Past Simple / Past Continuous with WHEN and WHILE

Past Simple/Past Continuous

Tony's family were having tea when he arrived.

While Tony's family were having tea, he arrived

USAGE:

When we use these two forms in the same sentence, we use the past continuous to talk about the "background action" and the past simple to talk about the shorter completed action.

The action in the Past Simple interrupted the action in the Past Continuous.

Watch the following examples:

When + Past Simple (sentence 1 ) + Past Continuous ( sentence 2)

When (quando)

Eg. : When the lights went out, Ann was studying.

While + Past Continuous (sentence 1)+ Past Simple (sentence 2)

While (enquanto)

Eg.: While Ann was studying, the lights went out.

Video

Ihttp://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/tenses/simple_past_progressive.htm would like you to click on the links below to practice this grammar topic.

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/tenses/simple_past_progressive.htm New


http://www.inglesonline.com.br/exerciciosdeinglesonline/past-cont-simple.htm New (Homework)

http://www.englishtenseswithcartoons.com/test/when_or_while_test

http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simpas-paspro/exercises

http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simpas-paspro/exercises?ex03

http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/pastsimpleorcontinuous/exercise2.html

http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=734

http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=1206