The Simple Past and the Past Continuous

A. The Simple Past is the most frequently used form to express a

past action.
It may be used to express:
a) single accomplished actions;
e.g. She arrived yesterday afternoon.
b) a succession of actions:
e.g. He entered, took off his coat, put on his slippers and went
up the stairs.
c) recurrent actions in the past:
e.g. We spent many of our evenings walking in the
neighbourhood.
Note: Recurrent actions in the past may also be rendered by using
used to+indefinite infinitie or would + indefinite infinitie.
e.g. She used to read stories to us. !but not any more)
They would often come to spend their holidays with us.
". #he $imple %ast may also be related to the attitudes of the
spea&er rather than to time. #he past tense is felt to be more
polite than the present tense.
e.g. Did you want to see me now?
wondered if you could help me.
'. The Past Continuous is used to express actions in
progress at a gien moment in the past.
e.g. He was reading a book at ten o!clock.
(. #he $imple %ast is preferred to the %ast 'ontinuous:
). *ith erbs *hich do not admit of the progressie
aspect.
e.g. His voice didn!t sound normal.
He hated his treating her like a child.
+. if the action, ho*eer long, is completed:
e.g. t snowed for two months without stopping.
waited for you for a very long time.
He went to "ondon and stayed there for a whole
month. The sun shone all the time we were there.
-. *ith habitual actions in the past:
e.g. We often took a walk before dinner.
.. *hen there is another past continuous form in the same
sentence and the t*o actions depend on each other.
e.g. While my friend was reading washed up.
/. is the permanent feature of a scene:
e.g. got off the bus and waked through the gate. Water was
dripping #impermanent$ from the bush that lined
#permanent$ the drive that led #permanent$ up to the
house.