PAST CONTINUOUS

AND SIMPLE PAST

 What´s the
simple past?
 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.
WHEN OR WHILE?
 Two single actions that are not
interrupted.

When we have two single actions that happen at

the same time or one happens right after another
one,we use WHEN.

I picked up the phone when it rang.

 First, the phone rang, and then immediately I picked up
the phone.
 One single action in the past
but it is interrupted.
If we talk about a single action we use WHEN and if we
talk about a continuous action, we use WHILE.

I was studying when she called.

While I was studying, she called.

Let´s practice!
was sitting called
•  I __________________(sit) in a cafe when you __________(call).

was watching
• Susie ______________(watch) heard
a film when she ____________(hear) the noise.
were playing
• We ________________(play) hurt
tennis when John____________(hurt) his ankle.

started
• When the Revolution___________(start), was living
he ________________(live) in Russia.

called
• At 7pm yesterday, My parents___________(call) us while we
were listening
________________(listen) to music.

was working
• He _______________(work) met
in a bank when he _______________(meet) his wife.

broke
• I __________________(break) was skiing
my leg while I _____________________ (ski).
Now, Tell Us What Activities
You Were Doing When
something happened
Yesterday.
LET´S WORK IN PAIRS
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