GRAMMAR REVIEW

Simple Past

irregular verbs: see 2nd column of irregular verbs

I spoke

regular verbs: verb + ed

I worked

Past Progressive
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

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

Simple Past

She came home, switched on the computer and checked her e-mails.

Past Progressive

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

new action

My mobile rang (when I was sitting in a meeting.)

Past Progressive

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

just mentioning

Colin played football yesterday.

Past Progressive

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.

Simple Past or Past Progressive

Principio del formulario

Exercise 1

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).

1.    While Tom (read) , Amely (watch) a documentary on TV.

2.    Marvin (come) home, (switch) on the computer and (check) his emails.

3.    The thief (sneak) into the house, (steal) the jewels and (leave) without a trace.

4.    Nobody (listen) while the teacher (explain) the tenses.

5.    While we (do) a sight-seeing tour, our friends (lie) on the beach.

6.    He (wake) up and (look) at his watch.

Final del formulario

ANSWERS

Simple Past or Past Progressive

Principio del formulario

Exercise 1

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).

1.    While Tom was reading, Amely was watchingtwo actions happening at the same time in the past, emphasis on progress = Past Progressive a documentary on TV.

2.    Marvin came home, switched on the computer and checkedactions happening one after another = Simple Past his emails.

3.    The thief sneaked into the house, stole the jewels and leftactions happening one after another = Simple Past without a trace.

4.    Nobody was listening while the teacher was explainingtwo actions happening at the same time in the past, emphasis on progress = Past Progressive the tenses.

5.    While we were doing a sight-seeing tour, our friends were lyingtwo actions happening at the same time in the past, emphasis on progress = Past Progressive on the beach.

6.    He woke up and lookedactions happening one after another = Simple Past at his watch.

Simple Past or Past Progressive

Principio del formulario

Exercise 3

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).

1.    We (wait) for Jane, when suddenly Louis (come) around the corner.

2.    I (cycle) through the park, when I (hear) a strange noise.

3.    He (pass) her a message when the teacher (look / not) .

4.    I (fall) asleep while I (watch) TV last night.

5.    When Mike and Jane (paint) the walls, their dog (knock) over the paint pot.

6.    Tom (break) his leg when he (play) frisbee.

7.    The phone (ring) when I (sit) on the toilet.

ANSWERS

Simple Past or Past Progressive

Principio del formulario

Exercise 3

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).

1.    We were waiting for Jane, when suddenly Louis camethe first action was already going on (Past Progressive) when the second action took place (Simple Past) around the corner.

2.    I was cycling through the park, when I heardthe first action was already going on (Past Progressive) when the second action took place (Simple Past) a strange noise.

3.    He passed her a message when the teacher was not lookingthe second action was already going on (Past Progressive) when the first action took place (Simple Past) .

4.    I fell asleep while I was watchingthe second action was already going on (Past Progressive) when the first action took place (Simple Past) TV last night.

5.    When Mike and Jane were painting the walls, their dog knockedthe first action was already going on (Past Progressive) when the second action took place (Simple Past) over the paint pot.

6.    Tom broke his leg when he was playingthe second action was already going on (Past Progressive) when the first action took place (Simple Past) frisbee.

7.    The phone rang when I was sittingthe second action was already going on (Past Progressive) when the first action took place (Simple Past) on the toilet.