Past Simple vs. Past Continuous ESL Activities, Games and Worksheets

Past Tense Exchange

Pre-intermediate (A2) 30 minutes
ESL Past Simple and Past Continuous Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Writing, Asking and Answering Questions - Group and Pair Work

This past simple vs. past continuous speaking activity helps students practice forming, asking and answering... read more

Accidental Inventions

Intermediate (B1) 30 minutes
ESL Past Simple and Past Continuous Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Gap-fill, Asking and Answering Questions, Freer Practice - Group Work

In this engaging past simple and past continuous activity, students take on the role of famous inventors and... read more

Alibi

Intermediate (B1) 30 minutes
ESL Past Simple and Past Continuous Activity - Speaking: Role-Play, Asking and Answering Questions - Group Work

In this intriguing past simple and past continuous activity, students solve a murder by listening to people talk about what they were doing at particular... read more

Past Simple or Past Continuous?

Intermediate (B1) 25 minutes
ESL Past Simple vs. Past Continuous Worksheet - Grammar Exercises: Categorising, Gap-fill, Matching, Writing Sentences

This free past simple or past continuous worksheet helps students learn and practice how and when to use... read more

What were you doing when...?

Intermediate (B1) 25 minutes
ESL Past Simple vs. Past Continuous Game - Grammar and Speaking: Gap-fill, Guessing, Asking and Answering Questions - Group and Pair Work

This fun past simple vs. past continuous game helps students practice forming and answering questions with... read more

When and While

Intermediate (B1) 25 minutes
ESL When and While Worksheet - Grammar Exercises: Gap-fill, Binary Choice, Identifying, Sentence Completion

In this useful when and while worksheet, students learn and practice three rules associated with using when and while with the past simple and past... read more

A Tense Match

Upper-intermediate (B2) 20 minutes
ESL Past Simple and Past Continuous Game - Grammar: Matching, Gap-fill - Pair Work

This enjoyable past simple and past continuous game helps students review sentences containing past simple and past continuous clauses... read more