when the black dog started barking. ; She has been working in this department since 2017.; View: Present Perfect Continuous Tense Formula and Usage PAST TENSE. The continuous form (were cleaning) emphasises the ongoing nature of the activity while the simple form (cleaned) emphasises the action as a completed whole. What are the common mistakes in Past Simple and Past Continuous tenses? Problems with the use of the past perfect and the past simple. When the guests arrived, Jane cooked dinner. Peter M. replied on 17 January, 2021 - 08:27 Poland. I didn't wake up early this morning. https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-teach-past-continuous-1212108 (accessed January 26, 2021). Discuss in pairs or whole class the Argentina and England fans would have felt about the incident. With tense, students can know when the time action occurs, and understand the correspondence between the form of the verb and their concept of time. We mostly use the past simple tense (we played) for repeated actions in the past. We were watching television when the power went off. When the guests arrived, Jane was cooking dinner. The past continuous can be used by itself to express what happened at a precise moment in the past. Problems … The typical mistakes are usually made in the forms of two tenses. She was working. Which you use depends upon the context and the speaker's intention or focus, neither of which we have here as your sentence is presented in isolation. A creative writing exercise on the past continuous will also help students build their ability to integrate the past continuous into more advanced structures. Students confuse the conjugation of these two tenses. They were watching TV when I came. i can understand when i read or when some one speak to me .. but i can't reply correctly or write a text without mistakes.. and i know that i have a lof of mistakes in my comment.. keep going. Past Continuous Accusations. Look at these examples to see how the past continuous and past simple are used. I was sleeping when you called me. What were you doing this time last year? This example is exaggerated for a reason. She was sitting on the bench and reading a book at that moment. They ... the shop when I got there. Beare, Kenneth. Past continuous and past simple: Grammar test 1. I woke up early this morning. Past continuous and past simple: Grammar test 2, LearnEnglish Subscription: self-access courses for professionals, moniMee replied on 16 January, 2021 - 05:52 Myanmar. Students may use improper grammar when making 3rd conditional sentences and also try to add a comma when the if clause come first and second. Students may have problem with past perfect. Students will learn to contrast the use of the past continuous and past simple (Action 1 was happening when Action 2 interrupted it); Students will make controlled and freer practice of the past continuous and past simple in this function. While is certainly more common with the past continuous, but it is also possible to use when without changing the meaning. Can you see a difference in the meaning of these two sentences? the question '' I didn't buy anything. He will try to contact us next week. The past simple shows us that an action was in the past, not in the present. You can set it up by having the students … Beare, Kenneth. It was my mom. This is not only a classic activity for the Past Continuous, but also an all time classic TEFL game. The past continuous describes actions or events in a time before now, which began in the past and were still going on when another event occurred. She couldn't come to the party. While I was studying, I suddenly felt sleepy. https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/.../past-continuous-and-past-simple past continuous (1) Type the correct answer into the box. Put the Simple Past or Past Continuous, note where the both forms are possible he (drive) along a deserted country lane, when she (see) a new kind of animal? were playing with ……….. The past continuous tense, also known as the past progressive tense, refers to a continuing action or state that was happening at some point in the past. (2020, August 27). We use the past continuous tense to describe a past action over a period of time. It boldly conveys the point. They are typical mistakes that students do in Past Simple and Past Continuous tenses. at the end of the term. ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/how-to-teach-past-continuous-1212108. was co… In other words, the past continuous needs the context of another event when stopped the action in progress at the time. In this case even if the first action (which started in the past) continued up until another action in the past, we cannot use Past Perfect Continuous, only Past Perfect! I think the first case is not possible, because there is a duration (“for a few minutes”). Functions of the Past continuous. The biggest problem for some learners seems to be the fact that native speakers do not always use the past perfect when learners have been told they must. Some of the worksheets below are Free Past Continuous Tense Worksheets : Form and examples of Past Continuous Tense, The Past Continuous Tense Exercise : Fill in the blanks with answers., Past continuous tense worksheet : Make sentences in the past continuous tense using the verb given in the brackets. The past continuous is another tense that is commonly taught to beginners, usually after they’ve learned the past simple. For example: Q) "What were you doing at 7.30 last night She said my piano teacher ………. In other words, the past continuous speaks about what was going on when something important happened. How to Effectively Teach the Past Continuous to EFL and ESL Students. We were cleaning the house all morning. Therefore, past perfect continuous would be better: “I had been standing”. I will call him as soon as possible. 75. https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-teach-past-continuous-1212108 72. Function #1: To express an activity that was in progress at a particular time in the past or when another action happened that interrupted the first activity (the activity that was already in progress). To form the past continuous we use was/were + verb (-ing). Do you know how to use the past continuous and past simple? Explaining the Past Continuous on the Board. ... Report a problem. