Past Continuous(progressive) tense form,uses,questions,negatives,and examples By Mr.Zaki Badr
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| Past Continuous(progressive) tense form,uses,questions,negatives,and examples By Mr.Zaki Badr |
FORM
[was/were + present participle]
I/he/she/it è was playing
We/you/they è were working
Examples:
You were studying when she called.
Were you studying when she called?
You were not studying when she called.
Study this example :
Yesterday Karen and Jim played tennis. They began at 10 o’clock and finished at 11.30
So, at 10.30 they were playing tennis
I was doing something = I was in the middle of doing something at a certain time . The action or the situation had already started before this time, but had not finished
What were you doing at 10 o’clock last night?
USE 1 Interrupted Action in the Past
Use the Past Continuous to indicate that a longer action in the past was interrupted.
Examples:
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?
I was listening to my iPod, so I didn't hear the fire alarm.
USE 2 Specific Time as an Interruption
You can also use a specific time as an interruption.
Examples:
Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner.
At midnight, we were still driving through the desert.
Yesterday at this time, I was sitting at my desk at work
IMPORTANT
In the Simple Past, a specific time is used to show when an action began or finished. In the Past Continuous, a specific time only interrupts the action.
Examples:
Last night at 6 PM, I ate dinner.
(I
started eating at 6 PM.)
Last night at 6 PM, I was
eating dinner.
(I
started earlier; and at 6 PM, I was in the process of eating dinner)
While vs. When
When simple past, past cont.
While past cont. , simple past
Examples:
I was studying when she called.
While I was studying, she called.
She called while I was studying.
When she called, I was studying.