Past Tenses, Past continuous tense

Past tense

Structure of past simple 
Structure of past continuous
 

Here is how to form the past simple tense in English.

Structure of past simple
positive	negative	question
I arrived yesterday. You arrived yesterday. He/she/it arrived. We arrived. They arrived.	I didn't (did not) arrive. You didn't (did not) arrive. He/she/it didn't arrive. We didn't arrive. They didn't arrive.	Did I arrive yesterday? Did you arrive? Did he/she/it arrive? Did we arrive? Did they arrive?

Past simple - common mistakes
Common mistakes	Correct version	Why?
I was work in London.	I worked in London.	In positive sentences, a helping verb such as 'was' or 'did' is not used.
He worked in London?	Did he work in London?	The helping verb 'did' is used in past simple questions.
Worked he in London?	Did he work in London?	The helping verb 'did' is used in past simple questions.
Did he wrote a letter?	Did he write a letter?	The main verb is used in the infinitive form in questions and negatives.
He didn't wrote a letter.	He didn't write a letter.	The main verb is used in the infinitive form in questions and negatives.

Past continuous tense

The past continuous tense is also sometimes called the past progressive.

Here is how to form the past continuous in English.

Structure of past continuous
positive	negative	question
I was reading a book. He/she was talking. It was raining.	I wasn't (was not) reading. He/she wasn't talking.  It wasn't raining.	Was I reading? Was he/she talking? Was it raining?
You were reading a book. We were waiting. They were drinking.	You weren't (were not) reading. We weren't talking. They weren't drinking.	Were you reading? Were we waiting? Were they drinking?

Past continuous - common mistakes
Common mistakes	Correct version	Why?
I waiting for him almost two hours.	I was waiting for him almost two hours.	To form the past continuous we use was/were + ing.
What did he doing when you saw him?	What was he doing when you saw him?
We were playing tennis every morning.	We played tennis every morning.	We use the past simple for repeated actions in the past.
They watched TV when I came.	They were watching TV when I came.	We use the past continuous when we want to say what was happening (what was in progress) at a particular time in the past.