The Past Simple and the Past Continuous in Contrast

THE PAST SIMPLE AND THE PAST CONTINUOUS IN CONTRAST

 

A. STRUCTURE

 

PAST SIMPLE	PAST CONTINUOUS
Affirmative: Verb + - ed (regular) See list of irregular verbs Examples: I played / they loved/ she worked / we walked / he ate / you wrote	Affirmative Subject+was / were + verb-ing Examples: I was playing / she was working / we were walking / he was eating / you were writing
Negative Subject+didn’t + infinitive Examples: I didn’t play / they didn’t love / she didn’t work / we didn’t walk / he didn’t eat / you didn’t write	Negative Subject+wasn’t / weren’t + verb-ing Examples: I wasn’t playing / she wasn’t working / we weren’t walking / he wasn’t eating / you weren’t writing
Interrogative(questions) Did + subject + infinitive? Examples : Did I play? / Did they love? / Did she work? / Did he eat?	Interrogative(questions) Was / were + subject + verb-ing? Examples: Was I playing ? / was she working? / were we eating? / were you writing?

 

 

B. USE

 

PAST SIMPLE	PAST CONTINUOUS
1. completed actions in the past – often with specific time expressions - I had lunch with Pam, yesterday. - The children played in the garden, last Saturday. - We studied French at school, last year.	1. actions in progress at a certain time in the past - Last night at 8:00, we were having dinner. - Yesterday, at 1:15 pm, I was walking home from school.
2. past routines and habits - She went swimming every day when she lived in Crete. - I never drank cola when I was five.	2. an unfinished action (past continuous) interrupted by another shorter action (past simple) - We were eating dinner, when the doorbell rang. - Tim was watching tv when the lights went off.
3. successive past actions: one action happened after the other - The man drove down the road and soon he came to a large open field. - Yesterday, I got up at 6:30, got dressed, had breakfast and went to school.	3.  unfinished past actions taking place at the same time - Jim was cooking while Anne was washing the car. - I was doing my homework while mum was preparing dinner.
4. the events in a story It was a dark, cold night. The wind was blowing. Suddenly, I heard a scream.	4. background information in a story - It was a beautiful day in Spring. The sun was shining and the birds were singing. Source: Mastering Use of English by Georgia Graham (Burlington Books)