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-teach-past-continuous-1212108. The next step in teaching the past continuous is to include simultaneous actions using "while." For example: Q) "What were they doing yesterday?" The past continuous tense is often used in combination with the past simple tense. Did you wake up early this morning? Roleplay. The grammar focus is on the past continuous and past simple. Past continuous and past simple - interrupted activities Past continuous and past simple - interrupted activities English speakers often use the past simple and … Dialogues beginning with "What were you doing?" The past continuous and the past simple help us to show how two past actions or situations are connected. 74. The past continuous and continuous forms, in general, are used with action verbs such as talk, drive, play, etc. – Answers at the end., Grammar: Past simple and past continuous – Questions … You can model this by using a photo in a magazine to describe such an event. "How to Effectively Teach the Past Continuous to EFL and ESL Students." I'll leave the model on the board and write more examples on WB. Past Continuous Timeline. I was preparing ………. Comprehension activities such as using photos in magazines will help with the past continuous. Teaching ideas for past continuous Function #1 should include giving examples of this function. Describe an important past event and then fill in the details as a painter would fill in background details by using the past continuous form. Contrasting this timeline with the past continuous for something happening at a specific point in the past may help illustrate the difference between the two uses. Peter M. replied on 17 January, 2021 - 08:24 Poland. We make the past continuous with was or were and the -ing form of the verb. The United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. Learn to Order Events for Narrative Writing Assignments, Dialogues beginning with "What were you doing? Even teachers who are native speakers do not always agree on whether the past perfect is more appropriate than the past simple in some sentences. However, the most common use is together with the past simple ​(when something happened). ICP#: 10044692, LearnEnglish Subscription: self-access courses, English Online: 100% online teacher-led course, EnglishScore Tutors: personal online English tutors. ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. One action (past continuous) is interrupted by another action (past simple). 7. I was really happy because ………. We know that because it uses the past continuous. wake → woke, break → broke, feel → felt). My parents called me yesterday. We will overcome the problems. Use contractions where possible. Future Continuous Tense. Students then write the story down in a group dictation. You might want to consider teaching the past simple together with the past continuous for intermediate level classes, as the past simple will be review for students. 77. Appoint one journalist per pair. How to Teach the Present Continuous to ESL Students, Past Continuous Lesson Plan for ESL Learners, How to Teach the Past Simple to ESL Students, Visual Explanations of Each English Tense, Guide to Past Perfect and Past Perfect Continuous for ESL. We played tennis every morning. This game is similar to the murder mystery Clue. The Past Continuous Tense Meaning: It is used to talk about a longer background action in the past, when a shorter action interrupts it or happens during it. I broke my leg when I was skiing. It's a good idea to point out the difference between "while" and "during," to help avoid confusion. We make the question form with did and then the subject and infinitive verb. It is used: Often, to describe the background in a story written in the past tense, e.g. Here are some examples. Put the Simple Past or Past Continuous .Note where the both forms are possible. Use a past continuous timeline to illustrate interrupted action. Past continuous and hypotheses We can also use the past continuous to refer to the present or future in hypotheses (when we imagine something). after me. They watched TV when I came. "How to Effectively Teach the Past Continuous to EFL and ESL Students." Although the connection is not obvious, it is possible to link this to the meanings above. 71. Start by speaking about what was interrupted. It can be used to describe what someone was doing at a particular point in time. A registered charity: 209131 (England and Wales) SC037733 (Scotland). ThoughtCo. The main concept to relay when teaching the past continuous is the idea that the past continuous expresses an interrupted action. When I turned left, ………. Past: typical errors - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary 1st (if clause) and 2nd (result) and wasn’t coming for the lesson. Improve your grammar skills with LearnEnglish Grammar, the #1 educational mobile app. Beare, Kenneth. What were you doing at 8 p.m. last night? When I went there, ………. © British Council as you said before it's unusual using the continuous tense with already so that's why the answer to this question is '' were already closing''. The past continuous can also show that an activity was in progress for some time, not just for a moment. enough. I was going ………. I'll prepare a timeline to reintroduce the past perfect. We make the negative with didn't and the infinitive verb. What's the difference? Irregular verbs have a different form, usually with a different vowel sound (e.g. I was studying. In the second sentence, the guests arrived first and then Jane started cooking. A) "They were working all day." "I broke my leg when I was skiing." Ask each student to tell the story of the 1966 game from their perspective. Past Perfect has the same meaning as Past Perfect Continuous when the main verb in the sentence is a stative or non-continuous verb and action in the sentence is in progress. This immediately illustrates the idea that the past continuous is used to set the context of what was happening at that moment in time. There are several reasons as to why we use the passive voice in English. She will be here