home
  - english - deutsch - español -
 
>> grammar rules
 - tenses
 - questions
 - negation
 - modal verbs books - DVD - CD
guestbook - dictionary
 - passive  
 - conditionals

> grammar rules > tenses > past

 - reported speech

 - gerund/inf.

 
 - adjective/adv.

 - some/any


overview   -   irregular Verbs   -    forms of "to be"   -   intensive grammar course


 
textwriting
exercises
contact
past perfect
 
past
 
present perfect
present
 

future

all future tenses explained separately;

 

to download a complete explanation of all future tenses in Word format, please click here

to download a complete explanation of all other tenses in Word format, please click here

links
  .
.
   simple:  progressive:
 
 use:

simple statements and actions that happened and ended in the past

there is no relation to the present; mostly it is important when it happened

(the action itself is important)

 

 

background information and longer actions that happened and ended in the past

there is no relation to the present;

(the action is not so important)


 formation:

2nd form

 

was/were + “ing”-Form

 

 example: He went to the store and bought a book

It was raining, the wind was blowing heavily and the waves were making a loud noise.

 

 time indicators:

yesterday, last week/month/year, in 1983, when I was young...


 note:

USE OF PAST SIMPLE AND PAST PROGRESSIVE IN CONTEXT

For actions that happened one after another you use only PAST SIMPLE:
At first she came home. Then she put off her shoes. She went to the bathroom and had a shower.Finally she felt fresh again.

For actions that happened simultaneously at the same time you use only PAST PROGRESSIVE:
While mom was shopping dad was having a cup of coffee and the kids were playing on the playground.

If a short action interrupts a longer action, you use PAST SIMPLE for the short action, and PAST PROGRESSIVE for the longer action:
The girl was having a bath when the postman rang the door bell.

   
contact me
Design & (C): 06 by IrisSolutions