Let’s practice using the Past Simple and Continuous tenses together.
A. Identify the tenses in the following sentences. Are they Present Simple, Past Simple, or Past Continuous?
1.) Do you like big parties?
2.) Did you have a party last month?
3.) We weren’t planning to go to the birthday party.
4.) Juan was at the party at 7:00 PM.
5.) Are you usually on time for parties?
6.) We celebrated Lucia’s birthday.
7.) The host was greeting the guests.
8.) The guests were polite.
B. Explain it to me like I’m five.
1.) What is the difference in meaning between these sentences?
Richard gave Susan a gift at 7:00 PM.
Richard was giving Susan a gift at 7:00 PM.
2.) How do we use ‘when’ and ‘while’ in the Past Continuous?
C. Find an error in each of these four Past Simple and four Past Continuous sentences.
Past Simple:
1.) We not have balloons for the party.
2.) You wasn’t in a costume. Why not?
3.) We meet Peter at a party last month.
4.) We did celebrated my sister’s promotion two weeks ago.
Past Continuous:
5.) We were dance when the music stopped.
6.) You were sitting with your friends?
7.) Tom and Tammy no were talking at the event.
8.) Was you watching the clown at the picnic?
D. Complete the sentences with your own words.
1.) Sam … (Past Continuous) when … (Past Simple).
2.) Sebastian and Vicki … (negative Past Simple).
3.) … you … (interrogative Past Continuous) while you … (Past Continuous)?
4.) The guests … (negative Past Continuous) at 11:00 PM.
5.) … Frank … (interrogative Past Simple).
6.) The host (Past Simple with the verb ‘to be’).
