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G02 · Gramática

Past Simple vs. Continuous

Dois passados, dois usos

O Past Simple descreve ações completas e pontuais no passado. O Past Continuous descreve ações em progresso num momento específico do passado.

I cooked dinner. (Past Simple — ação completa)

I was cooking dinner at 7pm. (Past Continuous — em progresso)

Past Continuous: was/were + -ing

Formação: sujeito + was/were + verbo-ing.

I/He/She/It was sleeping.

You/We/They were sleeping.

Negativa: She wasn't working. / They weren't working.

Pergunta: Was he sleeping? / Were they working?

Combinação clássica: when e while

When + Past Simple (ação que interrompeu). While + Past Continuous (ação em progresso).

She was watching TV when the phone rang.

While I was studying, my brother was playing games.

I was driving to work when I saw the accident.

Erros comuns

Confusões frequentes para falantes de português:

While I study, she called.
→
While I was studying, she called.
Com 'while', use Past Continuous para a ação de fundo.
I was cook dinner.
→
I was cooking dinner.
Past Continuous = was/were + verbo-ing.
They were sleep.
→
They were sleeping.
Não esqueça o -ing.

Resumo

Past Simple
ação completa
She arrived at 6pm.
Past Continuous
ação em progresso
She was cooking.
when
+ Past Simple
when the phone rang
while
+ Past Continuous
while I was sleeping
Exercícios →