iMadrassa

The Past Continuous

The past continuous tense.

This tense expresses actions at a particular moment in the past.

The action started before that moment but has not finished at that moment.

Yesterday, I watched a film on T.V. The film started at 7:00 pm and finished at 9:00pm.

Yesterday at 8:00, I was watching TV.

7.00 8.00 9.00

The film started

I was watching the film  The film finished

 

At 8:00 I was in the middle of watching T.V

When we use the past continuous tense we give the moment and the time of the action.

I was working at 10:00 pm this morning.

 

To form the past continuous: We have to use:

  • To have ( was / were) + verb (bf) + ing
  • Was   I / she / he
  • Were you / we / they
Affirmative form:

They were playing foot ball at 9:00 am yesterday.

Subject + was / were +  verb (bf) + …

Negative form:

They were not playing football at 9:00 am yesterday.

Subject + was / were + not + verb (bf) + ing +…

Interrogative form:

Were they playing football at 9:00 am yesterday?

Was / were + subject + verb (bf) + ing + ……+?

1 A/ The second situation:
Long action interrupted

Lisa and Luck were playing tennis when Jim arrived.

Long action

short action 

 (Past continuous)    (Past simple)

We use the past simple(short action) to interrupt the long action                                      

It was raining when/as we went out.

 

Subject + v (past continuous) + when / as + (past simple…)

 

He phoned me while we were having dinner. 

Subject (past simple) + while + v (past continuous)…

2 B/Two simultaneous actions

My father was reading a newspaper while my brothers were watching cartoons on TV.

Subject + verb (past continuous) + while + subject +  verb (past continuous….)

While my father was reading a newspaper, my brothers were watching cartoons on TV.

While + subject verb (past continuous) + , + subject + verb (past continuous……)

Two simultaneous actions are two actions happening at the same moment in the past using “While” + past continuous tense


قم بالدخول للإطلاع على المزيد من المحتوى

لتتمكن من الوصول إلى جميع الدروس والتمارين والمسابقات والفيديوهات وتصفح الموقع براحة قم بالدخول أو بتسجيل حساب مجانا.



قم بالدخول للإطلاع على المزيد من المحتوى

لتتمكن من الوصول إلى جميع الدروس والتمارين والمسابقات والفيديوهات وتصفح الموقع براحة قم بالدخول أو بتسجيل حساب مجانا.