Past Continuous - Past Simple

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 2

Past Continuous- Past Simple

Vandaag gaan we kijken naar een andere vorm van de verleden tijd: de Past Continuous. 

Today we will be looking at a different past tense: 

 Past Continuous

During the middle of a past action ...

The past continuous is used for something that was going on for a while in the past:

They were watching a movie.        Zij waren film aan het kijken.

I was singing a song.                         Ik was een lied aan het zingen.

Dad ... (read) a book when the phone rang.

1. is reading
2. were reading
3. read
4. was reading

You fell asleep when we ...(watch) a movie yesterday!

1. was watching
2. were watching
3. watched
4. are watching

I ............... (try) to repair my bike when he offered to help me.

1. were trying
2. am trying
3. was trying
4. tried

Past Simple - Past Continuous

The Past Simple and the Past Continuous regularly occur together in one sentence. 

Look at the next video in which this is explained.

Past Continuous en Past Simple 

in één zin:

" When Lisa was doing her homework, Mike went to the supermarket."

Long action - Past Continuous
Short action - Past Simple

Put in the Past Continuous:

You .... (have) a shower when Stephen called.

I ... (write) the email, when the computer suddenly turned off.

Someone stole his car, when John ... (sleep) last night.

Past simple or Past continuous?

Past simple or Past continuous?

I was having a shower yesterday.

1. Past simple
2. Past continuous

Past simple or Past continuous?


She had a great time last night.

1. Past simple
2. Past continuous

Past simple or Past continuous?

My parents left for Spain this morning.

1. Past simple
2. Past continuous

Past simple or Past continuous?
You were paying attention during the teacher's explanation.

1. Past simple
2. Past continuous

Sammy ... for us, when we ... off the plane.

1. was waiting, were getting
2. waited, were getting
3. were waiting, got
4. was waiting, got

It ..... (rain) when we .... (leave) the hospital.

1. rained, were leaving
2. was raining, left
3. were raining, left
4. rained, was leaving

I ... (have) a bath while dad ... (read) the newspaper.

1. had, was reading
2. was having, read
3. was having, was reading
4. had, read

As you have just seen, it is possible to have two past continuous tenses in one sentence. Often the word "while" is included in that sentence.