Hi,
I am teaching a lesson on the past simple and continuous for CELTA. I wanted to know how can I fully clarifiy the differences between the two tenses.
I am planning to talk about what I did yesterday as the theme of the lesson. For example
While I was eating the doorbell rang.
Can anyone tell me if this will be ok or suggest something better or how to better show the difference.
Thank you
Past simple and past continuous
Moderator: Joe
Re: Past simple and past continuous
It's a very good example.
You don't say the level of your students. If they are a low level, they may have difficulty understanding "the doorbell rang". In some languages, that just doesn't translate; some languages have to have the structure: someone rang the doorbell.
Lucy
You don't say the level of your students. If they are a low level, they may have difficulty understanding "the doorbell rang". In some languages, that just doesn't translate; some languages have to have the structure: someone rang the doorbell.
Lucy
Lucy is the author of Lucy Pollard's Guide to Teaching English
Re: Past simple and past continuous
I agree, this sentence is a good example.
Remember to explain:
First, you started eating.
Then, the door bell rang.
Then, you finished eating.
This shows "eating" is continuous, and the doorbell rang in the middle of "eating".
I have some speaking activities for using the past continuous but they are for intermediate level and up.
All the best,
Becki
Remember to explain:
First, you started eating.
Then, the door bell rang.
Then, you finished eating.
This shows "eating" is continuous, and the doorbell rang in the middle of "eating".
I have some speaking activities for using the past continuous but they are for intermediate level and up.
All the best,
Becki
Last edited by Susan on 17 Mar 2013, 09:59, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Past simple and past continuous
Past: was. were. did. had.
Continuous: being. doing. having.
Was being. Was doing. Was having.
Were being. Were doing. Were having.
Continuous: being. doing. having.
Was being. Was doing. Was having.
Were being. Were doing. Were having.