THV2-en-2425 - Past Continuous (vs. past simple)

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 1

Learning objectives

I can use the past continuous correctly

I can write about things that were happening for a while in the past.

Exercise 1

Fill in the correct form of the past simple or past continuous

I ______ work at 9 a.m. this morning

1. started
2. was starting

This time last year I ______ at university

1. studied
2. was studying

Sarah hurt her ankle while she _______

1. ran
2. was running

I ______ your call because I _______.

1. missed - ran
2. missed - was running
3. was missing - ran
4. was missing - was running

While I ______ home, I _______ a new shop in the high street

1. walked - noticed
2. walked - was noticing
3. was walking - noticed
4. was walking - was noticing

When we ______ the crime, we _______ the police

1. saw - called
2. saw - were calling
3. were seeing - called
4. were seeing - were calling

Verleden tijd

Tegenwoordige tijd (duurvorm)

Verleden tijd (duurvorm)

Tegenwoordige tijd

Present Simple

Present Continuous

Past Continuous

Past Simple

We walked to school.

We are walking to school.

We were walking to school.

We walk to school.

Present Simple

Present Continuous

Past Continuous

Past Simple

What are the differences?

We walk to school.

We were walking to school.

We walked to school.

We are walking to school.

When to use which tense..

Present Simple	facts, habits, opinion.
Present Continuous	something is happening now, to express irritation.
Past Continuous	events in the past that were happening for a while (long)
Past Simple	things that happened and have finished (short)

Examples

Present Simple	Water boils at 100 degrees. He studies two hours every day.
Present Continuous	Look! He is coming ! You are always shouting !
Past Continuous	We were sitting in the canteen. She was enjoying the party.
Past Simple	Last year I went to Scotland I arrived home last Friday

Tense	Active
	I teach English to the students.
	They are driving a car.
	He painted the wall.
	She was holding a meeting.

Tenses

present simple

present continuous

past simple

past continuous

Past simple

Past continuous

Past simple

Past continuous

Which one is the past simple and which one is the past continuous?

past simple

past continuous

Which one is the past simple and which one is the past continuous?

past simple

past continuous

Past Continuous

To make the past continuous, you use: was/were + a verb + -ing

You can use the past continuous and the past simple together in one sentence. Past continuous for the long activity and past simple for the short activity.

He was doing his homework when he noticed a rainbow.

Past Continuous

When we use the two tenses together, it shows us that the past simple action happened in the middle of the past continuous action, while it was in progress.

Can you see the difference in meaning of these two sentences?

When the guests arrived, Jane was cooking dinner.

When the guests arrived, Jane cooked dinner.

What's next?

Did you have  1 or 0 mistakes?

Start working on the following exercises individually and in silence

TL: Ex. 29, 30, 31, 32 and 33 (p. 100-103).

HAVO: Ex. 53, 54, 55, 56 and 57 (p. 68-71). Write Ex. 57 in your notebook.

VWO: Ex. 53, 54, 55, 56 and 57 (p. 72-75). Write Ex. 57 in your notebook.

More than 1 mistake? Follow the instruction

Let's try again!

While I _______ the dishes, I suddenly _____ a brilliant idea

1. washed - had
2. washed - was having
3. was washing - had
4. was washing - was having

I _______ the phone ring, he ______ to really loud music

1. didn't hear - listened
2. didn't hear - was listening
3. wasn't hearing - listened
4. wasn't hearing - was listening

They _______ the shop when I _______ there, so I couldn't go in and buy anything

1. already closed - got
2. already closed - was getting
3. were already closing - got
4. were already closing - was getting

The teacher _______ us to stop what we _________

1. told - did
2. told - were doing
3. was telling - did
4. was telling - were doing