Past simple versus past continuous pdf

If the action after before started and was not completed before a certain time in the past, use past perfect. We often use the past continuous at the beginning of a story to describe the situation. English esl past simple and past continuous worksheets most. Comparison of the past simple and continuous in english. We use the past simple verb tense to talk about events that happened at a specific time in the past. Oct 04, 2017 fill in the blanks with an appropriate past tense form. Past simple vs past continuous language on schools. Answers to past simple or past continuous exercise 2 1. The simple past and the past continuous multiple choice. The past continuous describes an action that was already in progress. I began to study at nine last night and i was still studying at eleven.

Past simple vs past continuous worksheet 1 grammarbank. Regular verbs add ed to the base form, or d if the verbs ends with e. An intermediate english lesson which looks at the meaning and use of past simple and past continuous. Usually, in these sentences, there is a word like yesterday or last year which shows the action happened at a time in the past that is finished. Fill in the blanks with a correct form, the past simple or the past continuous. May be freely copied for personal or classroom use. Before as well can either be used with simple past or past perfect. Students are introduced to the simple past tense early on in their english learning. Did your parents call you last night while you were watching tv. There is a simple activity in which students are asked to complete the sentences with either the past simple or past perfect of the verbs in brackets.

I met meet tom and ann at the airport a few weeks ago. Past simple or past continuous worksheet 2 answers. Past simple or past continuous worksheet 1 answers. I was speaking you were speaking he she it was speaking we were speaking they were speaking. Finally, click here to download this exercise in pdf with answers. Past simple and past continuous interactive and downloadable worksheet. I saw see sue in town yesterday but she was looking look the other way. Comparison of tenses simple past and past continuous with free online exercises, passive rules and passive voice examples. The past simple shows us that an action was in the past, not in the present. You can do the exercises online or download the worksheet as pdf.

When i met susan she was having a drink at a terrace with a friend. When we talk about two past events, the past continuous is normally used to refer to the longer background action. Verb tense exercise 3 simple past and past continuous. When the teacher came in, they were studying english. English esl past simple and past continuous worksheets. In this lesson, students study and practise the differences between the past simple and past continuous.

Simple past and past continuous exercise english page. Both are formed by subtracting the infinitive ending ar, er or ir, and replacing it with another. To illustrate the difference between past simple and past progressive tense use d. Online exercises comparison of tenses, comparison of tenses questions and. The past continuous describes a longer action or situation and the past simple describes a shorter action or event. We can use the past simple and the past continuous in the same sentence structure with different meanings. The difference between the past simple and the past. In this exercise you will practise the past simple and past continuous tenses. The students are supposed to learn about the difference between simple present and simple past. E x e r c i s e i ns t r u c t i o ns use the words in brackets to put the following into the correct tense the past simple or past continuous. Fill in the blanks with the correct version of wither the past continuous or simple past. The short action in past simple often interrupts the longer action in past continuous. The simple past tense is only used to say that something happened at some time in the past. They are on a very basic level of learning english and are introduced to the first form of past tense.

The past simple tense, also called the simple past, is used for past actions that happened either at a specific time, which can either be given by a time phrase yesterday, last year, etc. When the boys arrived at the cinema, the film had already started, 3. We use simple for finished actions, and continuous for when an action is in progress when we. Online exercises comparison of tenses, comparison of tenses questions and comparison of tenses negative sentences.

I to eat was eating cornflakes while dad to read was reading the newspaper. Past simple simple past definition of past simple simple. All the tickets had been sold before the concert began. To refresh learners understanding of past simple tense b. Use the words in brackets to put the following into the correct tense the past simple or past continuous. Yesterday i went to the post office, bought some fruit at the supermarket and read a book in the park in the afternoon. What characteristics are typical for the past simple and the past continuous. Both past perfect and past continuous tenses are used to describe an action that took place in the past. Fill in the blanks with an appropriate past tense form. Past simple vs past continuous interactive worksheet. Past simple and past continuous cambridge university press. The simple past and the past continuous multiple choice test. Two common signal words for the past continuous are, when and while. Although they are both past tenses their uses are quite different.

Suddenly past simple vs past continuous we use the past simple for completed actions in the past, and we use the past continuous for actions in progress not finished in the past. If the action after before is a new action, use simple past. To introduce them to past progressive tense, form meaning and use, while participating in interactive activities c. We had have a chat while we were waiting waited wait for our flights. Difference between past perfect and past perfect continuous. In this worksheet, students should use two tenses past simple and past continuous by filling in blank spaces. Past simple or past continuous worksheet 1 grammarbank. I n te r m e d i a te g r a m m a r e x e r c i s e. The past simple in the first sentence expresses a momentary, completed action, whereas the past continuous in the second sentence expresses an action in progress. Past continuous vs past simple tense grammar point youtube. Christine was eating dinner last night when you knocked on the door. They were going go to berlin and i was going go to madrid. Both are formed by subtracting the infinitive ending ar, er or.

We were playing volleyball with mary when you called me. A single life past simple vs past continuous practice. Choose simple past or past continuous tense to complete the sentences. She wasnt knowing didnt know that i was watching watched her while she was singing. Irregular verbs have a different form, usually with a different vowel sound e. Before we reached the station we saw that we had lost our way. The second action is a short action that has interrupted the first. Rules about when each tense is used must be learned before trying to solve the worksheet. Past simple and past continuous inspiration macmillan. Past continuous and past simple grammar beginner to pre. Find out with this exercise if you know when to use the past continuous and when to use the simple past. Jun 18, 2017 in our latest grammar point we would like to explain the usage of the past simple and the past continuous tenses in english. Jane had read a lot about elephants before she went to the zoo. Past simple and past continuous pdf exercises with answers.

It is commonly used and relatively easy to learn aside from having to memorize irregular verb forms. The past continuous and the past simple help us to show how two past actions or situations are connected. The key difference between past perfect and past perfect continuous is that past perfect indicates the completion of an event in the past but, past perfect continues implies that an event or action in the past was still continuing. Past simple or past continuous worksheet 2 grammarbank. Present continuous and past continuous tenses english.

To help them accurately use past simple and past progressive tenses in reporting events. I to take took a shower, then i to get dressed got dressed and to leave left. Past continuous and past simple grammar principiante a. The key difference between past perfect and past perfect continuous is that past perfect indicates the completion of an event in the past but, past perfect continues implies that an event or action in the past was still continuing both past perfect and past continuous tenses are used to describe an action that took place in the past. Simple past vs past continuous exercise grammarbank. When jack dropped by to visit me, i was having dinner. In this grammar point we start with some personal questions. Test comprising exercises with present simlpe, present continuous. Past continuous and past simple page 2 of 3 test english. The worksheet is suitable for both classroom practice and selfstudy.

The simple past and the past continuous are two tenses commonly used to make general statements about the past. Present continuous and past continuous tenses download pdf complete the following sentences using an appropriate present continuous or past continuous tense form. The foundation build on is the knowledge about the simple present and present progressive. However, the past progressive also known as the past continuous can be confusing since its not as commonly used in english. In our latest grammar point we would like to explain the usage of the past simple and the past continuous tenses in english. Please note that specific times and dates in the past can also be used. This ebook is produced and distributed by red river press inc.