0
Voltaire101 Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
What is the difference between the past continuous tense and the simple p..
I can differe between the present continuous tense and the simple present tense.
The diference is :
- Th simple present tense is used for a repeated or habitual action that happen always or often or usually.
- Th present cotinuous tense is used for an action that is still contiuing now.
but I can't differe between the past continuous tense and the simple past tens.
When we use the past cotinuous tense, we use it as these sentences:
1- The teacher was giving us a lesson.
2- A year, ago I was working in London.
And we use the simple past tense as these sentences:
1- The thief picked his pocket.
2- I passed the river yesterday.
.................
We can also use the simple past tense with the past cotinuous tense as these sentences:
1- The teacher was giving us a lesson when a little dog walked into the room.
2 - While we were having supper,all the lights went out.
3- All the lights went out while we were having supper.
4 - Hrry did his homework while the other boys were playing football.
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Ok , what is the problem If I say :
1- The teacher gave us a lesson when a little dog walked into the room.
2- While we had supper,all the lights went out.
3- All the lights went out while we had supper.
4 - Hrry did his homework while the other boys played football.
..................
When to use the simple past tense and when to use the present cotinuous tense?
The diference is :
- Th simple present tense is used for a repeated or habitual action that happen always or often or usually.
- Th present cotinuous tense is used for an action that is still contiuing now.
but I can't differe between the past continuous tense and the simple past tens.
When we use the past cotinuous tense, we use it as these sentences:
1- The teacher was giving us a lesson.
2- A year, ago I was working in London.
And we use the simple past tense as these sentences:
1- The thief picked his pocket.
2- I passed the river yesterday.
.................
We can also use the simple past tense with the past cotinuous tense as these sentences:
1- The teacher was giving us a lesson when a little dog walked into the room.
2 - While we were having supper,all the lights went out.
3- All the lights went out while we were having supper.
4 - Hrry did his homework while the other boys were playing football.
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Ok , what is the problem If I say :
1- The teacher gave us a lesson when a little dog walked into the room.
2- While we had supper,all the lights went out.
3- All the lights went out while we had supper.
4 - Hrry did his homework while the other boys played football.
..................
When to use the simple past tense and when to use the present cotinuous tense?
Top answer
Personally, I think your definition of Continuous as something going on at a certain moment is embarrassing. To see how it works you can take a string of elastic and mark a point on it. Then stretch the string so that the point became a line.
- Personally, I think your definition of Continuous as something going on at a certain moment is embarrassing.
- To see how it works you can take a string of elastic and mark a point on it.
- Then stretch the string so that the point became a line.
- g.
- When I came in (a point), the phone was ringing (a process).
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
8 Answers
0
Personally, I think your definition of Continuous as something going on at a certain moment is embarrassing.
To see how it works you can take a string of elastic and mark a point on it. Then stretch the string so that the point became a line. Continuous is a point of action stretched to become a process, e.g. When I came in (a point), the phone was ringing (a process).
Hence, wha
To see how it works you can take a string of elastic and mark a point on it. Then stretch the string so that the point became a line. Continuous is a point of action stretched to become a process, e.g. When I came in (a point), the phone was ringing (a process).
Hence, wha
00
Voltaire101I can differe make the difference between the present continuous tense and the simple present tense.
The difference is :
- The simple present tense is used for a repeated or habitual action that happens always or often or usua
00
2- While we had supper,all the lights went out.
3- All the lights went out while we had supper.
4 - Harry did his homework while the other boys played football. OK
"All the lights went out while we were having supper". When you have a marker that tells you you have to use the past tense, yo
3- All the lights went out while we had supper.
4 - Harry did his homework while the other boys played football. OK
"All the lights went out while we were having supper". When you have a marker that tells you you have to use the past tense, yo
00
Schetin :
To see how it works you can take a string of elastic and mark a point on it. Then stretch the string so that the point became a line. Continuous is a point of action stretched to become a process, e.g. When I came in (a point), the phone was ringing (a process).
Hence, what you need in order to define whether Continuous should be used, is (1) to see if the
00
Voltaire101
...may be the two forms are correct:
Harry did his homework while the other boys played football. (right sentece according the book)
00
Schetin wrote
Of course they are. As I said, you choose whether there's a point and whether you need to stretch it. I did, you didn't. Void of a definite context both are possible. In other examples, the context is more or less definite.
Regards,
oh!
Of course they are. As I said, you choose whether there's a point and whether you need to stretch it. I did, you didn't. Void of a definite context both are possible. In other examples, the context is more or less definite.
Regards,
oh!
00
It is very easy when actions happened in a sequence like first, second, third,... you need to use simple past: i arrived home, made a phone call and went out again. but when things happened at the same time you need a continous form: i was watching TV when he called.
also depends on what you want to convey, if there is emphasis on duration a past continous is prefered. yeasterday i was wa
also depends on what you want to convey, if there is emphasis on duration a past continous is prefered. yeasterday i was wa
00
Voltaire101I can differe between the present continuous tense and the simple present tense.
The diference is :
- Th simple present tense is used for a repeated or habitual action that happen always or often or usually.
- Th present cotinuous tense is used for an action that is still contiuing now.
but I can't differe between the past continuous tense
0
Related Questions