PAST SIMPLE PAST SIMPLE PAST CONTINUOUS PAST CONTINUOUS

S.MontanariS.Montanari

PAST SIMPLE

Affirmative FormAffirmative Form

Subj.+ Verb (regular or irregular) Subj.+ Verb (regular or irregular)

e.g.e.g. I worked in a bank.I worked in a bank.

They lived in RomeThey lived in Rome

We left yesterdayWe left yesterday . .

Question FormQuestion Form

Did Did + subj.+verb (infinitive)+ subj.+verb (infinitive) e.g.e.g. Where Where diddid you work? you work?

DidDid they understand? they understand?

DidDid she study with you? she study with you?

Negative FormNegative Form

Subj+ didn’t +verb (infinitive)Subj+ didn’t +verb (infinitive)

e.g.e.g. We We didn’tdidn’t live in France live in France

You You didn’tdidn’t understand understand

He He didn’tdidn’t come by car come by car

PRONUNCIATIONPRONUNCIATION

Note the different pronunciation of Note the different pronunciation of the –ed suffixthe –ed suffix

e.g.e.g. We lived in FranceWe lived in France [-d][-d]

He washed his carHe washed his car [-t][-t]

They separated in MayThey separated in May [-éd][-éd]

IRREGULAR VERBS

e.g. come - came

have - hadget - got

Sofia came to work late yesterdayI had an accident last nightThey got here at 10 p.m.

However in questions and negatives we use the aux. (did)

+ the infinitive

Did she come by car?

Where did they put the book?

Why did you buy the salt?

USEUSE

The Past Simple is used to:The Past Simple is used to:

- Express finished action in the past- Express finished action in the past I got up at 7 a.m. this morningI got up at 7 a.m. this morning He met Julia when he was in Greece.He met Julia when he was in Greece.

Very often there is a time reference:Very often there is a time reference:

yesterday, last week, two months ago etc.yesterday, last week, two months ago etc.

PAST CONTINUOUS

Affirmative FormAffirmative Form

Subj.+ was/were+ verb –ing formSubj.+ was/were+ verb –ing form

e.g.e.g. He He was studyingwas studying Russian Russian

They They were watchingwere watching TV TV

I I waswas stayingstaying in Rimini in Rimini

Question FormQuestion Form

Was/were+Subj.+verb –ing?Was/were+Subj.+verb –ing?

e.g.e.g. WereWere you you listening?listening?

Where Where waswas she she living living in 2001?in 2001?

What What werewere you you talkingtalking about? about?

Negative FormNegative Form

Subj.+was/were not+ verb -ingSubj.+was/were not+ verb -ing

e.g.e.g. We were We were notnot travelling together travelling together

You were You were notnot listening to me listening to me

They were They were notnot living together living together

USE To describe an action that was in progress at a specific time

in the pastMary was working at 10 yesterday

To talk about an action that was in progress when a second action happened

I was studying when the electricity went off

To talk about two actions that were in progress at the same time in the past

I was having a bath while my husband was cooking

To give background information in a storyIt was getting dark, I was walking down the road when I

saw a strange man …