Past Simple And Continuous

Read!
I was feeling quiet pleased with my self. Then the problems started.
1 2
Can you identify the tenses?

1: past continuous 2: past simple

 Which verb tense tells us about the situation at
the beginning of the story?
Continuous
I was feeling quiet pleased with my self. Then the problems
started.
The context of the story The events of the story
 Rules!
I. Use the past continuous for the context / events of the story.

II. Use the past simple for the context / events of the story.

III.Use the past continuous for a shorter / longer action.

IV.Use the past simple for a shorter / longer action.

 So!
The past simple  is used to talk about finished actions in the past.

The past continuous  is used to describe an action in progress at a specific moment

in the past.

 Compare these two questions?

1.  What did you do yesterday? (past simple)
2. What were you doing at 18.30 yesterday evening? (past continuous)
 What did you do yesterday?

I did the shopping in the morning, then I cooked

lunch. After that I watched TV for a while. In the
evening some friends came over for dinner.
 What were you doing at 18.30 yesterday
evening?
I was reading a book.
 The past continuous tense is also used to describe the
background when we are narrating a story.

It was a lovely morning. Matthew got out of bed and opened his
bedroom window. The sun was shining and some birds were
chirping in the trees.
The past continuous  and the past simple are often used
together when we talk about an action already in progress while
a short action comes in the middle of it.

◦ While I was living in Rome, I met my wife. (a long action and a short action)
◦ While I was laying the table, my husband was making dessert.
(two long simultaneous actions)
 Test!
It are /was just before midnight on October 31st last year. Susan Lee was driven / was
driving home after visiting her sister. The road was clear and she drove / was driving carefully.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a young man stepped out in front of her. He were wearing / was
wearing a dark colored raincoat and carrying a backpack. Susan stepped hard on the brake pedal
but it was too late. She getted / got out of the car but, to her surprise, there was nobody there.
While she looks / was looking under the car, she felt a cold wind on her face and a strange presence
that is sending / sent shivers down her spine. She was still looking under her car when a
lorry stopped behind her. The lorry driver, a middle-aged man, walked up to her and asked her if
she needed help to start her car so she told him what had happened. He wasn't / didn't seem
surprised when Susan told him about the young man. In October 1978, there is / was a car accident
on this road and a hitchhiker was fatally run over. You're not the first to have seen his ghost here',
he said in a mysterious tone.
  Complete the story. Use simple past or past continuous.
were dancing
It was Friday again, the day for famous parties at Wellington High School. Students
was enjoying
---------------(dance) in the garden and everyone ----------------- (enjoy) the pleasure of being
came
away from boring lessons. When Sarah ------------ (come) to the party, the music had already
noticed felt
started. Tim suddenly ---------------- (notice) Sarah and -------------- (feel) shocked.
met
He had been looking for her for 2 years. They ----------------- (meet) each other at a holiday
disappeared
camp in 1999, but mysteriously Sarah ---------------------- (disappear) after a while. He had
been thinking about her since then.
  Complete the story. Use simple past or past continuous.
was talking were drinking
 At the party, Sarah ---------------- (talk) to one of her friends while most of the
decided waited
students --------------- (drink) as much as they could. Tim --------------------(decide) to talk to her
went was searching
and -------------- (wait) for her friend to leave. When he ------------ (go) next to her,
didn’t see
she --------------------- (search for) something in her bag, so she  --------------------- (not see) him.
touched raised
As soon as he -------------------(touch) her on the shoulder, she ----------------(raise) her head and
was
couldn’t believe her eyes. She had never forgot him. At the end of the party, no one--------------(be)
found
happier than Sarah and Tim as they---------------------(find) each other after 2 years.
Thank you