GUIA DE TRABAJO
LENGUA EXTRANJERA
Simple Past
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FORM Simple Past
[VERB+ed]
EXAMPLES:
I visited my friends.
I often visited my friends.
NOTE: When you are using a verb tense with only one part such as Simple Past (visited), adverbs usually come before the verb (often visited). Please remember this is different from verbs with more than one part such as Present Continuous.
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USE 1 Completed Action in the Past
Use the Simple Past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past. Sometimes the speaker may not actually mention the specific time, but they do have one specific time in mind.
EXAMPLES:
I saw a movie yesterday.
I didn't see a movie yesterday.
Last year, I traveled to Japan.
Last year, I didn't travel to Japan.
She washed her car.
She didn't wash her car.
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USE 2 A Series of Completed Actions
We use the Simple Past to list a series of completed actions in the past. These actions happen 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th...
EXAMPLES:
I finished work, walked to the beach, and found a nice place to swim.
He arrived from the airport at 8:00, checked into the hotel at 9:00, and met the others at 10:00.
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USE 3 Single Duration
The Simple Past can be used with a duration which starts and stops in the past. A duration is a long action often used with expressions like "for two years," "for five minutes," "all day" or "all year."
EXAMPLES:
I lived in Brazil for two years.
Shauna studied Japanese for five years.
They sat at the beach all day.
We talked on the phone for thirty minutes.
How long did you wait for them?
We waited for one hour.
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USE 4 Habit in the Past
The Simple Past can also be used to describe a habit which stopped in the past. It can have the same meaning as "used to". To make it clear that we are talking about a habit we often use expressions such as "always," "often," "usually," "never," "...when I was a child" or "...when I was younger" in the sentence.
EXAMPLES:
I studied French when I was a child.
He played the violin.
She worked at the movie theater after school.
They never went to school, they always skipped.
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IMPORTANT "When clauses" happen first
Clauses are groups of words which have meaning but are not complete sentences. Some clauses begin with the word when such as "When I dropped my pen..." or "When class began..." These clauses are called "when clauses" and they are very important. The examples below contain "when clauses."
EXAMPLES:
When I paid her one dollar, she answered my question.
She answered my question, when I paid her one dollar.
"When clauses" are important because they always happen first when both clauses are in the Simple Past. Both of the examples above mean the same thing. First, I paid her one dollar, and then, she answered my question. However, the example below has a different meaning. First, she answered my question, and then, I paid her a dollar.
EXAMPLE:
I paid her a dollar, when she answered my question.
Past Continuous
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FORM Past Continuous
[WAS / WERE] + [VERB+ing]
EXAMPLES:
I was studying when she called.
I was carefully picking up the snake when it bit me.
NOTE: When you are using a verb tense with more than one part such as Past Continuous (was picking), adverbs often come between the first part and the second part (was carefully picking).
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IMPORTANT
Clauses are groups of words which have meaning but are not complete sentences. Some clauses begin with the word when such as "...when she called " or "...when it bit me." Clauses with the Past Continuous usually start with while. While expresses the idea "during the time." Study the examples below. They have the same meaning.
EXAMPLES:
I was studying when she called.
While I was studying, she called.
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USE 1 Interrupted Action in the Past
Use the Past Continuous to indicate that a longer action in the past was interrupted. The interruption is usually an action in the Simple Past. Remember this can be a real interruption or just an interruption in time.
EXAMPLES:
I was watching TV when she called.
When the phone rang, she was writing a letter.
While we were having a picnic, it started to rain.
Sally was working when Joe had the car accident.
While John was sleeping last night, someone stole his car.
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USE 2 Specific Time as an Interruption
In USE 1, described above, the Past Continuous is interrupted by an action in the Simple Past. However, you can also use a specific time as an interruption.
EXAMPLES:
Last night at 6 p.m., I was eating dinner.
At midnight, we were still driving through the desert.
