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 1
"past imple" para describir aquella que finaliz贸 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 acci贸n es m谩s 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)
2
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)
They…………………………………
some
other
friend
of
mine.
(start) to argue. I………………………
(ignore) them and while John……………………. (order) the drinks, I……………………. (hope) for a better evening. 3
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.
4