Past simple and past continuous 3V (CH4.3)

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 3

Chapter 4

American High School

Learning goals

I can describe words in English
I can recall words I have learned
I know what the past continuous is and when to use it
I can use the past continuous correctly in a sentence

Vocab game: don't say the word!

• Groups of 3 or 4
• One person describes the word on the card
• The others have to guess the word
• Rotate so that everyone gets their turn! 
• 5-10 minutes

I was doing my homework when my father came in.

I was thinking about it one minute ago.

What do these sentences have in common?

What do we call this tense?

Try to create the same type of sentence yourself!

The past continuous: when?

• Used to describe something that was going on in the past, or in other words, somebody was in the middle of doing something in the past.
  I was brushing my teeth two minutes ago.

The past continuous: when?

• We often use past simple and past continuous together if something happened (past simple) while something else was already going on (past continuous)
• The past simple refers to the shorter action and past continuous to the longer action. 

Past continuous: when

• We also use the past continuous when we are describing a scene in a story, in the past.

Example sentences

I was cleaning out the garage when mom walked in.

I was looking at the bread when I saw a mouse.

When he phoned, I was watching TV.

While she was having lunch, the phone rang.

The past continuous: how?

subject + was/were + verb + ing-form

I/he/she/it was working
You/we/they were working

Time to practise!

Fill in the gaps using the past continuous.

We ...... (think) about it just now.

At twelve o'clock last night,
I ............ (sleep).

The sight was hilarious. Jason ...... (run) while the teacher was ...... (yell) and Sarah ....... (cry) in the back.

Now use the past simple or past continuous!

Remember: we use the past simple for the shorter action (interruption), and the past continuous for the longer action (that was already going on).

When he ...... (call), I ....... (watch) TV.

I ....... (watch) TV when he ....... (call).

Go to page 174 in your book

Or do you want an extra challenge? Stay a little longer!

As I ....... (do) the dishes, the doorbell
.......(ring).

Yesterday at 6.30 I ........ (play) tennis.

He ...... (notice) a mistake while he ....... (check) the accounts.

We ....... (drive) home when the car ........(break) down.

While I ....... (write) an email, I ......(hear) a loud bang.

Great job!

You may now also go to page 174 in your book.

Learning goals

I can describe words in English
I can recall words I have learned
I know what the past continuous is and when to use it
I can use the past continuous correctly in a sentence