Past Progressive and Simple Past

Someone Stole His Briefcase!

1

Focus on Grammar 3Part I, Unit 4By Ruth Luman, Gabriele Steiner, and BJ WellsCopyright © 2006. Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

What did you see?

It was about ten in the morning, and I was sitting in Maxi’s Café near City Park.

I was having a cup of coffee, and I was watching the

people in the café.

What were you doing?

Reporting to the Police 1Reporting to the Police 1

Suddenly, there was another young man. He snatched the red briefcase and ran away with it so fast that no one knew what was happening.

To my left, there was a young man. He was drinking coffee and reading a newspaper. A

big red briefcase was standing next to his feet.

Reporting to the Police 2Reporting to the Police 2

To my right, there was a young woman. She was eating a huge dish of ice cream. She was enjoying it.

After the man stole the briefcase, we were all talking loudly. The owner of the briefcase was very upset!

10 a.m.

Past ProgressivePast Progressive

Use the past progressive to describe an action that was in progress at a specific time in the past.

now

was havingpast future

I was having coffee.

She was eating ice cream.

was eating

Be Careful!Be Careful!

Non-action verbs are not usually used in the progressive. Note the exception with have.

I waswas havinghaving coffee.

She waswas havinghaving ice cream.

I waswas havinghaving a headache.I hadhad a headache.

Here the meaning of havehave is eat eat oror drink drink.

Here the meaning of havehave is eat eat oror drink drink.

Past Progressive & Simple Past 1Past Progressive & Simple Past 1

Use past progressive with simple past to describe an action that was interrupted by another action.

nowstolestole

They were enjoyingwere enjoying the morning when the thief stole the briefcase.

pastfuture

They were enjoyingwere enjoying the morning when the thief stolestole the briefcase.

were enjoyingwere enjoying

Past Progressive & Simple Past 2Past Progressive & Simple Past 2

Use past progressive for the action in progress. Use when and the simple past for the action that interrupts.

nowsnatchedsnatched

The man was readingwas reading the newspaper when the thief snatched his briefcase.

past future

The man was readingwas reading the newspaper when the thief snatchedsnatched his briefcase.

was readingwas reading

I was sittingwas sitting in Maxi’s Café and watching the people there.

The thief stolestole the briefcase and ranran away.The thief stolestole the briefcase and ranran away.

Past Progressive & Simple Past 3Past Progressive & Simple Past 3

Use past progressive to focus on the duration of an action. Use simple past to focus on the completion of an action.

nowwas sitting / was watching

past future

I was sitting in Maxi’s Café and watching people.

stolestoleranran

What were you and others doing? Answer the questions using the past progressive.

I was trying was trying to wake up when you calledcalled.

Practice 1Practice 1

Example: What were you doing when I called this morning?

1. What were you doing when the phone rang last night?

2. What were your friends doing at 6 p.m. yesterday evening?

3. What were you doing last weekend?

4. What was the teacher doing when you first saw her/him today?

The man was readingwas reading the newspaper while the woman was eating her ice cream.

The man was readingwas reading the newspaper while the woman was eatingwas eating her ice cream.

Past Progressive with While 1 Past Progressive with While 1

Use past progressive with while to describe two actions in progress at the same time in the past.

nowpast future

was readingwas reading

was eatingwas eating

While I was describing the theft, the police officer was writing everything down.

While I was describing the theft, the police officer was writing everything down.

Past Progressive with While 2Past Progressive with While 2

Use past progressive with while to describe two actions in progress at the same time in the past.

nowpast future

was describingwas describing

was writingwas writing

Time ClausesTime Clauses

The time clause (= the part with while or when) can come at the beginning or the end of the sentence.

They were havingwere having coffee whenwhen the thief snatchedsnatched the briefcase.

WhenWhen the thief snatchedsnatched the briefcase they were havingwere having coffee.

no comma

no comma

comma!!!

comma!!!

,,

Be Careful!Be Careful!

Sentences with both clauses in the simple past have a different meaning from sentences with one clause in the simple past and one in the past progressive.

When the waiter camecame, I was looking at the menu.

When the waiter camecame, I lookedlooked at the menu.

First the waiter came; then I looked at the

menu.

First the waiter came; then I looked at the

menu.

nowpast future

camecame

First I was looking at the

menu; then the waiter came.

First I was looking at the

menu; then the waiter came.

was lookingwas lookingcamecame

lookedlooked

1. While the women were talkingwere talking, they were drinkingwere drinking tea.2. While the sun was shiningwas shining, the fountain was splashingwas splashing.3. While one man was playing was playing pool, the other man was was watchingwatching.4. While the woman was not lookingwas not looking, the toast was was burningburning.5. While the woman was talking was talking on the phone, the man was was sitting sitting in the chair.

Form sentences with while. Use the past progressive.

While the man was readingwas reading, the prisoner was stealingwas stealing his wallet.

Practice 2Practice 2

Example: read / steal

1. talk / drink2. shine / splash

3. play / watch 4. not look / burn5. talk / sit

ReferencesReferences

Copyright © 2006 Pearson Education and its licensors. All rights reserved.