angles2nESO: past simple

PAST SIMPLE

How do we form the past simple?

AFFIRMATIVE SENTENCES:

REGULAR VERBS: We add -ed to the infinitive.

play - played

live - lived

stop - stopped

IRREGULAR VERBS: 2nd column from the irregular verbs list.

go - went

have - had

be - was / were I was at home. / They were tired.

NEGATIVE SENTENCES: DIDN'T + INFINITIVE

I didn't play the guitar.

She didn't go to the party.

INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES: DID + INFINITIVE

Did you play football? Yes, I did / No, I didn't.

Where did you go yesterday?

PAST CONTINUOUS (or Past Progressive)

Form

	Positive	Negative	Question
I / he / she / it	I was speaking.	I was not speaking.	Was I speaking?
you / we / they	You were speaking.	You were not speaking.	Were you speaking?

Exceptions in Spelling

Exceptions in spelling when adding ing	Example
final e is dropped (but: ee is not changed)	come – coming (but: agree – agreeing)
after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled	sit – sitting
l as final consonant after a vowel is doubled (in British English)	travel – travelling
final ie becomes y	lie – lying

Use of Past Progressive

puts emphasis on the course of an action in the past
Example: He was playing football.
two actions happening at the same time (in the past)
Example: While she was preparing dinner, he was washing the dishes.
action going on at a certain time in the past
Example: When I was having breakfast, the phone suddenly rang.

Signal Words of Past Progressive

when, while, as long as

ACTIVITIES:

1. Test: http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/tests/past-progressive-1

2. Questions: http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/past-progressive/exercises?07

PAST SIMPLE - PAST CONTINUOUS

Form

Simple Past	Past Progressive
irregular verbs: see 2nd column of irregular verbs I spoke regular verbs: verb + ed I worked	past form of 'be' + ing form of verb I was speaking you were speaking he / she / it was speaking we were speaking they were speaking
Exceptions
Exceptions when adding 'ed' : when the final letter is e, only add d. Example: love - loved after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled Example: admit - admitted final l is always doubled in British English (not in American English) Example: travel - travelled after a consonant, final y becomes i. (but: not after a vowel) Example: worry - he worried but: play - he played	Exceptions when adding 'ing' : silent e is dropped (but: does not apply for -ee) Example: come - coming but: agree - agreeing after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled Example: sit - sitting final l is always doubled in British English (not in American English) Example: travel - travelling final ie becomes y. Example: lie - lying

See also explanations on Simple Past and Past Progressive

Use

After another or at the same time?

Do you want to express that the actions in the past happened one after another or at the same time?

Simple Past	Past Progressive
after another She came home, switched on the computer and checked her e-mails.	at the same time Simon was playing on the computer while his brother was watching TV.

New action or already in progress?

If you want to express that a new action happened in the middle of another action, you need both tenses: Simple Past the new action and Past Progressive for the action already in progress.

Simple Past	Past Progressive
new action My mobile rang (when I was sitting in a meeting.)	action already in progress While I was sitting in a meeting, (my mobile suddenly rang.)

Only mentioning or emphasising progress?

Do you just want to mention that an action took place in the past (also used for short actions)? Or do you want to put emphasis on the progress, e.g. that an action was taking place at a certain time?

Simple Past	Past Progressive
just mentioning Colin played football yesterday.	emphasising progress Yesterday at six o'clock, Colin was playing football.

Certain Verbs

The following verbs are usually only used in Simple Past (not in the progressive form).

state: be, cost, fit, mean, suit
Example: We were on holiday.
possession: belong, have
Example: Sam had a cat.
senses: feel, hear, see, smell, taste, touch
Example: He felt the cold.
feelings: hate, hope, like, love, prefer, regret, want, wish
Example: Jane loved pizza.
brain work: believe, know, think, understand
Example: I did not understand him.
introductory clauses for direct speech: answer, ask, reply, say
Example: “I am watching TV,“ he said.