Categoria: B1

Past Simple vs. Past Continuous

We use the past simple to talk about completed actions in the past. We use the past continuous to talk about actions that were ongoing in the past. When you use past simple and past continuous together, the past simple verb indicates an action that interrupted another.

Examples:

I was eating (past continuous) lunch when my phone rang (past simple).

The first action (eating) was interrupted by the second action (rang).

We were walking to the park when a dog ran across the street.

My brother called when I was doing my homework.

Try this exercise to test your skills and let us know what you think about the Past Simple and the Past Continuous tenses. Do you find them hard? Let us know what you think in the comments, and make sure to check out our other blog posts and English exercises!

Past Simple vs. Past Continuous

Choose past simple or past continuous to complete each sentence.

Welcome to Scrambled Eggs, an English school in Milan that aims to help you improve your English in a fun, accessible and easy way. Check out all the English language exercises we’ve compiled in our database over the years, which are broken down into various types of exercise and also split into levels.

Whether you’re taking an English course here in Milan or you simply want to boost your language skills with loads of online English language exercises, Scrambled Eggs is here for you! Check out our vast collection which includes hundreds of exercises for all levels, and if you think there are some exercises, topics or videos we should add more of, be sure to send an email our way at hello@scrambledeggsinglese.it

During vs For vs While – English Grammar Exercise

As these 3 words all pertain to concepts of time, they are very commonly mistaken by non-native English speakers.

During

We use during in order to describe WHEN one action is happening. It is usually at the same time as another action, similarly to while, but it precedes a noun instead of a verb.

Structure: verb + during + noun

 E.g.
I kept coughing during that exam.
She went to the bathroom 3 times during the meeting!
He wants to finish the novel during his vacation in the mountains.
Most people got lost during the game.

For

One of the most confusing words in English due to its multi-functionality (see get!), for can be used in this context to describe how long something happens. It is used as part of an answer to the question ‘how long…?’.

Structure: for + length of time

 E.g.
I’ve worked for this company for 3 years.
I’ve been dancing ballet for over 10 years!
I usually work out for 30 minutes a day.
We waited for an hour for you outside the mall.

While

Most commonly confused with during, this word is used to describe when one thing is happening at the same time as another. The biggest difference between these two words is the structure.

Structure: while + subject + verb

E.g.
I love listening to music while I study.
They always make so much noise while I’m working!
Can you wash the dishes while I take a shower?
I asked her to walk the dog while I’m on vacation.

During vs For vs While

Choose during, for, or while

Anybody, Somebody, Nobody – English Grammar Exercise

Some indefinite pronouns for talking about people are:

  • anybody / anyone
  • everybody / everyone
  • nobody / no one
  • somebody / someone

When we want to talk about someone without saying exactly who they are, we can use indefinite pronouns.

Everyone loves the beach.
I went to my friend’s house, but there was nobody home.

Remember, we can’t use two negatives together!

No one came to the party. CORRECT

No one didn’t come to the party. INCORRECT

Anybody, somebody, nobody

Complete the sentences with the correct indefinite pronoun.

Welcome to Scrambled Eggs, an English school in Milan that aims to help you improve your English in a fun, accessible and easy way. Check out all the English language exercises we’ve compiled in our database over the years, which are broken down into various types of exercise and also split into levels.

Whether you’re taking an English course here in Milan or you simply want to boost your language skills with loads of online English language exercises, Scrambled Eggs is here for you! Check out our vast collection which includes hundreds of exercises for all levels, and if you think there are some exercises, topics or videos we should add more of, be sure to send an email our way at hello@scrambledeggsinglese.it