BASIC-GRAMMAR-U-12.2

	12.2.	Past simple and past continuous
		while, when and suddenly

 

PRESENTATION

 

You often use the past continuous and the past simple together to talk about two actions in the past.

• Use the past continuous to talk about an action that was in progress around a time in the past.
• Use the past simple to talk about an action that 1) happened during, or 2) stopped the action in the past continue.

When Lord Hunter died at eight o’clock, you were having dinner.

The butler found Lord Hunter’s body while/when he was tidying the library. The butler was tidying the library when he found Lord Hunter’s body.

 

 

while, when and suddenly

• You often use while with the past continuous: He died while I was sleeping.
• Use when with the past continuous and past simple: He died when I was sleeping. I was sleeping when he died.
• Use suddenly to describe an immediate change: The sun was shining. Suddenly, it started raining.

 

 

Key vocabulary

Rooms: bedroom, dining room, kitchen, library, living room, study

 

 

 

EXERCISES⇒

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