Past Continuous Tense

PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE

• John went to bed at 10:30. At 11:00 he was sleeping.

• The children were playing in the garden at 9 o’clock in the morning.

• We were watching TV at 7 o’ clock yesterday evening.

• My father was drinking coffee while I was sleeping.

• Mom was cooking lunch in the kitchen when I went home.

In the negative form of past continuous tense, not is simply added to the sentence after the helping verb BE (was / were).

 

• Robert was not studying                          (Robert wasn’t studying)

• The baby was not sleeping.                      (The baby wasn’t sleeping)

• They were not listening to music.             (They weren’t listening to music)

• I was not dancing.                                     (I wasn’t dancing)

• She was not writing a letter.                      (She wasn’t writing a letter.)

• My mother was not making a cake            (My mother wasn’t making a cake)

• We were not working.                               (We weren’t working.)  

In question sentences, the helping verbs WAS, WERE are used in the beginning of the sentences.  –ING is added to the main verb.

• Was Jane sleeping in her room?

• Were the students studying in the library?

• Was the boss speaking on the phone at that moment?

• Were you going to the supermarket?

• Was the secretary typing the letters?

Use Of The Past Continuous Tense 

a)   The past continuous tense expresses an activity that was happening (in progress) at a specific time in the past:

• At this time last week we were lying on the beach. 

• My father was working in the garage so he didn't hear the telephone when I called him yesterday. 

• I took my car to the mechanic yesterday because it wasn’t working properly.

• Sorry, I wasn't listening. Can you say it again please? 

• What were you doing at 8 o'clock yesterday? 

• Why were you talking to John when I saw you in the cafeteria yesterday? 

• I went home early yesterday. Mon was still cooking the dinner.

b)  Past continuous is very often used with the past simple to say that something happened in the middle of another activity.

In each of the following examples, the single event (past simple) happens in the middle of a longer action (past continuous). 

• You phoned while I was having a bath. 

• When I got home yesterday, a cat was sitting on the roof. 

• It started to rain just as we were getting ready to have our picnic. 

• The boy was standing on the table when the principal came into the room. 

• Many people were shopping in the market when the bomb exploded. 

• When I went to bed last night the sun was already beginning to rise. 

• It was lucky we weren't sitting under that tree when the lightning hit. 

• What were you doing when the lights went off last night? 

• Were you watching me when I showed you how to do it?

Using Time Clauses in Past Continuous Tense    “When -  While – As”

a) Use  while,when,as  if the activity in the time clause is progressive.

When :

While :            I was walking down the street, I saw an old friend of mine.

As :

b) Never use while and as in the time clause if the verb is simple past

INCORRECT: While I came home, my sister was talking on the phone.

INCORRECT:  As I came home, my sister was talking on the phone

EXERCISE:

Make the positive past continuous

1) Julie  (sleep) at three o'clock..
2) You  (study) at three o'clock..
3) Luke  (read) at three o’clock..
4) I  (work) at three o’clock..
5) They  (eat) chocolate at three o’clock..
6) John  (play) tennis at three o’clock..
7) We  (watch) TV at three o’clock..
8) He  (use) the internet at three o’clock..
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