Past continuous and past simple

When we use these two tenses together, it shows us that the past simple
action happened in the middle of the past continuous action, while it was in
progress.

While I was studying, I suddenly felt sleepy.

We often use these tenses to show an action interrupting another action.
I broke my leg when I was skiing.
As I was going to work, I saw an old friend.
We were watching television when the power went off.
Can you see a difference in the meaning of these two sentences?
When the guests arrived, Jane was cooking dinner.
When the guests arrived, Jane cooked dinner.
In the first one, Jane started cooking dinner before the guests arrived. We
know that because it uses the past continuous. In the second sentence, the
guests arrived first and then Jane started cooking.
The pattern : While the teacher was explaining the lesson, the man
knocked at the door
S + was/were + V(ing) + when + S + V2

Examples : The students were studying English when the bell rang.

My mom was baking some cakes when the woman screamed.

The girl was making some coffee when I dropped the glass.

The manager was explaining the project when she came in.

They were swimming in the pool when the coach arrived.

The gardener was planting some flowers when the birds flew.
Used to: Pattern 1. S+ used to + be+ adjective

Examples : He used to be stupid but now he is clever.

Linda used to be slim, but now she is fat.

The students used to be lazy, but now they are diligent.

The president used to be calm but now he is talkative.

The country used to be rich but now it is poor.

Pattern 2 : S + used to + V1

Examples : The secretary used to have long hair but now she has short hair.

My sister used to wear glasses but now she wears contact lenses.

The supervisor used to buy nice clothes but now he doesn’t.

The governor used to visit the society but now he doesn’t.

The students used to make a note but now they don’t.

The tellers used to serve the customers but now they don’t.

Pattern 3 : S + never + used to + be + Adjective/ V1

Examples : Linda never used to be slim but now she is slim

The students never used to be diligent but now they are diligent.

The supervisor never used to buy nice clothes but now he does.

My sister never used to wear contact lenses but now she wears

contact lenses.

Home work : 1. Write down 10 sentences in Past Continuous Tense

2. Write down 10 sentences by using used to in Pattern 1, 2 and 3.

 Choose Past Simple or Past Continuous 1
Make the past simple or past continuous

1) I …. (sit) in the café when you ….. (call)

2.) When you …. (arrive ) at the party, who .. (be ) there?

3) Susie … (watch ) a film when she … (hear) the noise.

4) Yesterday I … (go) to the library, next I … (have) a

swim, later I .. (meet ) Julie for a coffee.

5) We… (play) tennis when John … (hurt ) his ankle.

6) What … (they/ do)at 10 pm last night? It was really

7) He … (take ) a shower when the telephone… (ring)

8) When I … ( walk ) into the room, everyone … (work)

9) It… (be) a day last September. The sun… (shine) and

the birds … (sing)

10). I … (walk) along the street when I.. (meet) an old

friend.

11).He .. (live) in Russia when the revolution… (start)

12). When her train… (get) to the station, we ..(wait) on

the plat form.

13). He…(be) annoying. He always… (leave) his things

everywhere.

14). On holiday, we.. (visit) Rome,… (see) the Vatican and

..(spend) a few days at the beach.

]

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S
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15) Why C
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(stand) on a chair when I
S
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(come) into the room? w

[ . ][ . ]

16) They

C
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(live) in Germany when they
k

S
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(be) young. w

[ . ][ . ]

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17) At 7pm yesterday, we h
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(listen) to music. S
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18) When I C
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(leave) the house, it
S
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(snow).
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19) He

C
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(work) in a bank when he
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S
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(meet) his wife. w

[ . ][ . ]

20) What

C
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(you/do) when I
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S
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(call) you last night? w

[ . ][ . ]