The Past Continuous Tense Use of the past

The Past Continuous Tense

Use of the past continuous –To describe an action in progress at a certain/specific time.

Affirmative structure Subject Verb (to be) Verb (ing) Complement I was doing my homework at 4: 00 yesterday. You were having lunch at 2: 00 yesterday. He was working in his office at 8: 00 in the morning. She was running in the park at 10: 00 last night. It was chasing the ball at 3: 30 yesterday. We were studying for the exam at 6: 00 yesterday. You were making a cake at 4: 00 last sunday. They were playing basketball at 5: 00 yesterday.

Negative structure Subject Verb (to be) Verb (ing) Complement I wasn’t doing my homework at 4: 00 yesterday. You weren’t having lunch at 2: 00 yesterday. He wasn’t working in his office at 8: 00 in the morning. She wasn’t running in the park at 10: 00 last night. It wasn’t chasing the ball at 3: 30 yesterday. We weren’t studying for the exam at 6: 00 yesterday. You weren’t making a cake at 4: 00 last sunday. They weren’t playing basketball at 5: 00 yesterday.

Yes/no questions Verb (to be) Subject Verb (ing) Complement Aff. answers Neg. answers Was I doing my homework at 4: 00 yesterday? Yes, you were. No, you weren’t. Were you having lunch at 2: 00 yesterday? Yes, I was. No, I wasn’t. Was he working in his office at 8: 00 in the morning? Yes, he was. No, he wasn’t. Was she running in the park at 10: 00 last night? Yes, she was. No, she wasn’t. Was it chasing the ball at 3: 30 yesterday? Yes, it was. No, it wasn’t. Were we studying for the exam at 6: 00 yesterday? Yes, you were. No, you weren’t. Were you making a cake at 4: 00 last Sunday? Yes, we were. No, we weren’t. Were they playing basketball at 5: 00 yesterday? Yes, they were. No, they weren’t.

Information questions Wh-word Was/were subject Verb(ing) Complement? What were you doing at 4: 00 yesterday? Where was she playing soccer at 3: 00?

I was playing badminton at this time yesterday. She was cycling at 9: 00 am yesterday. They were playing table tennis at 6: 30 last night. was / were verb+ing

Simon 3: 00 yesterday was playing football at 3 pm yesterday. Simon _____ The children 8 am yesterday were going to school The children _____ at 8 am yesterday.

Exercise. Derek was swimming at 6 am yesterday. Mandy was feeding her dog at 4 o’clock yesterday. Sam & Jess Sam and Jess were having dinner at 8 pm last night.

Past continuous / progressive with While

We use the past continuous tense to talk about two or more actions which were taking place at the same time in the past. THE ACTIONS TOOK A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. Example I was playing baseball while mother was cooking. We were studying while the baby was crying.

It’s 3: 00 pm last Sunday. What were they doing? Example Grandfather was reading the newspaper Cindy was listening to music Father was sleeping while grandmother was knitting. while Nicky was drawing a picture. while mother was drinking some water.

The Simple past vs the Past Continuous/ Progressive Tense When and while

Past continuous and simple past – Use Past Continuous with Simple Past to describe an action that was interrupted by another action.

Sam hurt himself yesterday. What was he doing? jumping over the vaulting horse Sam hurt himself while he was jumping over the vaulting horse. shorter action longer action

cut herself Nancy ______while was peeling she ______an apple. peel an apple were watching TV They ________ arrived when I ______. watch TV arrive play football rain were playing football We ______ when it suddenly _______. rained