The past continuous is made from the past tense of the verb be and the –ing form of a verb:
I was working
You were playing
We use the past continuous to talk about the past:
for something which happened before and after another action:
The children were doing their homework when I got home.
Compare: The children did their homework when (= after) I got home.
This use of the past continuous is very common at the beginning of a story:
The other day I was waiting for a bus when …
Last week, as I was driving to work, …
- for something that happened before and after a specific time:
It was eight o'clock. I was writing a letter.
Compare: At eight o'clock I wrote (= started writing) some letters.
- to show that something continued for some time:
My head was aching.
Everyone was shouting.
- for something that happened again and again:
I was practising every day, three times a day.
They were meeting secretly after school.
They were always quarrelling.
- with verbs which show change or growth:
The children were growing up quickly.
Her English was improving.
My hair was going grey.
The town was changing quickly.We do not normally use the past continuous with stative verbs. We use the past simple instead:
When I got home, I really needed (NOT
was needing) a shower.
Make up 5 sentences with the verb in Past Continuous and post them below.
1 - In the morning our elevator wasn't working.
ReplyDelete2 - He was watching TV the whole evening yesterday.
3 - When he saw me I was crossing the street.
4 - Was she cooking dinner at 3 yesterday?
5 - I was driving to work when I crashed my car.
6 - I watched a movie while I was flying to Dubai.
7 - Was Kate teaching English at the school last winter?
8 - I was having breakfast at 10 yesterday
9 - They were arguing when she entered.
10 - It was snowing at 7 p.m. yesterday.
The sun was shining every day that summer.
ReplyDeleteAs I spoke, the children were laughing at my cleverness.
The audience was applauding until he fell off the stage.
I was making dinner when she arrived.
At 6 o'clock, I was eating dinner.
She was talking constantly in class in those days.
1.I was driving at 16:00 yesterday.
ReplyDelete2. Peter was reading, when I was having lunch.
3. Mary was crying, while John was laughing.
4. An hour ago I was watching TV.
5. When she came, we were playing football.
1) I was playing video games all evening yesterday
ReplyDelete2) For a while, Ronald was waiting for Monica, but she didn’t show up
3) It was not raining at 3 p.m. yesterday.
4) Were you listening to me?
5) — What were you doing at 7 p.m.? — I was uploading new videos to my YouTube channel.
6) Joseph was talking on the phone all evening.
7)Everyone was trying to keep silent, but suddenly Rachel sneezed.
8) Alex was cycling to work while his car was broken.
9) I was hoping that you could lend me your car.
10) Adam was always shouting at me.