Past Continuous vs Past Simple

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• mavo
• Leerjaar 2

When something was going on for a period of time in the past (ongoing action). 

We were doing the dishes yesterday.

Past Continuous 

Past tense of the verb 'to be' and verb + ing

I was playing

You were playing

He was playing

We were playing

You were playing

They were playing

Past Continuous 

Past Continuous

Quiz time!

Choose the correct form of the past continuous

Boris ... English

1. was learning
2. is learning
3. has learned
4. will learn

They ... swimming in the lake

1. are swimming
2. were swam
3. were swimming
4. have swum

Your father ... the car

1. will have been repairing
2. is repairing
3. repaired
4. was repairing

I ... a magazine

1. read
2. was reading
3. am reading
4. will read

You ... your bag

1. am packing
2. were packing
3. packed
4. will have packed

My friends ... the match on TV

1. have been watching
2. watched
3. were watching
4. are watching

Past Simple AND Past Continuous 

I was walking yesterday.

I fell off my skateboard.

Past Continuous

Past Simple

Past continuous vs. past simple

Past continuous vs. past simple

Past Simple = iets gebeurde (kort)

Past Continuous = al aan de gang (lang)

Past continuous vs. past simple

Deze zinnen kun je herkennen aan het woordje 'when':

''When the phone rang, she was writing a letter.''

'' What were you doing when the earthquake started?''

Als het woordje 'while' in de zin staat, gebeuren twee dingen tegelijk.

Dan gebruik je twee keer de past continuous:

''What were you doing while you were waiting?''

''I was studying while my father was making dinner.''

Past continuous vs. past simple

Maar wat als er tijdens die periode iets anders gebeurd?

''I was cooking dinner when my mother called.''

Dan gebruik je de past simple.

De activiteit die aan de gang was, is de past continuous.

De activiteit die 'erbij komt', is de past simple.

Fill in the past simple: I .............. to my neighbour yesterday.

1. talk
2. talks
3. talked
4. were talking

Wat zijn signaalwoorden voor de past simple?

1. for, yet, never, ever
2. yesterday, last year, ago, when
3. always, often, usually, never
4. right now, at the moment

Fill in the past continuous: We ................... a good movie when the phone rang.

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

Wat zijn signaalwoorden voor de past continuous?

1. when, while
2. always, never, ever, often
3. right now, at the moment
4. yesterday, last week

Past continuous vs. past simple

Je gebruikt de past continuous i.c.m. de past simple om aan te geven dat er iets gebeurde (korte actie = past simple) terwijl er al iets aan de gang was (lange actie = past continuous).

 I was reading a book when the phone rang. 

I was washing my car when the accident happened. 

Make a sentence with the Past Continuous

Make a sentence with the Past Continuous AND Past Simple

I understand the difference between the Past Simple & Past Continuous ....

1. Perfectly!
2. Quite well, need to study a bit more
3. Not really, I need to study a lot
4. Not at all! Can you help me?