Let’s Learn Past Simple & Past Continuous
Do you know how to use the past continuous and past simple?
Look at these examples to see how the past continuous and past simple are used.
When I woke up this morning, it was snowing.
I was sleeping when you called me.
The past continuous and the past simple help us to show how two past actions or situations are connected.
Past simple
The past simple shows us that an action was in the past, not in the present. Regular past simple verbs have –ed at the end (e.g. called, played, arrived). Irregular verbs have a different form, usually with a different vowel sound (e.g. wake → woke, break → broke, feel → felt).
My parents called me yesterday.
I woke up early this morning.
Sam played basketball when he was at university.
We make the negative with didn’t and the infinitive verb.
My parents didn’t call me yesterday.
I didn’t wake up early this morning.
We make the question form with did and then the subject and infinitive verb.
Did you wake up early this morning?
Did Sam play basketball when he was at university?
Past continuous
The past continuous shows us that the action was already in progress at a certain time in the past.
What were you doing at 8 p.m. last night? I was studying.
This means that I started studying before 8 p.m. and I continued after 8 p.m.
The past continuous can also show that an activity was in progress for some time, not just for a moment.
We were cleaning the house all morning.
We make the past continuous with was or were and the –ing form of the verb.
She couldn’t come to the party. She was working.
Three years ago, we were living in my home town.
I tried to give him some advice, but he wasn’t listening.
What were you doing this time last year?
Past continuous and past simple
When we use these 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.
While I was studying, I suddenly felt sleepy.
We often use these tenses to show an action interrupting another action.
I broke my leg when I was skiing.
As I was going to work, I saw an old friend.
We were watching television when the power went off.
Can you see a difference in the meaning of these two sentences?
When the guests arrived, Jane was cooking dinner.
When the guests arrived, Jane cooked dinner.
In the first one, Jane started cooking dinner before the guests arrived. We know that because it uses the past continuous. In the second sentence, the guests arrived first and then Jane started cooking.
List of Daily Routines in the Past Simple Tense in English
(You can hear the pronunciation of each daily routine in the video)
- I woke up
- I turned off my alarm
- I got up
- I took a shower / I had a shower
- I got dressed
- I combed my hair
- I made breakfast
- I ate breakfast / I had breakfast
- I brushed my teeth
- I went to work
- I started work at 9
- I answered emails
- I ate lunch / I had lunch
- I worked on my computer
- I finished work at 5
- I went home
- I arrived home
- I fed the dog
- I cooked dinner
- I ate dinner / I had dinner
- I watched TV
- I read a book
- I went to bed
- I fell asleep
Daily routines for School
- I went to school
- I had classes
- I ate lunch / I had lunch
- I finished school at 3
- I went home
- I did my homework
Notice how in this lesson all of these phrases are in the past simple tense and have I (first person singular) as the subject.
Practice Exercises
Video practice: At the end of the video there is a practice exercise where a cartoon of a daily routine appears on the screen. There are also three phrases in the past tense next to the cartoon and you must choose which phrase best describes that activity. The answer will appear after 5 seconds (approximately).
Summary Chart
Source:
Learning English British Council
Woodward English
Salsabila English B
Andi Nur Madany – English B
To be English B
ENGLISH B
Name:Sahrul
Nim: 236601011
Class: English reg 8 ruangan prima
Simple Past:
1. Positif: I visited the museum yesterday.
2. Negatif: she didn’t finish her homework last night.
3. Pertanyaan: Did they attend the event?
Past Continuous:
1. Positif: They were playing chess when I arrived.
2. Negatif: He wasn’t watching TV at 8 PM.
3. Pertanyaan: Were you studying when the power went out?
Nama:Sahrul
Class: English reg 8 ruangan prima
Simple Past:
1. Positif: He traveled to Paris last summer.
2. Negatif: He didn’t travel to Paris last summer.
3. Pertanyaan: Did he travel to Paris last summer?
Past Continuous:
1. Positif: She was reading a book at the cafe.
2. Negatif: She wasn’t reading a book at the cafe.
3. Pertanyaan: Was she reading a book at the cafe?
Sahrul
Reg 8
Simple Past:
(+): He traveled to Paris last summer.
(-): He didn’t travel to Paris last summer.
(?): Did he travel to Paris last summer?
Past Continuous:
(+): She was reading a book at the cafe.
(-): She wasn’t reading a book at the cafe.
(?): Was she reading a book at the cafe?
Name : Dwi Nashwa Septy Maharany
class: REG 2
Answer:
past simple
+ Lisa and Intan were late this morning.
-Lisa and Intan were not late this morning.
? Were Lisa and Intan late this morning?
past continuous
+ I was studying for the exam comprehensively.
-I was not studying for the exam comprehensively.
? Was I studying for the exam comprehensively?
Rifna Arfiani | REG-2
(+) My sister was sleeping when my grandparents went home
(-) My sister wasn’t sleeping when my grandparents went home
(?) Was your sister sleeping when your grandparents went home?
Name : hikmah rezky mei masela
Class : REG 2
Tyara Zyah Ramadanyyah REG 2
REG 2 Tyara Zyah Ramadanyyah
(+) I want to bed
(-) I don’t want to bed
(?) Do i want to bed?
I like pizza so much
Shi dassen like pizza so much
I don’t like pizza
Name: Lian Arziani
class: reg 2
I was having dinner with my big family yesterday evening. (+)
– I was not having dinner with my big family yesterday evening. (-)
– Was I having dinner with my big family yesterday evening? (?)
My name is:Elsa Eraselita
Reg 2
I was going to California last month. (+)
I was not going to California last month. (-)
Was I going to California last month(?)
