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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Past simple or progressive
Hello, I would like to ask a native speaker about using the simple past and progressive.
Is it possible to use simple past in the following sentences or should past progressive be used?
In the past people used bicycles instead of cars for years or In the past people were using bicycles instead of cars for years.
They produced these cars for 10 years until they stopped. or They were producing these cars for 10 years until they stopped.
In the past people who wrote books were rich or In the past people who were writing books were rich.
I know that there are some cases when it does not make difference whether we use simple past or progressive but sentences like this often make me confused because I am not sure which tense to use when I want to express the activity of producing, using, writing and not the results or completion. Using simple past in sentences like this makes me feel that it happened only once or twice and it was completed.
I would be very glad if you could help me with sentences like this and explain it. Thank you very much
Is it possible to use simple past in the following sentences or should past progressive be used?
In the past people used bicycles instead of cars for years or In the past people were using bicycles instead of cars for years.
They produced these cars for 10 years until they stopped. or They were producing these cars for 10 years until they stopped.
In the past people who wrote books were rich or In the past people who were writing books were rich.
I know that there are some cases when it does not make difference whether we use simple past or progressive but sentences like this often make me confused because I am not sure which tense to use when I want to express the activity of producing, using, writing and not the results or completion. Using simple past in sentences like this makes me feel that it happened only once or twice and it was completed.
I would be very glad if you could help me with sentences like this and explain it. Thank you very much
Top answer
Anonymous In the past people used bicycles instead of cars for years or In the past people were using bicycles instead of cars for years. They produced these cars for 10 years until they stopped. or They were producing these cars for 10 years until they stopped.
- Anonymous In the past people used bicycles instead of cars for years or In the past people were using bicycles instead of cars for years.
- They produced these cars for 10 years until they stopped.
- or They were producing these cars for 10 years until they stopped.
- In the past people who wrote books were rich or In the past people who were writing books were rich.
- For these three sentences, the clear choice for me would be the simple past.
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5 Answers
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AnonymousIn the past people used bicycles instead of cars for years or In the past people were using bicycles instead of cars for years.
They produced these cars for 10 years until they stopped. or They were producing these cars for 10 years until they stopped.
In the past people who wrote books were rich or In the past people who were writing books wer
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Thank you, I am really confused about sentences like this0
I will try to help
The past progressive is used mainly in three ways:-
1. When the past continuous action crosses a mentioned point in time. This point in time can be a date or an action in the past.
In 1910 people were using bicycles. (for example)
or When the war began they were using bicycles.
2. When the past continuous action fills a specified per
The past progressive is used mainly in three ways:-
1. When the past continuous action crosses a mentioned point in time. This point in time can be a date or an action in the past.
In 1910 people were using bicycles. (for example)
or When the war began they were using bicycles.
2. When the past continuous action fills a specified per
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Thank you very much for your explanation. So in the sentences I posted past simple should be use?
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