E: writing and grammar - past continuous / past simple

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• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vmbo k
• Leerjaar 2

 E: Writing & Grammar:

The Past Continuous + past continuous vs past simple

2k3

• Listening test

• Presentations

Introduction & Listening Test

Start: listening test (part of your proefwerk chapter 1 ) - you just need a pen

Presentations: Group Mayor and group Milan

E: grammar: past continuous + past continuous vs past simple

• page 96 book / Stepping Stones online (2: health - start with E grammar)

• notebook + pen

Take notes: write everything in your notebook

Exercises: do the exercises in your book or online

Review: - what have you learned / what is difficult?

Homework - Irregular verbs + vocabulary + exercises

Learning Goals

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

1. Identify and explain the past continuous tense.

2. Use was/were correctly in sentences.

3. Understand the difference between the past continuous and the past simple.

4. Apply the past continuous in written and spoken exercises.

5. You'll know the first 5 irregular verbs of the second list.

Find out the rule

1. Open your book to Exercise 34a.

   
   

2. Read the sentences and see if you can guess:

   • What is today’s lesson about?

   • What pattern do you notice?

   • What do these sentences have in common?

Explanation: Past Continuous

1. Definition: The past continuous is used to describe an action that was happening over a period of time in the past. Think of it as "painting a picture" of something that was in progress.

2. When do we use it?

   1. To talk about something that was happening at a specific time in the past:

      • At 9 PM last night, I was watching TV.

   2. To describe two actions happening at the same time in the past:

      • I was reading while she was cooking dinner.

   3. To describe an ongoing action that was interrupted by a shorter action in the past (past simple):

      • I was sleeping when the alarm went off.

3. Structure: Subject + was/were + verb (-ing)

4. Key Words to Spot the Past Continuous: when + while

• I was reading while he was cooking.

• I was running when it started to rain.

Using was & were

1. Use was for I, he, she, it.

   • Example: He was running.

     
     

2. Use were for you, we, they.

   • Example: We were studying.

• Don't write "where" (= waar)!

Examples: past continuous

Examples:

1. I ____________ (read) a book when the phone rang.

   
   

2. They ____________(play) football at 3 PM.

   
   

3. She ____________(cook) dinner while I was doing homework.

Answers: past continuous

Examples:

1. I was reading a book when the phone rang.

   
   

2. They were playing football at 3 PM.

   
   

3. She was cooking dinner while I was doing homework.

How to remember the past continuous

Think of an action like a movie scene: It’s happening in the past, not finished yet.

1. Use was/were as your “time marker.”

2. Add -ing to the main verb to show the action is ongoing.

Fun activity: Think & Talk

Instructions: Work in pairs to answer these questions out loud.

1. What were you doing at 8 PM last night?

2. What were your parents doing while you were at school?

3. What was the weather like yesterday? What were you doing?

4. Imagine you saw a UFO. What were you doing?

5. What were your classmates doing during the last break?

Tell the class your answers.

Practice Exercises

Textbook Work:

1. Exercise 34b - Work in pairs. Is this text about the past or the present? Explain your answer to your classmate.

   
   

2. Exercise 34c - Write down what you use for the present continuous

   
   

3. Exercise 35a - Complete the story - Choose was or were.

   
   

4. Exercise 35c - Fill in the past continuous.

   
   

5. Exercise 35d - Fill in the past continuous.

Past Continuous vs Past Simple

Explanation:

• Past continuous: longer action that was happening.

• Past simple: shorter action that interrupted it.

Example:

• I was reading a book (longer) when the phone rang (shorter).

Practice Exercises

Textbook Work:

1. Exercise 36c - Which activity started earlier? Choose A or B in the sentences.

   
   

2. Exercise 37 - Write down sentences about the pictures. Use the past continuous and past simple.

Review & Homework

What We Learned Today:

1. How to form the past continuous.

2. How to use "was" and "were."

3. The difference between past continuous and past simple.

Homework: Study these irregular verbs for next time (page 209)

• To drive

• To eat

• To fall

• To feed

• To feel

• Finish exercises E: reading.

• Study: Page 118: Theme words