PAST TIME

GRAMMAR 3
BASIC CONTRASTS
Past Simple
Past Continuous
PAST SIMPLE GENERALLY
REFERS TO:
Completed actions
I got up, switched off the radio, and sat down
again.

Habits
Every day, I went to the park.

States
In those days, I didn't like reading.
 PAST CONTINUOUS
(PROGRESSIVE) GENERALLY
REFERS TO:
Actions in progress (often interrupted by events)
I was drinking my coffee at the time.
While I was opening the letter, the phone rang.
 PAST CONTINUOUS
(PROGRESSIVE) GENERALLY
REFERS TO:
Background description in narrative

I entered the office and looked around. Most

people were working at their desks, but Jane
was staring out of the window and pretending
to write something at the same time.
 PAST CONTINUOUS
(PROGRESSIVE) GENERALLY
REFERS TO:
Changing states

The car was getting worse all the time. One of

the headlights was gradually falling off, and
the engine was making more and more funny
noises.
 PAST CONTINUOUS
(PROGRESSIVE) GENERALLY
REFERS TO:
Repeated actions - criticism

With a frequency adverb, this use is similar to the

use of present continuous to express annoyance,

When Jane was at school, she was always losing

things.

*Habits (Past Simple)

PAST PERFECT
SIMPLE AND
CONTINUOUS
Past Perfect = 'Past in the past'
We use the past perfect when we are already
talking about the past, and we want to go back to
an earlier past time.

By the time I got to the station, the train had left.

 PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
(PROGRESSIVE)
The same contrasts between past simple and
past continuous.

I had been living in a bed-sitter up to then.

While I had been talking on the phone, Jimmy

had escaped.

The whole place was deserted, but it was

obvious that someone had been living there.

They'd been cooking in the kitchen for a start,

and they hadn't bothered to clear up.
USED TO WOULD
This often contrasts with the  This describes repeated actions, not
present. states.

I used to go swimming a lot. Every week he'd buy his mother a

bunch of flowers.
Every week he
used to buy his
mother a bunch
of flowers.
habitual activity
 UNFULFILLED PAST EVENTS
These describe events intended to take
place, but which did not happen.

I was going to phone you, but I forgot.

I was thinking of going to Italy this year, but I

haven't decided.

I was about to do it, but I started doing

something else.

Jack was to have taken part but he fell ill.

 POLITE FORMS
These are commom with wonder.

I was wondering if you wanted to come to

the cinema.
Make the past simple, positive, negative or question: EXERCISES
1. I _________________ (not / drink) any beer last night.
2. She _________________ (get on) the bus in the centre of the city.
3. What time _________________ (he / get up) yesterday?
4. Where _________________ (you / get off) the train?
5. I _________________ (not / change) trains at Victoria.
6. We _________________ (wake up) very late.
7. What _________________ (he / give) his mother for Christmas?
8. I _________________ (receive) £300 when my uncle _________________(die).
9. We _________________ (not / use) the computer last night.
10. _________________ (she / make) good coffee?
11. They _________________ (live) in Paris.
10 minutes!
12. She _________________ (read) the newspaper yesterday.
13. I _________________ (not / watch) TV.
14. He _________________ (not / study) for the exam.
15. _________________ (he / call) you?
16. _________________ (I / forget) something?
17. What time _________________ (the film / start)?
18. He _________________ (have) a shower.
19. Why _________________ (you / come)?
20. _________________ (he / go) to the party?
Answers: EXERCISES
1. I didn’t drink any beer last night.
2. She got on the bus in the centre of the city.
3. What time did he get up yesterday?
4. Where did you get off the train?
5. I didn’t change trains at Victoria.
6. We woke up very late.
7. What did he give his mother for Christmas?
8. I received £300 when my uncle died.
9. We didn’t use the computer last night.
10. Did she make good coffee?
11. They lived in Paris.
12. She read the newspaper yesterday.
13. I didn’t watch TV.
14. He didn’t study for the exam.
15. Did he call you?
16. Did I forget something?
17. What time did the film start?
18. He had a shower.
19. Why did you come?
20. Did he go to the party?
 EXERCISES
Choose the past simple or past continuous:

1. He __________________ (sleep) when the doorbell __________________ (ring).

2. We __________________ (eat) dinner at 8pm last night (we started eating at 7:30).
3. Yesterday I __________________ (go) to the post office, __________________ (buy) some fruit at the supermarket and
__________________(read) a book in the park in the afternoon.4. We __________________ (watch) TV when we __________________ (hear)
a loud noise.
5. Julie __________________ (be) in the garden when Laurence __________________(arrive).
6. A: What __________________ (you / do) at 3pm yesterday?
B: I __________________ (clean) my house.
7. Last year I __________________ (visit) Paris and Rome.
5 minutes!
8. They __________________ (have) dinner when the police __________________(come) to the door.
9. He __________________ (work) in the garden when he __________________ (find) the money.
10. Laura __________________ (study) at 11pm last night.
 EXERCISES
Answers:
1. He was sleeping when the doorbell rang.
2. We were eating dinner at 8pm last night.
3. Yesterday I went to the post office, bought some fruit at the supermarket and read a
book in the park in the afternoon.
4. We were watching TV when we heard a loud noise.
5. Julie was in the garden when Laurence arrived.
6. A: What were you doing at 3pm yesterday?
B: I was cleaning my house.
7. Last year I visited Paris and Rome.
8. They were having dinner when the police came to the door.
9. He was working in the garden when he found the money.
10. Laura was studying at 11pm last night
 EXERCISES
Choose the past perfect, or the past perfect continuous:

1. When we arrived the film ________________________________ (start).

2. She ________________________________ (work) in that company for twenty years when she was made redundant.

3. I felt ill because I ________________________________ (drink) six cups of coffee.

4. I ________________________________ (study) all day, so I was tired. 5 minutes!
5. How long ________________________________ (you / live) in London when your daughter was born?
6. When I arrived at the airport I realised I________________________________ (forget) my passport.
7. I ________________________________ (break) my ankle, so I couldn’t go skiing last year.
8. She ________________________________ (study) English for three years when she took the exam.

9. I ________________________________ (run), so I was hot and tired.

10. I didn’t go to the class because I ________________________________ (not /do) my homework.
 EXERCISES
Answers:
1. When we arrived the film had started.
2. She had been working in that company for twenty years when she was made
redundant.
3. I felt ill because I had drunk six cups of coffee.
4. I had been studying all day, so I was tired.
5. We had been living in London for two years when our daughter was born.
6. When I arrived at the airport I realised I had forgotten my passport.
7. I had broken my ankle, so I couldn’t go skiing last year.
8. She had been studying English for three years when she took the exam.

9. I had been running, so I was hot and tired.

10. I didn’t go to the class because I hadn’t done my homework.
 HOMEWORK
Fill in the blanks with a correct form, the PAST SIMPLE or the PAST CONTINUOUS:

1. We ___________________________ (play) volleyball with Mary, when you___________________________(call) me.

2. When the teacher ___________________________(come) in, they___________________________ (study) English.

3. The baby ___________________________ (sleep) when the telephone___________________________(ring).

4. As I ___________________________ (walk) in the streets of Holland, I___________________________ (meet) an old friend of mine.

5. I ___________________________ (lose) my car keys.

6. I was looking for my purse when I ___________________________ (drop) my credit card.

7. My uncle ___________________________ (take) me to the airport yesterday.

8. She ___________________________ (dance) when she hurt her ankle.

9. It ___________________________ (rain) heavily when I got up.

10. I ___________________________ (see) the thief while he___________________________ (get) into my neighbor’s house.
HOMEWORK