Jerónimo's Lesson

Past tenses: simple, continuous and perfect.

The children were shouting when the teacher came in.

My parents are looking for a new apartment.

I‘m reading a very good book at the moment.

When the fire started I was watching television.

It was snowing yesterday.

Juan is starting a new job next week.

Present (Am - Is - Are)

Past (Was - Were)

She was talking on her phone mobile while she was waiting for the aeroplane to take off.

Alexander is tasting his cake frosting to see if it needs more sugar.

Shorter action (past simple)

Longer action (past continuous)

He took the camera and his wallet and went out for a walk.

Cathy was happy because she had won the race.

This time last week we were standing on a volcano.

They went to Australia last

year.

The ferry had already left by the time we arrived at the port.

He has lived in Singapore for three years.

Simple

Continuous

• Past actions. Past actions in chronological order.
• An action which started and finished in the past.
• Actions which happened one after the other in the past.
• Stated time in the past.

• On going past action (often interrupted).
• Actions in progress at a stated time in the past.
• Two or more actions which were happening at the same time in the past.

Perfect

• Single actions completed earlier in the past.
• For an action which finished before another past action or before a stated time in the past.
• For an action which finished in the past and whose result was visible at a later point in the past.