Name: LIAN ARZIANI
class: Reg 2
I was having dinner with my big family yesterday evening. (+)
– I was not having dinner with my big family yesterday evening. (-)
– Was I having dinner with my big family yesterday evening? (?)
Tri Aninang REG 2
(+)She is reading a book.
(+)We are playing football.
(-)He is not watching TV.
(-)They are not studying for the exam.
(?)Is she eating lunch?
(?)Are you working on a project?
Nama: asma ramadani
Kleas : reg 2
(+) he was sleeping at this time yesterday
(-) he was not sleeping at this time yesterday
(?) was he sleeping at this time yesterday?
Nurhalisa Amnur
Reg 2
Past simple
+ We watched a movie last night
-We did not watch a movie last night.
? Did we watch a movie last night?
Past continuous
+ They were playing football in the park yesterday.
-They were not playing football in the park yesterday
? Were they playing football in the park yesterday?
+ i drink coffe
– we don’t drink coffe
? Does she drink coffe
Hikmah rezky mei masela REG 2
positive
i cook rice everyday
negative
she doesn’t cook rice everyday
question
do i cook rice everyday
Tyara Zyah Ramadanyyah REG 2
RENDY CATUR WIRAYUDANTO
REG 2
Past continuous tense
Answer
+Putri was talking to me when her mother
-putri was not talking to me when her mother called
?was putri talking to you when her mother called?
i like banana
she like banana
Do you like banana
ARYA ANDIKA REG-2
Reg 2
Past simple
+ I finished my homework yesterday
-I did not finish my homework yesterday
? Did i finish my homework yesterday?
Past continuous
+ She was cooking dinner for her family at 7 PM
-She was not cooking dinner for her family at 7 PM
? Was she cooking dinner for her family at 7 PM?
Jingga ramadhani budiwan
Reg 2
Past continuous tense
Answer
+ I was eating while my brother was studying.
– I wasn’t eating while my brother was studying.
? Were you eating while your brother was studying
Saprial Razak
Reg 2
Answer
Simple Past
(+) We studied English seriously last night.
(-) We did not study English seriously last night.
(?) Did We study English seriously last night?
Past continuous
(-) You were waiting Mr. Yudit in the last meeting.
(+) You were not waiting Mr. Yudit in the last meeting.
(?) Were you waiting Mr. Yudit in the last meeting?
Past simple
+ I finished my homework yesterday
-I did not finish my homework yesterday
? Did i finish my homework yesterday?
Past continuous
+ She was cooking dinner for her family at 7 PM
-She was not cooking dinner for her family at 7 PM
? Was she cooking dinner for her family at 7 PM?
Saprial Razak
Reg 2
Answer
Simple Past
(+) We studied English seriously last night.
(-) We did not study English seriously last night.
(?) Did we study English seriously last night?
Past continuous
(+) You were waiting Mr. Yudit in the last meeting.
(-) You were not waiting Mr. Yudit in the last meeting.
(?) Were you waiting Mr. Yudit in the last meeting?
Saya menonton TV
I like watching tv
I don’t like watching tv
Do you watch tv
I like Watermelon
She does like watermelon
We don’t like watermelon
Dwi Puspita
REG-2
Past continuous
Positif:
I was reading a short story while they were arguing.
Negatif:
I did not reading a short story while they were arguing.
Tanya:
Did I read a short story while they were arguing
Dwi puspita
Reg-2
Past continuous
Positif:
I was reading a short story while they were arguing.
Negatif:
I did not reading a short story while they were arguing.
Tanya:
Did I read a short story while they were arguing
Past continuous :
(+) My little brother was playing toy cars while my mother was taking a nap.
(-) My little brother wasn’t playing toy cars while my mother was taking a nap
(?) Was your little brother playing toy cars while your mother thaking a nap?
Simple past:
(+) My cousin died last year.
(-) My cousin didn’t die last year.
(?) Did my cousin die last year?
Anawai Tosepu
KAP 1
Kalimat simple past:
(+) she saw a ghost last night.
(-) sHe didn’t see a ghost last night.
(?) Did she see a ghost last night?
Kap 1 NIM 236601274
I loke to study
Nama : Muh Fhadel Prasetya
Kelas. : Reguler 13
positive : She walked to the store yesterday.
negative : She didn’t walk to the store yesterday.
question : Did she walk to the store yesterday?
positif: i like banana
negative :i don’t like banana
question : do you like banana
positif: they go to the party last night
negative: they didn’t go to the party last night
question : do they go to the party last night?
Answer format:
Amanda Yuli Yanti
Reguler 13
+ my friend invited me to dinner yesterday
– friend didn’t invite me to dinner yesterday
? Did your friend invite you to dinner yesterday?
Answer format:
Amanda Yuli Yanti
Reguler 13
+ my friend invited me to dinner yesterday
– my friend didn’t invited me to dinner yesterday
? Did your friend invited you to dinner yesterday
Name: Adryansah putra adha
Reg 13
positif: they go to the party last night
negative: they didn’t go to the party last night
question : do they go to the party last night?
Negative : We were not watching movie all night
Positive : we were watching movie all night
Question : do we watching movie all night
Positive: we will go to the campus tomorrow
Negative: we will not go to the campus tomorrow
Question: will we go to the campus tomorrow
-Delon Susilo Setiawan
– inggris REG 10
-Positive: we will go to the campus tomorrow
Negative: we will not go to the campus tomorrow
Question: will we go to the campus tomorrow
-Delon Susilo Setiawan
– inggris REG 10
-Positive: we will go to the campus tomorrow
Negative: we will not go to the campus tomorrow