Past simple - Past continuous

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 2-4

Past continuous - Past simple

Explanation grammar and recap

Past simple / past continuous

Write a sentence in the past simple using the verb 'go'.

Write a sentence in the past continuous using the verb 'go'.

Past simple

ww + ed 

or 2nd column of the irregular verbs

Examples:

He left early.

She worked at home.

Past continuous

was/were ww+ing

Example:

They were travelling.

She was reading.

NL:

'was/waren aan het'.

Pay attention!

• When two actions/events happen after one another,  you use past simple twice. 
• When two actions/events happen simultaneously, you use  past continuous twice.
• And when a longer action/event is interrupted by a shorter action/event, you use past continuous AND past simple.

So for example:

Dus: twee gebeurtenissen uit het verleden, achter elkaar -->

First, she did her homework, then she watched a film.

So for example:

Dus: twee gebeurtenissen in het verleden die op hetzelfde moment plaatsvinden -->

While my father was cooking dinner, my mother was helping the kids with their homework.

So for example:

Als een actie op de achtergrond bezig is maar onderbroken wordt, gebruik je de past continuous én de past simple.

We were watching TV when the bell rang.

When you called me, I was taking a shower.

Let's give it a go!

Interrupted

Simultaneously

After one another

When I got home, I had a cup of tea.

While my sister was watching TV, I was listening to music.

I was studying for English when my father called me.

While Lynn was sleeping,
Kim finished the presentation.

1. Past simple - past simple
2. Past continuous - past simple
3. Past continuous - past continuous
4. Past simple - past continuous

Mom swore when dad fell off his bike.

1. past simple - past simple
2. past continuous - past simple
3. past simple - past continuous
4. past continuous - past continuous

Choose the correct form of the verb in brackets:
My brother ... (dance) when I ... (come) in.

1. danced - came
2. was dancing - was coming
3. was dancing - came
4. danced - was coming

Dad ... (watch) a documentary about apes while we ... (read) a book.

1. watched - were reading
2. watched - read
3. was watching - read
4. was watching - were reading

The chef ... (cook) a nice meal after he ... (came) in late.

1. was cooking - came
2. cooked - was coming
3. cooked - came
4. was cooking - was coming

I understand the past simple/past continuous

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