not express an action, but a state of
mind or being, e.g. have (own), be, think (believe), know, dislike, need, owe,
understand, wish.

He had a small cottage in the woods.

He wasn't afraid of ghosts.

The past continuous tense is used:

When talking about TWO actions in the past; one continues for a period and the
other starts and ends (past simple).

While I was talking on the phone, someone stole my car.

I was making breakfast when the cat knocked over the milk carton, so I burnt the
toast.

These sentences usually use while or when.

To talk about TWO actions in the past, both happening over a period.

I was working on my computer and my children were watching television.

To talk about a temporary activity taking place over a limited time.

The past continuous tense is was / were + the present participle.

I was staying at my friend's house while my parents were touring Italy.

We make the negative with didn't and the infinitive verb.

My parents didn't call me yesterday.

I didn't wake up early this morning.

We make the question form with did and then the subject and infinitive verb.

Did you wake up early this morning?

Did Sam play basketball when he was at university?

The past continuous shows us that 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.

We make the past continuous with was or were and the -ing form of the verb.

She couldn't come to the party. She was working.

Three years ago, we were living in my home town.

I tried to give him some advice, but he wasn't listening.

What were you doing this time last year?

CONCLUSION

The study has concluded that 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. For example: While I was studying, I suddenly felt sleepy.
We often use these tenses to show an action interrupting another action. For
instance:

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

AZAR, B.C, (2003), Fundamentals of English Grammar, Third Edition, Pearson

Education, 10 Bank Street, White Plains, NY 10606.

MICALLEF, R, ( 1998), STEP Project Baseline Study, London, Institute of

education

University of London.

STRINGER, E.T, (1991), Action Research second Edition, California, Sage

publication Inc.

WALLACE, M.J, ( 1998), Action Research for language teachers, United

Kingdom, Cambridge University press.