Past continuous

Use: 
1) Use the past to ‘set the scene’ of a story before describing what happened.

        ‘It was raining.  I was walking  in the park.  Some kids were playing  football nearby.
Suddenly…’

2) Use the past continuous to talk about an action which happened for some time in the past
and was then interrupted. Use the past simple tense to talk about the interruption.

        I was cooking  dinner when suddenly there was a knock at the door.
3) Use the past continuous to talk about events that were in progress at a certain time.

        At 5 o’clock yesterday afternoon,  I was driving  home from work.

Note the difference in meaning:

When James got home, I cooked dinner:-  I started cooking AFTER he got home.
When James got home, I was cooking dinner: - I started cooking BEFORE he got home.

Form:
Positive

was  
I
verb+ing
You were

He / She / It was

We / They were

Negative

wasn’t  
I
verb+ing
You weren’t

He / She / It wasn’t

We / They weren’t

Question

I  
Was
verb+ing   ?
Were you

Was he / she / it

Were we / they

Spelling Rules:
If a verb ends in e, delete the e before you add –ing.
have   =>I was having lunch.

If a verb ends in one vowel and one consonant, double the consonant (except w and y).
get     =>He was just getting up.
play    =>We were playing.

Common mistakes
1) Some students remember the verb be but forget ‘ing’.
I was watch television.   =>I was watching television.
2) Some students make spelling mistakes. 
I was studing.  =>I was studying.

We were eatting   =>We were eating.

Past simple
Use: 
Use the past simple to talk about finished events in the past. Use it to tell stories, jokes and
anecdotes.

Form:
1)            Many past tense verbs are formed by adding -ed to the end of the verb.
want      =>           wanted
start       =>           started

If a verb ends in e, just add d (liked, hoped).

If a verb ends in y, delete y and add ied (studied, carried). But don’t do this if the verb ends in
a vowel + y (played, NOT plaied. stayed, NOT staied)

But a lot of past tense verbs are irregular. You need to learn each one separately. Here are
some examples.
have      =>           had                        make     =>           made
take       =>           took                       sit           =>           sat
get         =>           got                         feel        =>           felt

Past simple verbs are the same for all persons. 

I went; you went; he went; she went; they went; we went...    

2)            Form negatives this way:

I, you, he , she, we, they... didn’t infinitive verb

know, see, go

Don’t use the past verb in negative sentences.

I didn’t had dinner.         =>           I didn’t have dinner.

3) Form questions this way:

I, you, he , she, we, they... infinitive verb

Did know, see, go

Common mistakes:
Some students use the past verb in questions.
Did you saw the film?     =>                           Did you see the film?
Past Simple / Past Continuous
1. A: What (you, do) when the accident occurred?

B: I (try) to change a light bulb that had burnt out.

2. After I (find) the wallet full of money, I (go, immediately)

to the police and (turn) it in.

3. The doctor (say) that Tom (be)

too sick to go to work and that he (need) to stay at home for a couple of days.

4. Sebastian (arrive) at Susan's house a little before 9:00 PM, but she (be, not)

there. She (study, at the library) for her final examination in French.

5. Sandy is in the living room watching television. At this time yesterday, she (watch, also)

television. That's all she ever does!

6. A: I (call) you last night after dinner, but you (be, not)

there. Where were you?

B: I (work) out at the fitness center.

7. When I (walk) into the busy office, the secretary (talk)

on the phone with a customer, several clerks (work, busily) at their desks, and two managers
(discuss, quietly) methods to improve customer service.
8. I (watch) a mystery movie on TV when the electricity went out. Now I am never going to find
out how the movie ends.

9. Sharon (be) in the room when John told me what happened, but she didn't hear anything
because she (listen, not) .

10. It's strange that you (call) because I (think, just) about you.

11. The Titanic (cross) the Atlantic when it (strike) an iceberg.

12. When I entered the bazaar, a couple of merchants (bargain, busily) and (try)

to sell their goods to naive tourists who (hunt) for souvenirs. Some young boys (lead)

their donkeys through the narrow streets on their way home. A couple of men (argue) over the
price of a leather belt. I (walk) over to a man who (sell) fruit and (buy)

a banana.

13. The firemen (rescue) the old woman who (be) trapped on the
third floor of the burning building.

14. She was so annoying! She (leave, always) her dirty dishes in the sink. I think she (expect,
actually) me to do them for her.

15. Samantha (live) in Berlin for more than two years. In fact, she (live)
there when the Berlin Wall came down.

16. The receptionist (welcome) the guests and (ask) them to fill in the form.

17. The car (break) down and we (have) to walk home.

18. The boys (swim) while the girls (sunbathe) .

19. My father (come) in, (look) around and (tell) me
to tidy up my room.

20. As long as one group (prepare) dinner, the others (collect) wood for
their campfire.

21. While the parents (have) breakfast, their children (run) about.

22. Martha (turn) off the lights and (go) to bed.