Jan 5 / Rebecca

What’s the Difference Between the Past Simple and Past Continuous?

the difference between Past Simple and Past Continuous
Over the years, I’ve seen many students struggle with the past simple and past continuous tenses. I completely understand—at first glance, they both seem to refer to actions in the past, so it’s easy to mix them up. However, once you understand the purpose of each tense and when to use them, it becomes much simpler. In this lesson, I’ll explain the differences, provide examples, and include practice exercises to help you master these tenses.

Past Simple
The past simple tense is used to describe completed actions or events that happened at a specific time in the past. It’s your go-to tense when you want to talk about something that’s finished.

When to Use the Past Simple

Completed Actions in the Past
"I visited Paris last summer."
"She finished her homework yesterday."

A Series of Completed Events
"He woke up, brushed his teeth, and left for work."
"They arrived, unpacked, and went to the beach."

General Facts About the Past
"The Titanic sank in 1912."
"He was born in 1990."

Structure of Past Simple
For regular verbs: base verb + -ed (e.g., "I walked").
For irregular verbs: Use the specific past tense form (e.g., "I went," "She saw").
Negative: Use did not (didn’t) + base verb (e.g., "I didn’t walk").
Question: Start with did + subject + base verb (e.g., "Did they walk?").

Past Continuous
The past continuous tense, also known as the past progressive, is used to describe actions that were happening at a specific moment in the past. It’s often used to set the scene or talk about actions that were interrupted.

When to Use the Past Continuous

Actions in Progress at a Specific Time
"I was reading a book at 8 p.m. last night."
"She was cooking dinner when I called."

Background Descriptions
"The sun was setting, and the birds were singing."
"He was walking through the park when he met her."
Interrupted Actions
"I was watching TV when the power went out."
"They were playing football when it started to rain."

Two Simultaneous Actions
"She was reading while he was writing."
"We were chatting as they were preparing the presentation."

Structure of Past Continuous
Subject + was/were + verb + -ing (e.g., "I was walking," "They were singing").
Negative: Add not (e.g., "I was not walking," "They were not singing").
Question: Start with was/were (e.g., "Was she walking?" "Were they singing?").
key differences between Past Simple and Past Continuous
How to Decide Which Tense to Use
- Use past simple for actions that started and finished in the past.
- Use past continuous for ongoing actions or to set the scene in the past.

📚 Practise Time!
Here are some exercises to reinforce what you’ve learned:
A. Choose the Correct Tense
I __________ (walk) home when I __________ (hear) a strange noise.
They __________ (have) dinner when the phone __________ (ring).
She __________ (write) a letter while her brother __________ (watch) TV.
The children __________ (play) outside all afternoon.
We __________ (not see) the accident because we __________ (talk).

B: Choose the Correct Option
While he __________ (was working/worked) on the project, the power went out.
She __________ (watched/was watching) the film when her friend arrived.
They __________ (didn’t finish/weren’t finishing) the task yesterday.
The sun __________ (was shining/shone) when we went for a walk.
What __________ (were you doing/did you do) at 7 p.m. last night?

🎉 Well done!

Keep practising, and you’ll be sharing your stories in the past with ease! 🌟





Answers
Choose the Correct Tense
was walking, heard
were having, rang
was writing, was watching
played
didn’t see, were talking
Choose the Correct Option
was working
was watching
didn’t finish
was shining
were you doing
Created with