The Past Tenses

The Past Simple

Uses
• A completed action that took place at a specific time in
the past
I broke my leg last week.
• Past routine or habits
When I was 5, I took swimming lessons.
• To describe main events in a story
He opened the door, turned on the light and saw what had
happened.
• Two past actions or events that happened quickly, one
after the other
We arrived home, had some dinner and went to bed.
 The Past Continuous
Uses:
• An action in progress at a specific time in the past
At 10.00 last night, I was walking home.
• Two or more finished actions in progress at the same
time in the past.
Dad was preparing breakfast while I was getting dressed.
• Unfinished action in progress (past continuous)
interrupted by a shorter action (past simple)
They were fighting when the teacher arrived.
• To give background information in a story
The sun was shining and the children were playing.
 Time Expressions
• Simple Past:

a month/year ago, last week/year, yesterday,

in 2019/January, when, the other day…

• Past Continuous:

while, as, at nine o’clock, yesterday