In English, we use the Past Simple to:
- Describe a finished action in the definite past
- I didn't sleep well last night.
- Marie Curie won the 1911 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. (this is definite past as we are discussing Curie’s time when she was alive)
- Describe the order of events
- I woke up and studied for the medical terminology exam.
- The doctor heard a noise from the patient's room, so she got up, put on gloves and a mask, and checked on the patient.
- Describe a past state or habit
- Before today, I didn’t know what ‘neurology’ meant.
- Everyday, the med student made breakfast and went to school.
"used to" is also commonly used in English to describe past habits*
We use Past Continuous to:
- Describe an activity in progress before and probably after a point in time
- When she called, we were studying anatomy.
- At 3 am, I was of course, sleeping.
- I came to the dental hygiene class at 9 am, but the door was closed, and the students were studying.
- Describe an ongoing action that presents a background or setting to past events
- I was studying latin roots in my apartment and listening to music. Suddenly, my phone rang.
- It was such a beautiful moment. The people were clapping, and the doctors were smiling.
- To describe a temporary situation or incomplete activity
- When I had problems with my hearing, I was searching for a good ENT doctor.
- He was smoking a lot because of the stress.
- On the flight home, I was reading an article about a bacterium. (But I didn't read it all)
- On the flight home, I read an article about a bacterium. (I finished it)
- To describe an interrupted activity
- The students were taking a neurology test when someone knocked on the door.
- I was taking a shower when the doctor called.
- Most people were driving to work when the earthquake hit.
- To describe two past activities that happened at the same time, or one activity that was in progress for all of a period of time
- In the summer, I was working with a great physician.
- She was wearing those scrubs all day yesterday.
- I was sleeping but he was studying x-ray images.
- He was walking and listening to his med teacher's lecture on his phone.
Exercise
Using what you have learned about past simple and past continuous, complete the activity.