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Past Simple or Past Continuous

1.- Past simple

El "past simple" describe una acción pasada ya

finalizada.

When I was young I lived in Madrid (ahora vivo en

Barcelona)

2.- Past continuous

Indica que una acción se estaba desarrollando en cierto

momento del pasado al cual se hace referencia. No dice si

la acción ya finalizó o todavía continuaba.

When the mother came home her husband was playing

with the kids (no sabemos si terminó de jugar en ese

momento o continuó jugando)

A veces se describen dos acciones simultáneas que

tuvieron lugar en el pasado. En dicho caso, se utiliza el

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"past imple" para describir aquella que finalizó y el

"past continuous" para aquella otra que estaba

ocurriendo cuando la primera tuvo lugar.

Yesterday evening when you called me I was having a

shower

When the parents arrived home the children were

watching TV

Otra diferencia entre ambos tiempos es que el "past

continuous" se utiliza a veces para indicar que la acción

es más casual, menos planificada.

Yesterday morning, from 8 to 10, I was running (algo

rutinario, que suelo hacer con frecuencia, por lo que no lo

resalto)

Yesterday morning, from 8 to 10, I ran (algo diferente, un

tanto extraordinario, por lo que quiero destacarlo)

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EXERCISES:

Simple Past or Past Progressive

Exercise 1

1. I ……………… (drive) my new car when I…………..(have) the accident.

2. She……………… (walk) down the street when she……………. (trip) on the pavement.

3. They…………me (not see) me because they ……….. (talk) to each other.

4. I …………… (have) a shower so I………………(not hear) the phone. 5. We……………. ( walk) in the mountains when we…………… (hear)

somebody scream. 6. They…………… (have) so much fun at the party, they……….. (

decide) to stay. 7. When the teacher…………….. ( arrive), they…………….. (play) in the

back of the classroom. 8. While I……………… ( have) a drink in the cafe, I…………… (see) an

accident outside. 9. What……………………. (you / do) when the telephone………………

(ring)? 10. Why……………….. (you /run) when I……………..you (see) the other

day?

Exercise 2

While I………………………. (talk) to my friends at the disco last Saturday a

boy I…………………. (know) called John………………………(come) up to

me and …………………(ask) me to dance. While we……………….. (dance),

he accidentally……………………. (stand) on my foot. I…………………….

(scream) in pain. We………………………. (stop) dancing

and…………………….. (walk) over to the bar. While we………………………

(walk), I…………………. (notice) some other friend of mine.

They………………………………… (start) to argue. I………………………

(ignore) them and while John……………………. (order) the drinks,

I……………………. (hope) for a better evening.

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Exercise 3

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.

Exercise 4

1. The receptionist (welcome) ………………………. the guests and (ask)

………………………..them to fill in the form.

2. The car (break) ……………………down and we (have)

………………..to walk home.

3. The boys (swim) ………………. while the girls (sunbathe)

……………………..

4. My father (come) ………………….in, (look) ………………..around and

(tell) ………………………me to tidy up my room.

5. As long as one group (prepare) …………………….dinner, the others

(collect) ………………………wood for their campfire.

6. While the parents (have) ……………………breakfast, their children

(run) ……………………about.

7. Martha (turn) …………………….off the lights and (go) ………………to

bed.