Simple Past & Past Progressive

1. Simple Past & Past Progressive Focus on Grammar Level 2 Fall, 2005

2. Past Progressive & Simple Past While I was taking a shower, the telephone rang. I was taking a shower when the telephone rang. I was taking a shower and the telephone rang. ( An action was in progress when another action suddenly interrupted it.)

3. Past Progressive & Simple Past • What were you doing at 8:00 yesterday? • My wife and I were eating at 6:00. ( An action was in progress at a specific time in the past.)

4. Past Progressive & Simple Past My wife was talking on the phone while I was watching TV. ( Two actions were in progress at the same time in the past.)

5. Past Progressive & Simple Past When my friend left, I ate dinner. ( One action follows another in the past.) Compare: When the bell rang, I was eating dinner. When the bell rang, I ate dinner.

6. Exercises Underline the mistake and correct it. • While he discussed the budget, the lights went out. • When he was arriving, Mr. Cotter drank coffee. • When the phone rang, I was answering it. • He crossed the street when the car hit him and knocked him down. • As soon as our guests arrived, we were eating dinner. • She was driving too fast when she was hitting the pedestrian.

7. Exercises • Choose the correct alternative, ‘a’, ‘b’ or ‘c’. • When he answered the phone, he ____ lunch. a. was having b. had c. is having 2.While I was tying a letter, my secretary ______ a break. a. took b. was taking c. taking 3. The light went out while he ______ the budget. a. was discussing b. discussed c. discuss