Past Tenses

Simple past – I worked, she worked, he didn’t work, etc.

Past progressive (or ‘past continuous’) – I was working, they were working, he wasn’t working, etc.


  * We use the simple past for complete finished actions. We often use it in stories.

            I wrote ten letters yesterday. A man walked into a police station and asked …


  * We use the past progressive to talk about actions which were unfinished at a past time.

           What were you doing at 10.00 last night? I was writing a letter.


Simple past

A Complete the sentences with affirmative + verbs, questions ? or negatives –.

    e.g.

   She didn’t feel well last night, but (OK this morning  +)  She felt OK this morning.

  ‘I bought a new coat yesterday. (shoes ?) Did you buy shoes?

1 I didn’t learn much French at school, but (a lot of Latin +)

2 I remembered to buy the bread, but (the milk -)

3 I spoke to Ann’s father, but (her mother -)

4 Peter didn’t phone yesterday. (this morning ?)

5 I didn’t take the bus to London; (the train +)

6 I know you went to Singapore, but (Malaysia ?)

7 The train stopped at Edinburgh, but (Glasgow -)

8 Did the children see a film? (two films +)

9 I ate your cake. (my chocolates ?)


B Make simple past questions.

    e.g.

    Ann and her brother went to Paris. Where did Ann and her brother go?

1 Sarah and her baby came out of hospital this morning. When ……

2 Peter’s friends from the office gave him a bicycle. Why …..

3 The small woman with long hair said something. What ……

4 The children bought something. What …

5 Somebody left a bicycle in the garden. Who …..

6 Something fell off the table. What …..

7 Bill found a cat in his office. Who …..


C Simple past or past progressive?

    e.g.

    I lived/was living in France for eight years.

    Sue lived/was living in France when her uncle died.

1 At 6.15, when you phoned, I had/was having a shower.

2 We watched/were watching TV all evening.

3 Bill watched/was watching TV when Ann came in.

4 My father worked/was working hard all his life.

5 They got married while they studied/were studying at London University.

6 Yesterday we drove/ were driving from Oxford to Edinburgh and back.

7 It was a nice evening, so she walked/was walking home from work.