Form
Simple Past Past Progressive
irregular verbs: past form of 'be' + ing form of verb
I spoke
I was speaking
regular verbs: verb + ed
you were speaking
I worked he / she / it was speaking
we were speaking
they were speaking
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
consonant is doubled after a short, stressed vowel, the final
Example: admit - admitted consonant is doubled
Example: sit - sitting
final l is always doubled in British English (not
in American English) final l is always doubled in British English (not
Example: travel - travelled in American English)
Example: travel - travelling
after a consonant, final y becomes i. (but: not
after a vowel) final ie becomes y.
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?
Simple Past Past Progressive
at the same time
after another
Simon was playing on the computer while his brother
She came home, switched on the computer and was watching TV.
checked her e-mails.
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 the new action and Past Progressive for the action
already in progress.
Simple Past Past Progressive
action already in progress
new action
While I was sitting in a meeting, (my mobile suddenly
My mobile rang (while I was sitting in a meeting.) 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?
Simple Past Past Progressive
just mentioning emphasizing progress
Colin played football yesterday. Yesterday at six o'clock, Colin was playing football.
Certain Verbs
The following verbs are usually only used in Simple Past (not in the progressive form).
state: be, cost, fit, mean, suit
Example: We were on holiday.
possession: belong, have
Example: Sam had a cat.
senses: feel, hear, see, smell, taste, touch
Example: He felt the cold.
feelings: hate, hope, like, love, prefer, regret, want, wish
Example: Jane loved pizza.
brain work: believe, know, think, understand
Example: I did not understand him.
introductory clauses for direct speech: answer, ask, reply, say
Example: “I am watching TV,“ he said.
Exercises
1, Choose the correct tense (simple past or past progressive).
1. While Charlie _________ (play) golf, his wife ________ (read) a book in the
lounge.
2. He ________ (stand up, ________( go) to the phone and______ (dial) a number.
3. While I _________(travel) around Australia, I ________visit) many interesting
places.
2, Complete the sentences. Decide if you need to use the simple past or the past
progressive.
1. While Steve _________ (watch) football on TV,
Monica ________ (listen) to the radio.
2. When I _______ (walk) down Fifth Avenue,
I ________ (discover) a wonderful boutique.
3. The angry little girl _______ (throw) her toy onto the floor and ______
(stamp) her foot.
4. I _________ (receive) your SMS while
I ________ (sit) in the doctor’s waiting room.
5. When Ruth ________ (be) little,
she _______ (hate) the smell of coffee.
3, Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).
1. While Tom was reading, Amely ________ (watch) a documentary on TV.
2. Marvin came home, switched on the computer and______ (check) his emails.
3. The thief sneaked into the house, stole the jewels and ______ (leave) without a
trace.
4. Nobody was listening while the teacher______ (explain) the tenses.
5. While we were doing a sight-seeing tour, our friends_________ (lie) on the
beach.
6. He woke up and ______ (look) at his watch.
4, Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or past progressive).
1. When I _______ (do) the washing-up, I ____ (break) a plate.
2. While Tom ______ (play) the piano, his mother ______ (do) the washing-up.
3. He ______ (drink) some juice and then he _____ (eat) a few chips.
4. I ______ (have) dinner when I suddenly ______ (hear) a loud bang.
5. When my father ______ (work) in the garden, an old friend _____ (pass) by to
see him.
6. She_____ (go) to school,_____ (take out) her textbook and______ (begin) to
learn.
7. When it_____ (start) to rain, our dog ______ (want) to come inside.
8. When Jane ______ (do) a language course in Ireland, she _____ (visit) Blarney
Castle.
9. When I _____(be) on my way home, I _____ (see) an accident.
10. I _______ (not understand) what they______ (talk) about.
5, Exercise. Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).
1. I (jog)_______ in the park, when two squirrels (cross) _________ my way.
2. Robert (fall) _________ off the ladder when he (pick) ____________ cherries.
3. Archimedes (discover) ______ the theory of buoyancy while he (take)
___________ a bath.
4. When we (travel) _______ around Ireland, we (meet) _________ some very nice
people.
5. While she (speak) _________ on the phone, the milk (boil) _______ over.
6. When I (leave) _________ the house this morning, the
sun (shine)____________.
7. Caroline (burn) __________ her hand when she (iron) __________ her clothes.
6, Put the following sentences into the correct tense, Simple Past or Past
Continuous:
a) We ___________ (go) down the road at 100 Km/h when the wheel ________ (fall)
off.
b) She nearly ________ (have) a heart attack when she _______ (see)the lion.
c) My mother _________ (get) dressed when she _________ (feel) a pain in her chest.
d) She _________ (fill) in a questionnaire when the pen _________ (run) out of wink.
e) Susan __________ (not/see) her friend because she ________(face) the other way.
f) Mike ________(fall) off the ladder while he __________ (paint) the ceiling.
g) While Ann _________ (cook) dinner, the phone _________ (ring)
h) Susan _________ (wait) for me at home when I _________ (arrive) yesterday.
i) What ___________ (you /do) at this time yesterday?
j) I ______________ (see) Carol at the party. She ___________ (wear) a beautiful
dress.
k) I ____________ (break) a plate last night. I ___________ (do) the washing up
l) ______________________(you/watch) TV when I _________ (arrive)?
m) Last night I ____________- (read) in the bed when suddenly I _________ (hear) a
scream.
n) We __________ (not/go) out because it ___________rain.
o) We ___________(do) our homework while our mum _________(cook) dinner.
p) I ________ (see) Tom in the park. He _________(sit) on the grass and ________
(read) a book.
