Your nline English Class

–

http://youronlinenglishclass.com.pt

Read the two sentences below, which describe certain events in the past:

Marco’s mother

died when he was six.

Julia’s grandmother

was living in Germany when the war started.

The two sentences refer to things that happened in the past, but they carry
different meanings:

-

something happened to Marco’s mother at a specific time in the

past. That action is complete and finished. The verb tense used is

the

Past Simple;

-

Julia’s grandmother’s activity was in progress for some time in the

past (living in Germany), when a shorter completed action took

place (the war began). The verb tense used is the

Past

Continuous.

We use the

Past Simple

to talk about events:

-

that took place at a specific time in the past;

-

that are complete and finished.

We use the

Past Continuous

to talk about activities:

-

that were in progress for some time in the past;

-

that were the background during which a shorter finished action

(Past Simple) took place.

Note that unlike the Past Simple, the Past Continuous gives no indication of
whether the action is finished or not.

Your nline English Class

–

http://youronlinenglishclass.com.pt

Bearing in mind what you know about the use of the Past Simple and
the Past Continuous, complete the sentences below using the verbs in
brackets.

A: What _____________________________________________ (you/do) when the phone

___________________________________________ (ring)?

B: I ___________________________________________ (watch) television.

A: Was Jane busy when you went to see her?

B: Yes, she ___________________________________________ (study).

A: What time ___________________________________________ (the mail/arrive) this morning?
B: It ____________________________________ (come) while I ___________________________________

(have) breakfast.

A: Was Margaret at work today?
B: No, she ___________________________________________ (not/go) to work. She was ill.

A: How fast ___________________________________________ (you/drive) when the police

___________________________________________ (stop) you?

B: I don’t know exactly but I _______________________________________ (not/drive) very fast.

A: _______________________________________ (your team/win) the football match yesterday?
B: No, the weather was so bad, we ___________________________________________ (not/play).

A: How ___________________________________________ (you/break) the window?
B: We ___________________________________ (play) football. I ______________________________ (kick)

the ball and it ______________________________________ (hit) the window.

A: ___________________________________________ (you/see) Jenny last night?

B: Yes, she ___________________________________________ (wear) a very nice jacket.

A: What ___________________________________________ (you/do) at 2 o’clock this morning?
B: I was asleep.

A: I ___________________________________________ (lose) my key last night.
B: How ___________________________________________ (you/get) into your room?
A:

I

___________________________________________

(climb) in through the window.