Simple Past Vs Past Continuous Tense Khmer - Easy usages, forms, examples and practices

 

Learn the differences between Simple Past and Past Continuous with easy rules, clear examples, and simple explanations. This beginner-friendly guide helps students understand when to use each tense correctly in English sentences. Simple past and past continuous tense are frequently used in every conversation in English but they can be confusing to many none native English learners specifically the beginner. Don't worry this post will help you get through these two tenses with ease by explaining the the key usages, forms, example and practice in both English and Khmer. 

Key usages of Simple Past and Past Continuous

Since simple past and past continuous tense are frequently used together, understanding the usages of each tense clearly is super important in order to do the exercises correct, speak and write accurately. Now let's explore each tense in detail. 

Used of Simple Past Tense

Simple Past Tense is basically used to describe an action or a situation that happened and finished at a specific time in the past. យើងប្រើ Simple Past Tense ដើម្បីនិយាយអំពីសកម្មភាព ឬស្ថានភាពដែលបាន កើតឡើងហើយចប់ទៅវិញក្នុងអតីតកាលជាក់លាក់។ សូមមើលឧទាហរណ៍ខាងក្រោម៖

Rozan went to bed at 11 last night. រូហ្ស៉ាបានទៅគេងនៅម៉ោង១១ កាលពីយប់មិញ។ 

In the example above, we can see that the action of going to bed already happended and finished at a specific time in the past. ( At 11 last night)

យើងសង្កេតឃើញថាសកម្មភាពទៅគេងគឺវាបានកើតឡើងនឹងចប់ទៅវិញអស់ហើយនៅក្នុងអតីតកាលជាក់លាក់ ម៉ោង១១ យប់មិញ។ 

Forms of Simple Past Tense

Positive : Sub + V-ed + .......past time expression.
Negative : Sub + didn't + base verb....
Yes/No : Did + sub + base verb......?
Wh-Question : Wh-word + did + sub + base verb...?

Past time expressions

Since Simple Past tense is used to describe the completed action or situation at a specific time in the past, a past time expressions is often used. Here are some frequently used past time expressions.

• yesterday,
• in 2000,
• when I was 2 years old
• Last : week, month, year...
• Ago : 2 hours ago, a week ago....

Example

• They visited Angkor Wat last year.
• They played soccer yesterday.
• He left a minute ago.
• She cried a lot when she was a baby.
• She didn't come to school yesterday.
• Did you watch TV last night?
• What did you do before you sent to bed last night?
• This morning I woke up at 5 then I went to the bathroom, washed my face, brushed my teeth, took a shower and had breakfast. 

Key usages of the Past Continuous

Past Continuous has two key uses. First, it is used to talk about an action that was in progress at a specific time in the past. Second, it is used to describe many actions that were happening at the same time in the past.

Usage 1: In progress action at a specific time in the past.

I was brushing my teeth at 6 this morning.ខ្ញុំកំពុងដុសធ្មេញនៅម៉ោង៦កាលពីព្រឹកមិញ។

The action of brushing teeth was happening at a specific time in the past which was at 6 this morning. ក្នងឧទហរណ៍ខាងលើ សកម្មភាពនៃការដុសធ្មេញវាកំពុងកើតឡើងក្នុងអតីតកាលជាក់ លាក់ គឺម៉ោង៦ព្រឹកមិញ។ 

Usage 2 : Many actions that were happening at the same time in the past.

When I got up this morning, my mom was watering the plants, birds were chirping and my dad was doing exercise.

There were 3 actions that were happening at the same, the action of watering the plants, chirping and doing exercise. មានសកម្មភាព៣កំពុងកើតឡើងដំណាលគ្នា ទី១៖ ស្រោចទឹករុក្ខជាតិ ទី២៖ សត្វយំ ទី៣៖ ហាត់ប្រាណ។

Forms

• Positive : Sub + was/were + Ving.......
• Negative: Sub + wasn't/weren't + Ving.....
• Yes/No : Was/were + sub + Ving....
• Wh- Question : Wh-word + was/were + sub + V-ing....?

Example

• This time yesterday, I was studying.
• She was sleeping at 10 last night.
• It was raining at 8 this morning. 
• They were playing soccer at 2 yesterday.
• I wasn't sleeping at 9 last night.
• My mom wasn't cooking at 6 this morning.
• They weren't playing soccer this time yesterday.
• What were you doing at 10 last night? 
• This time yesterday, the teacher was teaching, students were studying, janitor was cleaning.
• When I woke up this morning, the sun was shinning, birds were singing and my mom was preparing breakfast.

Simple Past Vs Past Continuous

Simple Past and Past continuous are frequently used together in a compound sentence and this can be a challenge for many learners since they have a hard time to pick between simple past and past continuous tense. But here are some easy tips to help you decide. 

Past Continuous

• action happens first (earlier action)
• action is longer

Simple Past

• action is shorter 
• Later action
• Interrupting action

Example

1. The rain came while they were playing soccer.
2. When the teacher is writing, he dropped his marker.
3. She was taking a shower when someone rang the bell.
4. The police arrived while they were playing cards.
5. Teacher was writing when his marker dropped. 

Practice

Please put the following verbs in the correct tense of Simple Past and Past Continuous.

1. She __________ (brush) her teeth when the alarm __________ (ring).
2. He __________ (sleep) when the phone __________ (ring).
3. We _________ (eat) dinner when he __________ (arrive) home.
4. While it __________ (snow), I __________ (play) outside.
5. It __________ (rain) while I __________ (wait) for the bus.
6. I __________ (find) a wallet while I __________ (cross) the street.
7. My mom __________ (come in) while I __________ (do) my homework.
8. She __________ (watch) TV while he __________ (paint) in his room.
9. Marker___________(drop) while the teacher _____________(write).
10. My mom ___________(cook) when someone ___________(knock) on the door. 

Interactive Practice

Simple Past vs Past Continuous - Gap Filling Practice

1. While I ________ (walk) to school, it started to rain.

2. She ________ (cook) dinner when the phone rang.

3. We ________ (watch) TV when the lights went out.

4. They ________ (play) football when it began to snow.

5. The baby ________ (sleep) when the dog barked.

6. I ________ (do) my homework when my friend called me.

7. John ________ (drive) home when he saw the accident.

8. The students ________ (take) a test when the fire alarm sounded.

9. My mother ________ (clean) the house when guests arrived.

10. We ________ (have) lunch when the teacher entered.

11. While Sarah was studying, her brother ________ (play) video games.

12. When I arrived, they ________ (wait) for the bus.

13. While we were swimming, someone ________ (steal) our bags.

14. The children were laughing when the clown ________ (appear).

15. While I was reading, I suddenly ________ (hear) a loud noise.

16. She ________ (drop) her phone while she was running.

17. While the teacher was explaining, one student ________ (ask) a question.

18. We were traveling in Thailand when we ________ (meet) an old friend.

19. While Tom was fixing the car, his wife ________ (prepare) dinner.

20. The cat was sleeping on the sofa when it ________ (fall) off.

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