Ingles

The Simple Past

The simple past expresses an action in the past taking place once, never, several times. It can also be used for actions taking place one after another or in the middle of another action.

Form of Simple Past

	Positive	Negative	Question
no differences	I spoke.	I did not speak.	Did I speak?

For irregular verbs, use the past form (see list of irregular verbs, 2nd column). For regular verbs, just add “ed”.

Exceptions in Spelling when Adding ‘ed’

Exceptions in spelling when adding ed	Example
after a final e only add d	love – loved
final consonant after a short, stressed vowel or l as final consonant after a vowel is doubled	admit – admitted travel – travelled
final y after a consonant becomes i	hurry – hurried

Use of Simple Past

• action in the past taking place once, never or several times
  Example: He visited his parents every weekend.
• actions in the past taking place one after the other
  Example: He came in, took off his coat and sat down.
• action in the past taking place in the middle of another action
  Example: When I was having breakfast, the phone suddenly rang.
• if sentences type II (If I talked, …)
  Example: If I had a lot of money, I would share it with you.

  
  

  
  

  Exercises on Simple Past

  
  

  http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simple-past/exercises?03

  
  

  http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simple-past/exercises?04

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Past continuous

  
  

  
  

  Indica que una acción se estaba desarrollando en cierto momento del pasado al cual se hace referencia. No dice si la acción ya finalizó o todavía continuaba.

  
  

  When the mother came home her husband was playing with the kids (no sabemos si terminó de jugar en ese momento o continuó jugando)

  
  

  A veces se describen dos acciones simultáneas que tuvieron lugar en el pasado. En dicho caso, se utiliza el "past imple" para describir aquella que finalizó y el "past continuous" para aquella otra que estaba ocurriendo cuando la primera tuvo lugar.

  
  

  Yesterday evening when you called me I was having a shower

  When the parents arrived home the children were watching TV

  
  

  Otra diferencia entre ambos tiempos es que el "past continuous" se utiliza a veces para indicar que la acción es más casual, menos planificada.

  
  

  Yesterday morning, from 8 to 10, I was running (algo rutinario, que suelo hacer con frecuencia, por lo que no lo resalto)

  Yesterday morning, from 8 to 10, I ran (algo diferente, un tanto extraordinario, por lo que quiero destacarlo)