PAST CONTINUOUS

TENSE

PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE

FORM:

Affirmative: Past simple of auxiliary verb TO BE

(WAS/WERE) + main verb + -ing (present
participle)
I was watching TV.
You were watching TV.
He/she/it was watching TV.
We/you/they were watching TV.

PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE

FORM:

Negative: WAS/WERE + NOT + the main verb +

-ing

Note:
I/HE/SHE/IT WAS NOT = I WASNT NOT
YOU/WE/THEY WERE NOT = YOU WERENT
HE/SHE/IT IS NOT = HE/SHE/IT ISNT
I was not watching TV.
You were not watching TV.
He/she/it was not watching TV.
We/you/they were not watching TV.

PAST CONTINUOUS TENSES

FORM:

Yes/No questions: use inversion

Short answers

Was I watching TV?

Yes, I was. / No, I wasnt.
Were you watching TV?
Yes, you were./No, you werent.
Was he/she/it watching TV?
Yes, he was. / No, he wasnt.
Were we/you/they watching TV?
Yes, we were./No, we werent.

PAST CONTINUOUS TENSES

FORM:

Wh - questions: use whword+auxiliary+subject+present participle

Where were you having dinner last night?
Why was Mike speaking to you?
How long were you waiting for me?

PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE

SPELLING RULES FOR -ING:
a) Add ing to the base of the verb: do doing; ask - asking
b) When the verb ends with a silent e, drop the e and add
-ing: make making, take - taking
c) For short, one-syllable verbs, that end with consonant +
vowel + consonant (CVC), we must double the last
consonant and then add -ing: swim swimming; run running
d) For words that end w, x and y, do not double the last
consonant; just add -ing: enjoy enjoying; study - studying
e) For verbs that end in -ie, change the ie to y before
adding -ing: die dying; lie - lying

PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE

USE:
1) Interrupted Action in the Past - A continuous
(longer) action in the past which is interrupted by
another (shorter) action or a time (in the past
simple). Remember this can be a real interruption or
just an interruption in time.
I was taking a bath when the telephone rang.
At three o'clock, I was working.
I was watching TV when she called.
When the phone rang, she was writing a letter.
While we were having the picnic, it started to rain.
What were you doing when the earthquake started?
While John was sleeping last night, someone stole his car.
While I was writing the email, the computer suddenly went
off.

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USE:
2) Parallel Actions two actions which happened at
the same time in the past, the idea is that both
actions were happening at the same time, hence
they are parallel
I was studying while he was making dinner.
While Ellen was reading, Tim was watching television.
Were you listening while he was talking?
I wasn't paying attention while I was writing the letter,
so I made several mistakes.
What were you doing while you were waiting?
They were eating dinner, discussing their plans, and
having a good time.

PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE

USE:
3) Background information, to give atmosphere to a
story we often use a series of parallel actions to
describe the atmosphere at a particular time in the
past:
It was a beautiful day. The birds were singing, the sun was
shining and in the cafes people were laughing and
chatting.
When I walked into the office, several people were busily
typing, some were talking on the phones, the boss was
yelling directions, and customers were waiting to be
helped. One customer was yelling at a secretary and
waving his hands. Others were complaining to each other
about the bad service.

PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE

USE:
4) An annoying and repeated action in the
past, usually with 'always or constantly
expresses the idea that something irritating
or shocking often happened in the past:
He was always leaving the tap running.
(In the same way as the Present Continuous)
She was always coming to class late.
He was constantly talking. He annoyed everyone.
I didn't like them because they were always
complaining.

PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE

It is important to remember that noncontinuous verbs cannot be used in any

continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous
meanings for mixed verbs cannot be used in
continuous tenses. Instead of using Past
Continuous with these verbs, you must use Past
Simple:

Jane was being at my house when you arrived.

Not Correct
Jane was at my house when you arrived. Correct

PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE

While vs. When

Clauses are groups of words which have meaning, but are
often not complete sentences.
Some clauses begin with the word "when" such as "when
she called" or "when it bit me."
Other clauses begin with "while" such as "while she was
sleeping" and "while he was surfing."
When you talk about things in the past, "when" is most often
followed by the verb tense Past Simple, whereas "while" is
usually followed by Past Continuous.
"While" expresses the idea of "during that time." The
examples emphasize different parts of the sentence.
I was studying when she called.
While I was studying, she called.

PRACTICE
Use Past Simple or Past Continuous:
were
1) What_________________
(do) when I _______ (call) you last
were you
you
called
called
doing
night?
doing
was
called
was sitting
sitting (sit) in a cafe when you______
called
2) I___________
3)

4)

5)

(call).
arrived
arrived
When you_________
(arrive) at the party,
was
was ______(be) there?
who
was
was
Susie_________
(watch) a film when
watching
watching
heard
heard
she_______ (hear) the noise.
went
went
Yesterday I________
(go) to the library, next
had
met
had (have) a swim, later I________
met
I_______
(meet) Julie for coffee.

PRACTICE
Use Past Simple or Past Continuous:
1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

We __________(play)
tennis when
were
were
playing
hurt
playing
hurt
John_________
(hurt) his ankle.
were
were they
they
What ____________(they/do)
at 10pm last
doing
doing
night - it was really noisy?
was
was taking
taking
He __________(take) a shower when the
rang
rang
telephone_______ (ring).
was
was
He ________(be)
in the shower when the
rang
rang
telephone
_______(ring).
walked
walked
When I_________
(walk) into the room,
was
was
working
everyone____________
(work).
working

PRACTICE

1.

2.
3.
4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Use when or while in the following sentences:

While
_____________
he was talking on the phone, I was
watching TV.
when
He was cancelling his flight
______ we called him.
when
I was overtaking a truck
______ I heard a loud thump.
when
We were watching a movie
_____ the screen went
While
blank.
________ she was packing the bags, I was looking for
when
our passports.
We were complaining about the weather __________
when
the sun broke through the clouds.
Sandra was washing the dishes _________ a plate fell
while
off the shelf.
Do not disturb me ______ I'm listening to music!

PRACTICE

1.
2.
3.
4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Use when or while in the following sentences:

While he was talking on the phone, I was watching TV.

He was cancelling his flight when we called him.
I was overtaking a truck when I heard a loud thump.
We were watching a movie when the screen went
blank.
While she was packing the bags, I was looking for our
passports.
We were complaining about the weather when the
sun broke through the clouds.
Sandra was washing the dishes when a plate fell off
the shelf.
Do not disturb me while I'm listening to music!