Basic form :

Nominal

S + was/were + SC
Ex:
I was at home yesterday
They were at the office

Verbal
S + V2

Ex:
I went to the movie last week
He visited his parents yesterday
Use 1: Action finished in the past

Example:
• I visited Bali last week.
• Andi watched TV yesterday.

Use 2: Series of completed actions in the past

Example:
• First I got up, then I had breakfast.

Use 3: Interrupted an action which was in progress in the

past.

Example:
• They were playing cards when the telephone rang.
Negative form:

S + was/were + NOT S + DID + NOT + Vo

Ex:
[+] I was at home yesterday
[-] I was not at home yesterday

[+] I went to the movie last week

[-] I did not go to the movie last week

[+] He visited his parents yesterday

[-] He did not visit his parents yesterday

Was not = wasn’t

Were not = weren’t
Did not = didn’t
Questions form:

was/were + S ? DID + S + Vo?

Ex:
[+] They were at home yesterday
[?] Were they at home yesterday?

[+] She went to the movie last week

[?] Did she go to the movie last week?

[+] He visited his parents yesterday

[?] Did He visit his parents yesterday?
Exercise 1
Put the correct forms of the verbs into the gaps. Use the Simple Past in
the statements.

Example : I ______ to the teacher this morning. (to talk)

Answer : I talked to the teacher this morning.

1) They _____ something to drink in the club last night. (to order)
2) Last summer I _____ to Bali. (to go)
3) She _____ her homework yesterday afternoon. (to do)
4) They _____ their father last Monday. (not, to help)
5) In 2010, we _____ our class a trip to Bandung. (to make)
6) The weather _____ really nice yesterday. (not, to be)
7) The secretary _____ the file yesterday. (not, to delete)
8) Paul _____ nothing to me last night. (to say)
9) The people _____ something to each other. (to whisper)
10) They _____ the movie last Saturday night. (to watch)
Basic form :

S + was/were + Ving

I, He, She, It + was

You, We, They + were

Quick examples :

• I was reading a book at this time yesterday.

• They were playing football yesterday afternoon.

• We were having a meeting last week.

 Use 1: action was in progress at specific time in
the past

Example:
• Joko was reading a book yesterday evening.
• She was listening to the radio at 08.00 last night.

 Use 2: two actions were happening at the same

time (the actions do not influence each other)

Example:
• Anna was writing a letter while Doni was reading
a book.
 Use 3: Together with the Simple Past

Example:
• I was watching the television, when my father
came home.

Note:
Past Progressive : I was watching the television.
Simple Past : My father came home.
 Signal words

• In the Past Progressive we often use a period of

time. A typical signal word is while. The Past
Progressive is frequently used in sentences
together with the Simple Past.

 While
• While we were watching TV, Andy was surfing the
internet.

 When
• The man was sleeping when his neighbor knocked
his door.
Negative form:

S + was/were + not + Ving

Ex:
[+] I was watching the television
[-] I was not watching the television

[+] They were having a meeting

[-] They were not having a meeting

Was not = wasn’t

Were not = weren’t
Interrogative form:

was/were + S + Ving

Ex:
[+] He was watching the television.
[?] Was he watching the television?

[+] They were having a meeting.

[?] Were they having a meeting?
Exercise 2 : Put in the verbs in the Simple Past or the Past
Progressive.

Example : I ____ my keys when I ____ to school. (to lose; to walk)

Answer : I lost my keys when I was walking to school.

1. We ____ at the breakfast table when the doorbell ____ .(to sit; to
ring).

2. He ____ a lot of friendly people when he ____ in Jakarta. (to

meet; to work)

3. While the son ____ ,their parents ____ TV. (to sleep; to watch)

4. When I ____ the door, it ____ . (to open; rain)

5. The students ____ books when the teacher ____ in. (to read; to
come)

6. The girl ____ that the boy ____ her. (to notice; to watch)