The Past Continuous
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
They were playing foot ball at 9:00 am yesterday.
Subject + was / were + verb (bf) + …
They were not playing football at 9:00 am yesterday.
Subject + was / were + not + verb (bf) + ing +…
Were they playing football at 9:00 am yesterday?
Was / were + subject + verb (bf) + ing + ……+?
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)…
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