PAST SIMPLE

and
PAST SIMPLE
CONTINOUS
 PAST SIMPLE
- IT IS USED TO TALK ABOUT PAST STATES. THINGS THAT ARE FINISHED
and that define REPEATED ACTIONS OR HABITS IN THE PAST (also USED
TO…)
He was very slim when he was a child.
When I was young, I played the violin.

- WE USE THE PAST SIMPLE WITH A FINISHED TIME WORD, LIKE «LAST
WEEK», «LAST YEAR», «LAST MONTH» OR «IN 2017»
I went to the restaurant last week

- ORDERING ACTIONS IN A SEQUENCE, ONE AFTER THE OTHER

I went home and had dinner
 PAST SIMPLE

- WE USE «WHEN» OR «WHAT TIME» TO ASK ABOUT SOMETHING

HAPPENED IN THE PAST
When did you go to Japan?

- WE USE IT IN VERY RECENT EVENT WITHOUT A TIME EXPRESSION

“What happened to you?” “Someone hit me!”

- IN NARRATIVE
When she opened the door, she pretended we weren’t there and went to
her room.
 PAST SIMPLE
• INTERROGATIVE FORM
AUSILIARE DID + SOGGETTO + V. FORMA BASE + …

Did you go to Spain last year? Yes, I did…. No, I didn’t…

• NEGATIVE FORM
SOGGETTO + DID NOT (OR DIDN’T) + V. FORMA BASE + …

I didn’t go to school yesterday because I was sick

 PAST CONTINOUS
- IT’S THE PROGRESSIVE FORM OF PAST SIMPLE
PAST SIMPLE TO BE (WAS/WERE) + ING FORM OF THE VERB
I WAS EATING = IO STAVO MANGIANDO

- EVENTS IN PROGRESS AT A SPECIFIC MOMENT IN THE PAST

RELATED TO A TEMPORARY PERIOD OF TIME
THIS MORNING AT 6 O’CLOCK I WAS WATCHING TV
DURING THAT WINTER, I WAS LIVING WITH MY PARENTS
 PAST CONTINOUS

- FOR ACTIONS IN PROGRESS IN THE PAST INTERRUPTED BY

SHORTER ACTIONS IN THE PAST SIMPLE
I was cooking when the phone rang
1ST EVENT 2ND EVENT

I was walking to Jack when he arrived

1ST EVENT 2ND EVENT
PAST CONTINOUS
PAST

punctual action
the phone rang

I was cooking when PRESENT

ongoing action
 PAST CONTINOUS
- HABITS THAT HAPPENED AT IRREGULAR TIMES IN THE PAST
(CAN BE POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE THINGS, AND OFTEN USES
‘ALWAYS’, ‘FOREVER’, ‘CONSTANTLY’, ETC)
I WAS CONSTANTLY LOSING MY KEYS.
(THIS HAS A SENSE THAT THE HABIT WAS A BAD ONE)
THEY WERE ALWAYS SMILING.
(THIS IS POSITIVE)

- TO EMPHASIZE AN ACTION STILL CONTINUING

THE PLAYERS WERE TRAINING ALL YEAR FOR THIS MATCH
 PAST CONTINOUS

- TO DESCRIBE A CHANGING SITUATION

Her performances were getting better and better

- WE DON’T USE THE PAST CONTINOUS WITH STATE VERBS:

AGREE, BELONG TO, DISAGREE, FEEL, HAVE, HOPE, KNOW,
LIKE, LOVE, HATE, REGRET, TASTE
 PAST CONTINOUS
• INTERROGATIVE FORM
PAST SIMPLE «TO BE» + SUBJECT + TENSE with ING FORM + …

Were you watching tv? Yes, I was…. No, I wasn’t…

• NEGATIVE FORM
SOGGETTO + PAST SIMPLE «TO BE» + TENSE with ING FORM + …

I wasn’t attending the event because I had to take part to a competition