Difference between Past Simple and Past Continuous: rules and exercises

About course
The past in English can take many forms – and it can be tricky for beginners. Sometimes we talk about simple actions that are already finished (Past Simple), and other times – about longer processes that were happening at a specific moment (Past Continuous). For example I watched a movie yesterday or I was watching a movie when you called.
It’s important to be able to tell these two tenses apart to express your thoughts. In our course for pre-intermediate level (A2), you will learn:
- how to easily distinguish Past Simple from Past Continuous;
- how to build correct sentences thanks to clear explanations and visual examples;
- how to reinforce your knowledge through a variety of exercises: listening tasks, memo games, quizzes, and interactive activities;
- fun facts about animals — to make learning not only useful but also enjoyable;
- helpful cheat sheets to quickly refresh key grammar points.
We’ve also included an interactive table of irregular verbs.
This course was designed for anyone who wants to take a confident step forward in English grammar. Join us — and the Past Tense won’t feel so complicated anymore!
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Level: Intermediate
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90 minutes
- 1 lesson
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Teacher's language: English
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Interactive exercises
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Audio
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Video
Course program
1 LESSON
Grammar
An explanation of the grammatical difference between Past Simple and Past Continuous, plus a short contextual text.
Exercises
12 practice activities to help you master the difference between the two tenses: listening, memo game, quizzes, and more.
Irregular verbs
A list of the most commonly used irregular verbs, each with audio pronunciation.
Who is this course for
Learners at the Pre-Intermediate (A2) level who want to understand the past tenses.
Students preparing for tests or international A2-level exams.
Those who want to improve their grammar in a light and interactive format.
And anyone who gets confused between Past Simple and Past Continuous in speaking or writing.
What will you get after the course
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to confidently tell Past Simple and Past Continuous apart, both in writing and speaking — and build sentences correctly without constantly checking the rules.
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Level: Intermediate
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90 minutes
- 1 lesson
-
Teacher's language: English
-
Interactive exercises
-
Audio
-
Video
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