Past Tenses
Using Past Simple and Past Continuous
Écoutez le texte du cours.
🎧 Read/Listen first
Last weekend, I visited my grandparents. They were very happy to see me. We talked about our family and shared stories. My grandmother cooked a delicious dinner. While we were eating, my grandfather told a funny story. I laughed a lot. After dinner, we played games together. It was a wonderful time.
⚡ Learning goals
- Understand past simple and continuous
- Use past tenses in conversation
- Talk about past events clearly
🔑 Key language
- I visited my grandparents. Last weekend, I visited my grandparents.
- They were happy to see me. They were very happy to see me.
- We played games together. After dinner, we played games together.
🌍 Global comprehension
AI writing analysis
Task: Write about a time you visited someone.
Use past simple and past continuous.
Success criteria: Clear use of past tenses.
- visited
- happy
- told
- played
- cooked
- past simple
- past continuous
✍️ Vocabulary
🧠 Flashcards interactives
Choisissez la bonne réponse, écoutez le modèle, puis répétez à voix haute.
⚙️ Rules & Grammar
🟣 Using Past Simple
Rule:
The past simple describes completed actions in the past. It often uses the -ed form for regular verbs. For example, 'I visited my grandparents.'
- I visited my friends yesterday.
- She cooked dinner last night.
- They played soccer last week.
- Using present tense instead of past. → Always use past forms.
- Forgetting the -ed ending for regular verbs. → Remember to add -ed.
🟣 Using Past Continuous
Rule:
The past continuous describes actions that were happening at a specific time in the past. It uses 'was/were' + verb-ing. For example, 'I was cooking dinner.'
- I was reading a book.
- They were playing games.
- She was watching TV.
- Using past simple instead of continuous. → Use 'was/were' + verb-ing.
- Forgetting to use 'was' or 'were'. → Always include 'was' or 'were'.
🟣 Combining Past Simple and Continuous
Rule:
Use past simple for completed actions and past continuous for actions in progress. For example, 'I was cooking when he arrived.'
- I was studying when she called.
- They were playing when it started to rain.
- She was sleeping while I was working.
- Mixing up the tenses. → Identify which action is completed.
- Using both tenses incorrectly in one sentence. → Use past simple for finished actions.
🟣 Time Expressions with Past Tenses
Rule:
Use time expressions like 'last week', 'yesterday', and 'when' with past tenses. For example, 'I visited my friends last week.'
- I saw her yesterday.
- We went to the park last Sunday.
- They were playing when it started to rain.
- Forgetting to use time expressions. → Always include a time reference.
- Using present time expressions. → Use past time expressions.
🧩 Guided practice
Mini-dialogue:
Last weekend, I visited my grandparents. They were very happy to see me. We talked and played games together.
Why this matters:
This language helps you talk about past events clearly.
Verb & Adjective Pack:
Use past simple for completed actions and past continuous for actions in progress.
AI oral analysis
Oral task: Write about a time you visited someone.
Use past simple and past continuous.
Success criteria: Clear use of past tenses.
- visited
- happy
- told
- played
- cooked
- past simple
- past continuous
🚀 Quick challenge
Listen to the model, repeat aloud, then retry to improve your score.
AI Conversation Mission
You are sharing a past experience with a friend.
- Describe your last weekend.
- Use past simple and continuous.
- Share a funny story.
Use clear time markers.