Past+Simple+vs+Past+Continuous


 * media type="custom" key="21518562" || media type="custom" key="21518550" ||

Form
I spoke regular verbs: verb + ed I worked || past form of 'be' + ing form of verb I was speaking you were speaking he / she / it was speaking we were speaking they were speaking || Example: love - love d Example: admit - admi tt ed Example: travel - trave ll ed Example: worry - he worr i ed > but: play - he pla y ed || **Exceptions when adding 'ing' :*** silent //e// is dropped (but: does not apply for //-ee//) Example: come - com ing > but: agree - agr ee ing Example: sit - sitting Example: travel - trave ll ing Example: lie - l y ing || See also explanations on [|Simple Past] and [|Past Progressive]
 * ~ Simple Past ||~ Past Progressive ||
 * irregular verbs: see 2nd column of irregular verbs
 * **Exceptions** ||
 * **Exceptions when adding 'ed' :*** when the final letter is //e//, only add //d//.
 * after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled
 * final //l// is always doubled in British English (not in American English)
 * after a consonant, final //y// becomes //i//. (but: not after a vowel)
 * after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled
 * final //l// is always doubled in British English (not in American English)
 * final //ie// becomes //y//.

After another or at the same time?
Do you want to express that the actions in the past happened one after another or at the same time? She came home, switched on the computer and checked her e-mails. || **at the same time** Simon was playing on the computer while his brother was watchin TV. ||
 * ~ Simple Past ||~ Past Progressive ||
 * **after another**

New action or already in progress?
If you want to express that a new action happened in the middle of another action, you need both tenses: Simple Past the new action and Past Progressive for the action already in progress. My mobile rang (when I was sitting in a meeting.) || **action already in progress** While I was sitting in a meeting, (my mobile suddenly rang.) ||
 * ~ Simple Past ||~ Past Progressive ||
 * **new action**

Only mentioning or emphasising progress?
Do you just want to mention that an action took place in the past (also used for short actions)? Or do you want to put emphasis on the progress, e.g. that an action was taking place at a certain time? Colin played football yesterday. || **emphasising progress** Yesterday at six o'clock, Colin was playing football. ||
 * ~ Simple Past ||~ Past Progressive ||
 * **just mentioning**

Certain Verbs
The following verbs are usually only used in Simple Past (not in the progressive form). Example: We were on holiday. Example: Sam had a cat. Example: He felt the cold. Example: Jane loved pizza. Example: I did not understand him. Example: “I am watching TV,“ he said.
 * **state:** be, cost, fit, mean, suit
 * **possession:** belong, have
 * **senses:** feel, hear, see, smell, taste, touch
 * **feelings:** hate, hope, like, love, prefer, regret, want, wish
 * **brain work:** believe, know, think, understand
 * **introductory clauses for direct speech:** answer, ask, reply, say

Signal words

 * ~ Simple Past ||~ Past Progressive ||
 * * first
 * then
 * If-Satz Typ II (If I talked, …) || * when
 * while
 * as long as ||

Exercises on Simple Past and Past Progressive

 * one after another or at the same time: [|Exercise 1], [|Exercise 2]
 * new or already in progress: [|Exercise 3], [|Exercise 4]
 * just mentioning or emphasising progress: [|Exercise 5], [|Exercise 6]
 * mixed exercises: [|Exercise 7], [|Exercise 8]