Seminar no.

3
Past Simple vs. Past Continuous
Past Simple Introduction
Past Simple expresses an action in the past taking place once, never or several times. It can also
be used for actions taking place one after another or in the middle of another action. It puts emphasis on
the completion of the action.

no differences between
1st & 3rd pers.

Positive
I held a press conference.

Negative
I did not hold a press
conference.

Interrogative
Did I hold a press
conference?

OBS: For the correct use of irregular verbs, consult the list of irregular verbs, which can be retrieved at
http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/irregular-verbs/irregular-verb-list.pdf

Past Continuous Introduction

Past Continuous puts emphasis on the duration or course of an action taking place in the past.
Positive
Negative
Interrogative
I / he / she / it
I was preparing lunch.
I was not preparing lunch.
Was I preparing lunch?
We / you / they
We were preparing lunch.
We were not preparing lunch.
Were we preparing lunch?

FORM
Past Simple
regular verbs: verb (root) + ed
e.g. I served champagne to the gentlemen in the
corner.
irregular verbs: see 2nd column of irregular verbs
e.g. The PR officer held a press conference last
Friday.

Past Continuous
past form of aux. vb. 'be' + verb (root) + ing
I was speaking
you were speaking
he / she / it was speaking
we were speaking
they were speaking
e.g. They were drafting a new media pitch.

Exceptions
Exceptions when adding 'ed' :
Exceptions when adding 'ing' :
when the final letter is e, only add d.
silent e is dropped (but: does not apply for -ee)
Example: love - loved
Example: come - coming
but: agree - agreeing
after a short, stressed vowel, the final
after a short, stressed vowel, the final
consonant is doubled
Example: admit - admitted
consonant is doubled
Example: sit - sitting
final l is always doubled in British English (not
final l is always doubled in British English (not
in American English)
Example: travel - travelled
in American English)
Example: travel - travelling
after a consonant, final y becomes i. (but: not
final ie becomes y.
after a vowel)
Example: worry - he worried
Example: lie - lying
but: play - he played
USE
After another or at the same time?
Do you want to express that the actions in the past happened one after another or at the same time?
Past Simple
Past Continuous
one after another
at the same time
e.g. She came home, switched on the computer and e.g. Simon was playing on the computer while his brother
checked her e-mails.
was watching TV.
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 for the new action and Past Continuous for the action already in progress.
Past Simple
Past Continuous
new action
e.g. My mobile phone rang [while I was sitting in a
meeting]

already in progress
e.g. While I was sitting in a meeting, [my mobile suddenly
rang].

Only mentioning or emphasizing 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?
Past simple
Past continuous
only mentioning an action in the past
putting emphasis progress
e.g. Colin played football yesterday.
e.g. Yesterday at six o'clock, Colin was playing football.
Signal words
Past Simple

first
then
type-II conditional sentences

Past Continuous

when
while
as long as

Certain verbs
The following verbs are usually only used with Past Simple (not in the progressive form).

state: be, cost, fit, mean, suit

Example: We were on holiday.
He didnt mean to bother you.

possession: belong, have

Example: Sam had a cat.
That house belonged to his family.

senses: feel, hear, see, smell, taste, touch

Example: He felt the cold running up his spine.
Jane heard the song she loved.

feelings: hate, hope, like, love, prefer, regret, want, wish

Example: Jane hated George for leaving her.
Marissa wanted to change her phone number.

brain work: believe, know, think, understand

Example: I did not understand him.
OBS: We use the verbs think and wonder with Past Continuous if we want to make a proposal or
suggestion to someone and we do so politely.
Example: I was thinking we might go to the cinema on Sunday.

introductory clauses for direct speech: answer, ask, reply, say

Example: I am watching TV, he said.
She declared the following: We cannot raise your salary, the company is on the verge of
bankruptcy.