Past Simple/Past

Continuous
Past Simple
 The simple past indicates that an activity or
situation began and ended at a particular time in
the past.
Use Past Simple:
• to talk about finished events in the past, when we think about a definite
time.
Alexander's army marched beside the river and then stopped outside the
city
• to describe the events in a story.
Oliver heard the sound of a bell. Soon afterwards, the door softly opened.
• to describe habits and routines in the past. We usually use a time word or
phrase.
Leonardo painted in his studio every day.
 Action which happened at a definite past time although the time is not
mentioned. This action is not connected with the present.
Shakespeare wrote a lot of plays
 Past Continuous

 Thepast continuous tense form describes actions or events in a

time before now, which began in the past and were still going
on when another event occurred.
Use Past Continuous:
 Action in the middle of happening at a stated past
time
He was playing tennis at 4:30 yesterday.
 Past action in progress interrupted by another past
action. The longer action is in the Past Continuous,
the shorter action is in the Past Simple.
While I was getting dressed the bell rang
 Two or more simultaneous past actions

While I was sunbathing, Tim was swimming

While/When
• Use while with past continuous for the time the event was
happening.
While I was studying in one room of our apartment, my
roommate was having a party in the other room.
• Use when with past simple for actions.
When the fire started I was watching television.

We can use other more descriptive time phrases instead of when.

At the moment the earthquake struck, most people were going
about their normal lives.