UNIT 1

Grammar: Past Simple, Past Continuous and used to

Past Simple
FORM
We use the Past Simple to talk
Affirmative about:
Infinitive verb -ed (e.g. watched) /
irregular verbs
Yesterday I watched a horror movie. Past events which have ended.
Last weekend we went to the cinema.
Negative Two or more events that happened
didn’t + infinitive verb one after the other.
He didn’t have enough money
Questions
Did + subject + infinitive verb When she got a new job, she bought
Did you buy the tickets for the concert? her friends some shoes.
Past Continuous
FORM
Affirmative
We use the Past Continuous to talk
was/were + verb –ing
about events that were in progress
We were cleaning the house all morning at a particular time in the past.
Negative
wasn’t/weren’t + verb –ing While they were calling the
He wasn’t doing anything. ambulance, Abbie jumped into the
Questions water.
was/were + subject + verb –ing
What were you doing at 8 p.m. last night?
When and While with Past Simple and Past
Continuous
We use the Past Simple after when.
I was cooking dinner when the phone rang.

We use the Past Continuous after while.

She heard about the accident while she was playing tennis.

*If the sentence begins with when or while, we use a comma between
the two clauses.
While she was playing tennis, she heard about the accident.
Used to
FORM
Affirmative
We use used to to talk about past
used to + infinitive verb
habits or states (which happened in
He used to play Legos when he was a kid. the past but don’t happen now).
Negative
didn’t use to + infinitive verb I used to go to school by bike but
I didn’t use to speak Spanish. now I go by bus.
Questions
Did + subject + use to + infinitive verb
Did you use to play football at the weekends?