GRAMMAR: Past Simple vs Past Continuous

We use the Past Simple:

*for events or actions in the past: In her youth she worked hard at English.

*for events that happened one after another: I finished my translation and sat down to watch TV.

We use the Past Continuous:

*for actions in progress in the past: I was doing the translation all afternoon.

*for action that was in progress when another action happened (The second action is in the Past Simple): When we came she was interviewing a new secretary.

*for actions in progress at the same time in the past: The strong wind was blowing and it was raining heavily.

Ex.1. Choose the correct variant:

1 He became/was becoming a very rich man when he was just 25. 2 The weather was terrible, it rained/was raining the whole day. 3 While Maria was writing the report, Henry looked/was looking for more information. 4 At 7 o'clock this morning she studied/was studying. 5 The student was reading a magazine while the professor spoke/was speaking. 6 Henry ate/was eating a snack at midnight last night. 7 It snowed/was snowing heavily when he was waking up/woke up. 8 He often borrowed/was borrowing from me when we were students. 9 When he was young he was going/went swimming every Sunday. 10 When I was shopping in Richmond Street I saw/was seeing a car accident. 11 I talked/was talking to my boss when you rang. 12 Last year they were dividing/divided their business into two.

Ex.2. Complete these sentences using the correct form of the verbs in brackets:

1 While my brother (study) for his exam, I (translate) a newspaper article into Ukrainian. 2 Tom (write) a letter to his family when his pencil (break). 3 When I (clean) the house, I (find) some old letters. 4 The doorbell (ring) while I (have) a bath. 5 They (build) a new bank when I (be) there last year. 6 My friend (own) this company but the state (buy) it and (bring) into public sector. 7 I (phone) my parents when the door bell (ring). 8 We (not hear) the phone because we (sing). 9 During his visit to Switzerland he (go) skiing every weekend. 10 While he (watch) TV he (hear) a loud cry for help.

Ex.3. Correct the mistakes where necessary:

1 As a child I never was staying up later than ten o'clock. 2 He was probably working in the office when we rang. 3 She talked to someone on the phone when I came. 4 I tried to learn the rule while someone outside played the guitar. 5 French hypermarket companies were beginning their operations in the Spanish retail sector. 6 Public sector pay was rising by only 3 per cent last year. 7 Analysts predicted continued growth in the service sector last month. 8 Many people in the private sector were having to take very low pay increase last year. 9 With a degree in business studies, she was hoping to find work in a multinational corporation. 10 In an effort to improve its image, the company launched a new public relations campaign.

Ex.4. Translate into English:

1 Вони дивилися телевізійну програму, коли прийшла Сюзан і розповіла їм останні новини. 2 Англія закупила товарів на £ 2 мільйони минулого місяця. 3 Він не виконав роботу вчасно і залишився в офісі закінчити її. 4 Його родина приватизувала кілька супермаркетів нашого міста два роки тому. 5 Він припинив постачати обладнання для нашого заводу минулого року. 6 Вона прилетіла в Київ о десятій ранку і одразу зателефонувала на фірму. 7 Ми добре навчилися реагувати на зміни в попиті наших клієнтів, коли намагалися стати лідером у секторі послуг. 8 Я вчора запізнився на важливу зустріч.

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