Past Continuous and Past Simple: THEORY

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/0KEWALU6c24/hqdefault.jpg

PAST CONTINUOUS: USE

http://hortensiaribas.blogspot.com.es/2011/02/past-continuous.html

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kwi84snRLVE/U49WlCEYs3I/AAAAAAAAEC4/Yw75C8RnXVo/s1600/simple-past-past-continuous.jpg

http://starsandstripesenglish.com/diagram-past-continuous/

PAST SIMPLE

Past Simple: Form

https://english-primary-3rd-cycle.wikispaces.com/file/view/Wiki_English_Explain_Past_Simple_03.png/207714228/720×307/Wiki_English_Explain_Past_Simple_03.png

http://faraheybbel.blogspot.com.es/2012/03/simple-past-and-past-continous-tense.html

Uses of the Past Simple

	Past Simple Boy
Uses		Examples
Actions that started and finished in the past Acciones que comenzaron y terminaron en el pasado (normalmente se indica cuándo ocurrió, es decir, hay un adverbio de tiempo que lo indica)		I didn’t go to the beach last Sunday
Actions that happened one after the other in the past (like in a story) Acciones que suceden una detrás de otra en el pasado, como sucede cuando contamos una historia.		I went into the disco and Isaw my favourite girl, then Iasked her to dance,………
With the Past Continuous to refer to a short action that interrupts a longer one. Con el Past Continuous para referirnos a una acción corta que interrumpe a otra más larga.		The TV broke when she was watching the football match

Thanks to Isabel Perez:

http://www.isabelperez.com/happy/tenses/use/pastuse.htm

https://martazafraingles.wikispaces.com/file/view/simplepastandcontinuous(sppc)%20contrast.png/487468350/simplepastandcontinuous(sppc)%20contrast.png   https://martazafraingles.wikispaces.com/Past+Simple+vs.+Past+Continuous

YOUTUBE VIDEO ABOUT PAST SIMPLE AND PAST CONTINUOUS

1ST VIDEO: PAST SIMPLE AND PAST CONTINUOUS

2OND VIDEO: PAST SIMPLE AND MR BEAN

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_SRx1GBJHw[/youtube]

Remember that stative verbs are not used in the Past Continuous:

Verbs not normally used in the continuous form
We use the continuous tenses, both past and present, with actions but notwith verbs that refer to states and feelings. The simple past tense andsimple present tense are used for such stative verbs. Some of the stative verbs include: feel, hear, see, smell, taste, believe, doubt, forget, know,understand, wish, like, love, desire, notice, remember, and want..

Example: I forgot your name. (NOT I was forgetting your name.)
Example: He believes what I say. (NOT He is believing what I say.)
Example: We understood the instructions. (NOT We were understanding the instructions.)
Example: Do you hear that noise? (NOT: Are you hearing that noise?)
Example: Did you hear that noise? (NOT: Were you hearing that noise?)

ADVERBS USED WITH THE PAST SIMPLE AND THE PAST CONTINUOUS

Simple past tense

The simple past tense is commonly used with time expressions referring to the past. Examples are: yesterday, last year, ago, in 2006 etc.

• My father came here yesterday.
• I saw him last week.
• His father died two years ago.

The adverbs never, always, seldom, often, frequently, occasionally, once, twice, thrice etc., can also be used with the simple past tense.

• He never invited me to his parties.
• I met him once.
• She seldom stepped out of her home.
• She frequently changed jobs.

Past continuous tense

The past continuous tense is used to talk about actions and situations that were in progress at a particular point of time in the past. When we use the past continuous tense we usually also state when that particular activity was in progress. For this purpose, we use a time expression or a time clause.

• The children were doing their homework when their dad returned home from work.
• The light went off when I was reading.
• http://www.englishgrammar.org/tenses-time-adverbs/

EXERCISES TO PRACTISE PAST SIMPLE AND PAST CONTIUOUS

Exercises on past simple:

http://www.isabelperez.com/happy/tenses/past_simple.htm

http://www.isabelperez.com/happy/tenses/exercises/past_mistakes.htm

Exercises on past continuous:

http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/past-continuous-exercise-1.html

https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/tests/past-progressive-1

https://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verb-tenses_past-continuous-quiz.htm

Contrast past simple and past continuous:

http://www.isabelperez.com/happy/tenses/exercises/past_cont_3.htm

http://www.isabelperez.com/happy/tenses/exercises/pasts_pastper.htm

http://www.isabelperez.com/happy/tenses/exercises/past_perfect.htm

Exercises – Past Progressive

http://www.gingersoftware.com/content/grammar-rules/verbs/the-past-progressive-tense/