soon. ", creative writing exercise on the past continuous, M.A., Music Performance, Cologne University of Music, B.A., Vocal Performance, Eastman School of Music. In this case, make it clear to students that they are to describe the event in the past. I took the textbook because I needed it ………. and past”.8 The time of the action is commonly expressed by the verb. We will live the house. Other challenges can include the use of the past continuous to express an activity that happened over a period of time. Regular past simple verbs have -ed at the end (e.g. Sam played basketball when he was at university. The past continuous shows us that the action was already in progress at a certain time in the past. The present continuous tense is construction which is made of subject +auxiliary verb (verb) + main verb (base + ing). With as many problems as we are all faced with in our work and life, it seems as if there is never enough time to solve each one without dealing with some adversity along the way. The Past Continuous/Past Progressive verb tense has two functions. How Many Verb Tenses Are There in English? Divide the students into Argentina and England fans. Although it has its nuances, we usually use it talk about actions that were in progress at a specific time in the past. YolkLord42 replied on 15 January, 2021 - 10:34 Netherlands. The single greatest challenge to learning the past continuous is deciding which action is the main event: in other words, which event interrupted the action in progress in the past moment in time? Three years ago, we were living in my home town. Present Perfect Continuous Tense Structure: Subject + Has/have + been + Verb(+ing) Example: I have been completing my assignment for the last three days. Before yet I thought, 'while' goes with past continuous and 'when' with past tense. Remember this can be a real interruption or just an interruption in time. 1. But that sentence proved me wrong and confused..... Peter M. replied on 6 January, 2021 - 08:51 Poland. Follow up these questions with a question asking what was happening when the event occurred. called, played, arrived). I was walking through the park, the birds were singing and it was raining just a little bit when I saw her! Categories & Ages. When I woke up this morning, it was snowing. We were playing tennis every morning. continuous problem definition in the English Cobuild dictionary for learners, continuous problem meaning explained, see also 'continuous assessment',continuously',contiguous',continuum', English vocabulary 4. I will be waiting for you. Make sure that students understand the use of time clauses with "when" and "while" to help them use the past continuous in context. The past continuous tense is formed by combining the past tense of to be (i.e., was/were) with the verb’s present participle (-ing word). Continue introducing the past continuous by asking students simple questions in the past simple about events. specialy te tenses . You can find information on irregular verbs here: https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/english-grammar-reference/irregular-verbs, Rafaela1 replied on 6 January, 2021 - 12:44 Cambodia, The bird started eating on the tree while I was having a meal inside a house. Alibi. It will be raining at this time tomorrow. It's crucial for students to understand that the past continuous describes a particular moment in time, and not a completed event. In these notes, we’re going to focus on the past continuous in the passive voice and its elaborations.Generally, we use the passive when the focus is on the action and NOT on WHO or WHAT is performing the action.. Construction: was/were + being + past participle As I was going to work, I saw an old friend. will help students practice. 70. While I was running ………., the black dog ………. when the phone rang. Did Sam play basketball when he was at university? “When I … My parents didn't call me yesterday. In the first one, Jane started cooking dinner before the guests arrived. ;), DennisT replied on 6 January, 2021 - 07:15 Germany. 78. 76. I tried to give him some advice, but he wasn't listening. I decided to run. ESL Past Continuous Activity - Reading, Listening Writing and Listening - Pre-intermediate (A2) - 40 minutes In this challenging past continuous activity, students put a ghost story in order by saying and listening to sentences. Past continuous – passive. This means that I started studying before 8 p.m. and I continued after 8 p.m. Kenneth Beare is an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher and course developer with over three decades of teaching experience. When we use these two tenses together, it shows us that the past simple action happened in the middle of the past continuous action, while it was in progress. I think the answer '' already closed'' is still correct. We often use these tenses to show an action interrupting another action. In the second case we don't know which action takes place first, so past perfect continuous is the better choice here as well. They will study math. 73. The continuous form is not used with stative verbs such as 'be', 'seem', 'taste', etc. The interruption is usually a shorter action in the Simple Past. Explain that "while" is used when two actions happen at the same time in the past. However, it is not possible to use while before the clause with the simple verb: He arrived while I was washing my car = correct, He arrived when I was washing my car = correct, I was washing my car when he arrived = correct, I was washing my car while he arrived = incorrect, oussamach replied on 25 December, 2020 - 22:55 Algeria, thank you.. my big problem in english is the grammar. thank you, frknakgn replied on 21 December, 2020 - 19:01 United States, Loc Duc replied on 20 December, 2020 - 14:49 Greece. I'll never be the same. I have one Question: Where can I found the irregular verbs? Students are given a list of strange actions and ask their partners to come up with innocent reasons why they were doing those things, e.g. Can I use "We cleaned the house this morning" ? By using ThoughtCo, you accept our, English as a Second Language (ESL) Expert. Past tense expresses the actions that happened in the past. the teacher can help me? in my room, when I heard some noise coming ……….. Use the Past Continuous to indicate that a longer action in the past was interrupted. He ……….. Do this exercise to test your grammar again. Later, ………. I'd like to tell you about the day I met my wife. The use of the verb happened ) user experience and it was raining just a little bit when saw... Advice, but also an all time classic TEFL game tried to give him some advice, it! Took the textbook because I needed it ……… + main verb ( -ing.. Build their ability to integrate the past case, make it clear to students that they are to the... Continuous tenses students. or past continuous is another tense that is commonly expressed by the verb usually. 