Practice
English practice: past simple and past continuous
Sign in to saveAt six yesterday evening, Sam was walking home when he saw an old friend. Walking gives the background scene; saw tells us about the completed event.
Choose the past simple for a completed past event and the past continuous for an action that was in progress at a past time.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
We were waiting when the bus arrived /wiː wə ˈweɪ.tɪŋ wen ðə bʌs əˈraɪvd/
The short answer
Use the past simple for a completed past action, such as The bus arrived late. Use the past continuous for an action in progress at a past time, such as We were waiting at the stop.
We were having dinner when the lights went out.
Why it works: Were having describes the background activity. Went out names the completed event.
6 more examples
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Mina was carrying a box when she dropped her keys.
Carrying was in progress before the keys fell. Dropped is the completed event.
Not this:Mina
carriedthe box upstairs after she found her keys. What changes: Carried presents the journey with the box as a completed action. -
While I was cooking, my sister set the table.
Cooking provides the background. Setting the table happened during that time.
Not this:I
cookeddinner after my sister set the table. What changes: Cooked and set are both completed actions in this sequence. -
The children were playing outside at four o'clock.
The sentence shows what was happening at one past time.
Not this:The children
playedoutside after school. What changes: Played describes a finished activity rather than an activity in progress at a stated moment. -
I was not listening when the teacher gave the instructions.
Was not listening is a negative background action. Gave is the completed action.
Not this:I
did not listento the instructions yesterday. What changes: Did not listen describes a finished past situation without focusing on an action in progress. -
Were you waiting for the bus when it started to rain?
Were comes before you to make a question about an activity in progress. Started is the later event.
Not this:
Did you waitfor the bus after it started to rain? What changes: Did you wait asks about a completed past action, so wait stays in the base form. -
We watched a film while the rain was falling outside.
Watched is the completed activity. Was falling describes the continuing weather in the background.
Not this:The rain
fellheavily during the night. What changes: Fell can describe the rain as a completed past event or period without showing a particular moment in progress.
Read the full guide
Read the whole sentence before you choose a tense. Look for a past time, then decide whether the verb names a completed event or an activity already in progress. In sentences with when, the short event often uses the past simple, while the longer background action often uses the past continuous.
Find the finished event and the action in progress
A past story can have two kinds of action. One may happen and finish at a point in the story. Another may already be happening around that point. Choose the past simple for the finished event and the past continuous for the action in progress.
The doorbell rang while I was washing the dishes.
Rang is the completed event. Was washing describes the background activity.
Which form shows an action in progress: was washing or washed?
Was washing. Was plus an -ing verb shows an activity in progress at a past time.
Use the past simple for completed actions
Use the past simple when you see an action as finished. It often appears with yesterday, last week, two hours ago, or another finished time. Regular verbs often end in -ed, while many common verbs have an irregular past form such as went, saw, or took.
The train arrived ten minutes late yesterday.
Arrived tells us about one completed event yesterday.
Luca took his umbrella before he left the house.
Took and left are both finished events in the past.
Choose the completed action: At nine, I was studying, or I finished my homework at nine?
I finished my homework at nine. Finished presents the homework as complete at that time.
Build the past continuous with was or were
Use was with I, he, she, it, and singular nouns. Use were with you, we, they, and plural nouns. Put the main verb in its -ing form after was or were: The baby was sleeping; the neighbours were talking.
At seven, my parents were preparing dinner.
Parents is plural, so the sentence uses were preparing.
The cat was hiding under the sofa.
Cat is singular, so the sentence uses was hiding.
Complete the sentence: We ___ watching the match at eight. Choose was or were.
Use were: We were watching the match at eight. We takes were.
Use when and while to show the time relationship
When often introduces the event that happened during a background action: I was crossing the road when I saw the bus. While often introduces the action in progress: While I was crossing the road, I saw the bus. Both words help the reader follow the order of events.
We were talking when the manager entered the room.
Were talking sets the scene. Entered gives the event that happened during the conversation.
While the manager was speaking, everyone listened carefully.
Was speaking describes the continuing background action.
Choose the natural sentence: I was sleeping when the alarm rang, or I slept when the alarm was ringing?
I was sleeping when the alarm rang. Sleeping was in progress; the alarm rang at one point during it.
Make negatives and questions accurately
For a negative past continuous sentence, put not after was or were: She was not working. For a question, move was or were before the subject: Were they working? For a past simple question with an ordinary verb, use did and the base verb: Did they work?
I was not using my phone during the lesson.
Not comes after was and before using.
Did your friends arrive before the meeting started?
Did marks the past, so arrive remains the base form.
Correct this question: Did she was waiting outside?
Write Was she waiting outside? Use was before she for a past continuous question.
Choose the form from the meaning
Before you answer, ask one clear question: does the sentence show a completed event, or what was happening around a past moment? Use the past simple for the event. Use the past continuous for the ongoing activity. A time phrase alone is not enough; read the whole meaning.
The shop closed at six, but the staff were still helping customers at five thirty.
Closed is complete at six. Were helping describes an activity in progress at five thirty.
Which form fits a background action: We waited at the station, or We were waiting at the station when the train arrived?
We were waiting at the station when the train arrived. Were waiting shows the background action, and arrived names the completed event.
Before you go
Remember this
Use the past simple for a completed event and the past continuous for an activity in progress at a past time. When both appear together, the continuous form often sets the scene and the simple form tells the event that happened during it.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
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Try the written questionsQuestions about "English practice: past simple and past continuous"
When do I use the past simple?
Use the past simple for an action, event, or situation that finished in the past. The train arrived ten minutes late yesterday describes one completed event. Finished-time phrases such as yesterday or last week often support this use.
Mina was carrying a box when she dropped her keys.
When do I use the past continuous?
Use the past continuous for an action that was in progress at a particular time in the past. The children were playing outside at four o'clock shows what was happening at that time. Form it with was or were plus an ing verb.
Mina carried the box upstairs after she found her keys.
How do past simple and past continuous work together?
Use the past continuous for a background activity and the past simple for an event that happened during it. In Mina was carrying a box when she dropped her keys, was carrying is the ongoing action and dropped is the completed event.
While I was cooking, my sister set the table.
Do I use was or were in the past continuous?
Use was with I, he, she, it, and a singular noun. Use were with you, we, they, and plural nouns. The cat was hiding under the sofa, but my parents were preparing dinner. Follow either form with an ing verb.
I cooked dinner after my sister set the table.
How do I make past simple and past continuous questions?
For a past continuous question, put was or were before the subject: Were you waiting for the bus? For a past simple question with an ordinary verb, use did and the base verb: Did your friends arrive before the meeting started?
The children were playing outside at four o'clock.