UNIT 3
TROUBLESHOOTING
Professional English
Grammar PAST SIMPLE
We use past simple to talk about finished actions, states or habits
that happened in the past.
Ex: The Vikings invaded Britain in 793.
With REGULAR VERBS, we usually form the past simple by adding -ED
to the base of the infinitive.
Ex: She played tennis at school every day.
Be careful with the following scenarios:
study > studied
like > liked
stop > stopped
Grammar PAST SIMPLE
However, there are many IRREGULAR VERBS that do not follow this
rule and form the past simple in a different way, so we have to learn
them by heart (see the list uploaded to Aules).
Ex: We went to Spain for our holidays.
Some common TIME EXPRESSIONS that are used
with past simple include: yesterday, last night,
last week, last Saturday, the day before
yesterday, when I was young, two days ago, etc.
Ex: I met my wife ten years ago.
Grammar PAST SIMPLE
In NEGATIVE SENTENCES (for both regular and irregular verbs) we
use this formula:
SUBJECT + DIDN’T + VERB IN INFINITIVE
Ex: We didn’t see you yesterday. * We didn’t saw you yesterday.
EXCEPTION (TO BE): AM NOT/ ISN’T / AREN’T > WASN’T / WEREN’T
In INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES (for both
regular and irregular verbs) we use:
DID + SUBJECT + VERB IN INFINITIVE . . . ?
Ex: What time did the film start?
Grammar PAST SIMPLE
Grammar PAST SIMPLE
Grammar PAST SIMPLE
Grammar PAST CONTINUOUS
We use past continuous to talk about an action in progress at a
specific time in the past.
Ex: We were cleaning the house all morning.
In POSITIVE SENTENCES, we use this formula:
SUBJECT + WAS / WERE + VERB ENDING IN -ING
Ex: She was playing happily with her toys.
Be careful with the following scenarios:
write > writing
study > studying
sit > sitting
Grammar PAST CONTINUOUS
In NEGATIVE SENTENCES, we use this formula:
SUBJECT + WASN’T / WEREN’T + VERB ENDING IN -ING
Ex: She wasn’t singing during the concert last night.
In INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES, we use this formula:
WAS / WERE + SUBJECT + VERB ENDING IN -ING . . .?
Ex: Why were they running late?
Some common TIME EXPRESSIONS that are used
with past continuous include: as, at that time,
while, at 8:30H, etc.
Ex: He was driving home at 4 pm yesterday.
Grammar PAST CONTINUOUS
Grammar PAST simple vs past continuous
When we use these two tenses together, it shows us that an action
in progress (PAST CONTINUOUS) was interrupted by a shorter
action or event (PAST SIMPLE).
Ex: While I was having a shower, the telephone rang.
With these tenses, we normally use:
WHEN (cuando) + PAST SIMPLE
WHILE (mientras) + PAST CONTINUOUS
Ex: I was studying in my bedroom when
I heard a strange noise.
Grammar PAST simple vs past continuous
However, we can also find sentences with PAST SIMPLE +
PAST SIMPLE when one past event happened after another.
Ex: I finished my homework and then I went to bed.
We also use PAST CONTINUOUS + PAST CONTINUOUS to talk
about two or more actions in progress that
happened at the same time in the past.
Ex: I was washing the dishes and
Mike was talking in the phone.
was having rang
stopped
were driving saw
was playing went
Did you buy was looking
wasn’t sleeping arrived
was studying
wasn’t working
Was Jimmy waiting got
was ringing didn’t pick
were you doing was helping
didn’t hear
was enjoying didn’t notice
SEE YOU
Next day!