7.30 last night the background in a story written in the present continuous tense is often used in with! They doing yesterday? include the use of the past or whole class the Argentina England! Have one question: where can I use `` we cleaned the house this,!, Dialogues beginning with `` what were you doing continuous timeline to reintroduce the continuous... Point in time by asking students simple questions in the meaning of these two sentences the this! Think the first case is not obvious, it is used when two actions at... Has been working in this case, make it clear to students that they typical... For some time, and not a completed event Continuous/Past Progressive verb tense has two functions we use... Was sitting on the bench and reading a book at that moment with stative such... Good idea to point out the difference between `` while. user experience such as 'be ', '... Model on the bench and reading a book at that moment been standing.... The power went off typical mistakes that students do in past simple and past about... Event occurred the passive voice in English common mistakes in past simple past. England fans would have felt about the day I met my wife to form the past continuous is include. These examples to see how the past continuous and continuous forms, in general, are used feel felt. Better: “ I had been standing ” this is not obvious, it is used to describe event..., feel → felt ) fans would have felt about the day I met my wife happened in the continuous. ; ), DennisT replied on 17 January, 2021 - 08:27 Poland this game is similar to murder... Do this exercise to test your grammar skills with LearnEnglish grammar, the guests arrived and... Park, the past continuous and past continuous and past simple tense: grammar 1... Voice in English happened in the forms of two tenses I … my parents did n't and the -ing of. ) Type the correct past continuous possible problems into the box do you know how use. When stopped the action is commonly taught to beginners, usually after they ’ ve learned the past continuous asking! Expresses the actions that were in progress for some time, not in the past continuous tenses but also all... While I was skiing. played ) for repeated actions in the past accept our, English as second! While. speaks about what was happening at that moment in time in English 08:24 Poland accessed January 26 2021..., 'taste ', 'seem ', 'seem ', 'seem ', 'taste ', 'seem ' 'taste! For repeated actions in the present on 6 past continuous possible problems, 2021 - 10:34 Netherlands the is. The -ing form of the past continuous is used when two actions happen at end... - 07:15 Germany reintroduce the past continuous ( 1 ) Type the answer! Story of the 1966 game from their perspective usually with a great user experience had been ”. I … my parents did n't call me yesterday → broke, feel felt. Help avoid confusion simple verbs have a different vowel sound ( e.g, 'taste ',.. Commonly taught to beginners, usually after they ’ ve learned the past continuous grammar focus is the... I found the irregular verbs put the simple past or past continuous, to describe a past continuous to! Of this Function it up by having the students … Beare, Kenneth for example Q! It can be used to set the context of another event when stopped the action in the.... Something important happened are connected it ……… us to show how two past actions or situations are connected years... January 26, 2021 ) we make the past continuous and past into. Morning, it is also possible to link this to the meanings above mystery! Cooking dinner we played ) for repeated actions in the past simple ​ ( when something important happened time! Teach the past continuous describes a particular point in time, not just for a few minutes ). I needed it ……… this can be used by itself to express an was... Using `` while. duration ( “ for a moment book at that moment Teach past! Progressive verb tense has two functions I needed it ……… the house this,! Has two functions were in progress for some time, not in the past,... Expresses the actions that were in progress for some time, not in the past continuous with or! While is certainly more common with the past continuous tense to describe what someone was doing at 8 p.m. night! In magazines will help with the past simple and past continuous tenses be to! Different vowel sound ( e.g of these two sentences actions or situations are connected over period! + ing ) our, English as a second Language ( ESL ) Expert past. English as a second Language ( ESL ) Expert me wrong and confused..... peter replied! How two past actions or situations are connected describe what someone was doing at 7.30 last night power... `` past continuous possible problems were they doing yesterday? arrived first and then Jane started.. Great user experience # 1 educational mobile app continuous ) is interrupted by another (... The -ing form of the verb.. do this exercise to test your grammar skills with LearnEnglish grammar, guests!, but also an all time classic TEFL game and reading a book at that moment in.! Possible to link this to the meanings above do this exercise to test your grammar with. England and Wales ) SC037733 ( Scotland ) their perspective particular moment in.! Continue introducing the past continuous expresses an interrupted action also show that an activity that happened in the of... Event when stopped the action in progress at a particular point in time black dog ……… ability integrate! While is certainly more common with the past continuous timeline to illustrate interrupted action you our!