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IMPORTANT
In the Simple Past a specific time is used to show when an action began or finished. In the Past Continuous a specific time only interrupts the action.
EXAMPLES:
Last night at 6 p.m., I ate dinner.
(I started eating at 6 p.m.)
Last night at 6 p.m., I was eating dinner.
(I started earlier and at 6 p.m. I was in the process of eating dinner.)
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USE 3 Parallel Actions
When you use the Past Continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it expresses the idea that both actions were happening at the same time. The actions are parallel.
EXAMPLES:
I was studying while he was making dinner.
While Ellen was reading, Tim was watching television.
They were eating dinner, discussing their plans and having a good time.
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USE 4 Atmosphere
In English we often use a series of Parallel Actions to describe atmosphere in the past.
EXAMPLE:
When I walked into the office, several people were busily typing, some were talking on the phones, the boss was yelling directions, and customers were waiting to be helped. One customer was yelling at a secretary and waving his hands. Others were complaining to each other about the bad service.
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USE 5 Repetition and Irritation with "Always"
The Past Continuous with words such as always or constantly expresses the idea that something irritating or shocking often happened in the past. The concept is very similar to the expression used to but with negative emotion. Remember to put the words always or constantly between "be" and "verb+ing."
EXAMPLES:
She was always coming to class late.
He was constantly talking. He annoyed everyone.
I didn't like them because they were always complaining.
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IMPORTANT Non-Continuous Verbs/ Mixed Verbs
It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any "continuous" tenses. Also, certain "non-continuous" meanings for Mixed Verbs cannot be used in "continuous" tenses. To express the idea of Past Continuous with these verbs, you must use Simple Past.
EXAMPLES:
Jane was being at my house when you arrived. Not Correct
Jane was at my house when you arrived. Correct
Verb Tense Tutorial
Simple Past / Past Continuous
1. A: What (you, do)_______ when the accident occurred?
B: I (try)_______ to change a light bulb that had burnt out.
2. After I (find)_____ the wallet full of money, I (go, immediately)_______ to the police and (turn) it in.
3. The doctor (say)_____ that Tom (be)______ too sick to go to work and that he (need)_______ to stay at home for a couple of days.
4. Sebastian (arrive)_____________ at Susan's house a little before 9:00 pm, but she (be, not)________ there. She (study, at the library)______ for her final examination in French.
5. Sandy is in the living room watching television. At this time yesterday, she (watch, also)______ television. That's all she ever does!
6. A: I (call)______ you last night after dinner, but you (be, not) there. Where were you?
B: I (work)______ out at the fitness center.
7. When I (walk)______ into the busy office, the secretary (talk)______ on the phone with a customer, several clerks (work, busily)______ at their desks, and two managers (discuss, quietly)________ methods to improve customer service.
8. I (watch)________ a mystery movie on T.V. when the electricity went out. Now I am never going to find out how the movie ends.
9. Sharon (be)_____ in the room when John told me what happened, but she didn't hear anything because she (listen, not)___________ .
10. It's strange that you (call)______ because I (think, just)_______ about you.
11. The Titanic (cross)________ the Atlantic when it (strike)____________ an iceberg.
12. When I entered the bazaar, a couple of merchants (bargain, busily)_______ and (try)________ to sell their goods to naive tourists who (hunt)_______ for souvenirs. Some young boys (lead)_________ their donkeys through the narrow streets on their way home. A couple of men (argue)__________ over the price of a leather belt. I (walk)_________ over to a man who (sell)_______ fruit and (buy)_______ a banana.
13. The firemen (rescue)_______ the old woman who (be)_______ trapped on the third floor of the burning building.
14. She was so annoying! She (leave, always)___________ her dirty dishes in the sink. I think she (expect, actually)_________ me to do them for her.
15. Samantha (live)__________________ in Berlin for more than two years. In fact, she (live)_______________ there when the Berlin wall came down.
