Simple Past Past Progressive

Language Guide German + Dictionary for iPhone and iPod-Touch (made by ego4u)
Exercises and Tests

Form
Simple Past
irregular verbs: see 2nd column of irregular verbs
I spoke
regular verbs: verb + ed
I worked
Exceptions
Exceptions when adding 'ed' :
when the final letter is e, only add d.

Past Progressive
past form of 'be' + ing form of verb
I was speaking
you were speaking
he / she / it was speaking
we were speaking
they were speaking
Exceptions when adding 'ing' :
silent e is dropped (but: does not apply for
-ee)

Example: love - loved

Example: come - coming

but: agree - agreeing

after a short, stressed vowel, the final

consonant is doubled

Example: admit - admitted

Example: sit - sitting

final l is always doubled in British English

(not in American English)

Example: travel - travelled

Example: worry - he worried

but: play - he played
See also explanations on Simple Past and Past Progressive

After another or at the same time?

final l is always doubled in British English

(not in American English)
Example: travel - travelling

after a consonant, final y becomes i. (but:

not after a vowel)

Use

after a short, stressed vowel, the final

consonant is doubled

final ie becomes y.
Example: lie - lying

Do you want to express that the actions in the past happened one after another or at the
same time?
Simple Past
after another

Past Progressive
at the same time

She came home, switched on the computer and

checked her e-mails.

Simon was playing on the computer while his

brother was watching TV.

New action or already in progress?

If you want to express that a new action happened in the middle of another action, you
need both tenses: Simple Past the new action and Past Progressive for the action already
in progress.
Simple Past
new action
My mobile rang (when I was sitting in a meeting.)

Past Progressive
action already in progress
While I was sitting in a meeting, (my mobile
suddenly rang.)

Only mentioning or emphasising progress?

Do you just want to mention that an action took place in the past (also used for short
actions)? Or do you want to put emphasis on the progress, e.g. that an action was taking
place at a certain time?
Simple Past
just mentioning

Past Progressive
emphasising progress

Colin played football yesterday.

Yesterday at six o'clock, Colin was playing football.

Certain Verbs
The following verbs are usually only used in Simple Past (not in the progressive form).

state: be, cost, fit, mean, suit

Example: We were on holiday.

possession: belong, have

Example: Sam had a cat.

senses: feel, hear, see, smell, taste, touch

Example: He felt the cold.

feelings: hate, hope, like, love, prefer, regret, want, wish

Example: Jane loved pizza.

brain work: believe, know, think, understand

Example: I did not understand him.

introductory clauses for direct speech: answer, ask, reply, say

Example: I am watching TV, he said.

Signal words
Simple Past

Past Progressive

first
then

when
while

If-Satz Typ II (If I talked, )

as long as

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).
1. Two days ago, a murder (happen)

in Market Street at about seven pm.

2. Yesterday, Sherlock Holmes (arrive)

3. He (ask)

one of the tenants in the house.

4. What (do / you)

5. I (watch)
6. (be)
7. Yes, I (be)

at the crime scene to investigate.

yesterday at seven?
a football match on TV.
you alone?
.

8. (hear / you)

anything suspicious?

9. Yes, about seven o'clock, two people (argue)

football match (be)
telly and then (hear / not)

in the hallway. But the

so interesting. So I just (turn)

up the

anything anymore.

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).
1. Two days ago, a murder happenedjust mentioning = Simple Past (we do not know
anything about the progress) in Market Street at about seven pm.

2. Yesterday, Sherlock Holmes arrivedjust mentioning = Simple Past (short action;

you would not arrive over a longer period of time) at the crime scene to
investigate.
3. He askedjust mentioning = Simple Past (Begleitstze der indirekten Rede stehen
normalerweise immer im Simple Past) one of the tenants in the house.
4. What were you doingemphasis on progress = Past Progressive (what was the
person doing at a certain time in the past) yesterday at seven?
5. I was watchingemphasis on progress = Past Progressive (what was the person
doing at a certain time in the past) a football match on TV.
6. Were'be' is only used in the simple form you alone?
7. Yes, I was'be' is only used in the simple form .
8. Did you hearjust mentioning= Simple Past anything suspicious?
9. Yes, about seven o'clock, two people were arguing in the hallway. But the
football match was so interesting. So I just turned up the telly and then did not
hear1st gap: emphasis on progress = Past Progressive (what was the person doing
at a certain time in the past)
rest: actions happening one after another = Simple Past ('be' and 'hear' are only
used in the simple form anyway) anything anymore.
Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).
1. A: What were you doingemphasis on progress = Past Progressive (what was the
person doing at a certain time in the past) yesterday at 8 pm?
2. B: I was sittingemphasis on progress = Past Progressive (what was the person
doing at a certain time in the past) in the pub with Sam. Why?
3. A: I was driving to the sports centre at that time to play squash with a few
friends. As we only three players, I tried to ring you to ask if you would like to
come as well. But I did not reach1st gap: emphasis on progress = Past Progressive
(what was the person doing at a certain time in the past)
2nd gap: 'be' is only used in the simple form
rest: actions happening one after another = Simple Past you at home.
4. B: Why did you not ringjust mentioning= Simple Past my mobile?
5. A: I actually wanted to ring your mobile, but by accident I dialled William's
number. He was not doing anything special at that moment and really likedgaps
1/2/4: just mentioning= Simple Past (actions happening one after another, 'like' is
only used in the simple form
3rd gap: emphasis on progress = Past Progressive (what was the person doing at a
certain time in the past) the idea of playing squash with us.
0 out of 10 answers are correct.