U8 past simple + past continuous

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 1

Past simple and past continuous

Review + Activity

Unit 8

Lesson Goals

I can use the past continuous and past simple tense.

I can explain when to use when and while.

How do you form the PAST SIMPLE?

How do you form the PAST CONTINUOUS?

While and When

While comes before the past continuous

When comes before the past simple

While….

When….

Susie ___ (watch) a film when she
___ (hear) the noise.

The correct answers are

was watching 

and

heard

We ___ (play) tennis when John ___ (hurt) his ankle.

The correct answers are

were playing

and

hurt

He ___ (take) a shower when the telephone ___ (ring).

The correct answers are

was taking

and

rang

When do we combine the past continuous and the past simple?

•  To show that something was happening (past continuous) during another action (past simple).

Example: I
was sitting in a café when you called.

• We often use these tenses to show an action (past simple) interrupting another action (past continuous).

Example: I broke my leg when I was skiing.

Keep an eye out for 'when' and 'while'

Remember this

• It is possible to have multiple past continuous clauses in one sentence. This happens when the two actions both continued for a longer period of time.
  
  

Example:   Father was cooking dinner while mother was reading a magazine.

Example: It was pouring rain and she was wondering what to do.

Hank ___ (cook) in the kitchen, while his sister ___ (talk) to their friends in the dining room.

The correct answers are

was cooking

and

was talking