Past Simple vs Past Continuous

1.

PAST SIMPLE
VS PAST
CONTINUOUS

2.

Past
Simple
Past
Continous
• To talk about complete
actions in the past.
• Ex: I studied yesterday.
• A long action in progress in
the past.
• Ex: I was writing a letter.

3.

Use of both in a sentence
To describe a long action
(past continous) that is
interrumpted by a short
action (past simple).
Example: I was having a
beautiful dream when the
phone rang.

4.

REMEMBER
WHEN
WHILE
IS FOR
IS FOR
PAST
SIMPLE
PAST
CONTINOUS

5.

SENTENCE STRUCTURE
1. When the words WHEN and WHILE come first in the
sentence, you have to write a comma at the end of the first
clause.
While
Past
continous
When
Past
simple
,
Past
simple
,
Past
continous

6.

Time Expressions
When
Past simple
Past
continous
EXAMPLES:
• When I got on the bus, It was
raining.
• When he knocked the door, I was
cooking dinner.
• When the celphone rang, she was
reading a book

7.

Time Expressions
While
Past
continous
Past simple
EXAMPLES:
• While I was watching tv, my mom
arrived.
• While you were preparing dinner,
he knocked the door.
• While she was reading a book, the
celphone rang.

8.

SENTENCE STRUCTURE #2
1. The words WHEN and WHILE are placed in the middle of
the sentence. You don’t need a comma.
Past
continous
Past simple
when
Past
simple
while
Past
continous

9.

EXAMPLES:
We were listening to music when
the lights went out.
It was raining when I got on the
bus.
I fell down while I was riding a
bike.
We heard a big explosion while we
were having dinner.

10.

IN YOUR NOTEBOOKS WRITE
A SENTENCE USING WHILE
AND WHEN

11.

LET’S PRACTICE!
1. Choose the correct option.
1. While I swam / was swimming, someone took / was taking
my bag.
2. The assistants had lunch / were having lunch when the men
robbed / were robbing the store.
3. Someone stole / was stealing my dad’s car while we watched /
were watching the soccer game.
4. When I arrived / was arriving at school, everyone talked / was
talking about the news story.

12.

LET’S PRACTICE!
Complete the sentences with the simple past or past progressive
form of the verbs.
1. While I _________________
(get on) the bus, someone
getting on
________
stole (steal) my wallet from my pocket.
were chasing (chase) the man when he
2.The police __________________
_________
(fall).
fell
took
3. A dog ___________________
(take) out hot dogs while we
Were having (have) a cookout.
___________________
caught
4. When the police _________________
(catch) the man, he
Was escaping (escape) out of a window.
_______________