The Past The Past Continuous Continuous

TenseTense

Use 1:Use 1: Past actions that were in progress at a particular time in Past actions that were in progress at a particular time in the past; actions that were not yet finished at a past timethe past; actions that were not yet finished at a past time

Erika’s Schedule8 – 9: had breakfast9 – 10: finished her homework10 – 11: exercised11 – 12: cooked lunch12 – 2: shopped2 – 5: talked to a friend on the phone

At 8:30, Erika breakfast.

At 9:15, she her homework.

At 10:15, she .

At 11:30, she lunch .

At 1, she .

At 3, she to a friend.

Was having

Was finishing

Was exercising

Was cooking

Was shopping

Was talking

Use 2:Use 2: Two (or more) actions that were in Two (or more) actions that were in progress in the past at the same timeprogress in the past at the same time

Use Use whilewhile Examples:Examples:

Sorry, I Sorry, I wasn’t listeningwasn’t listening to you while you to you while you were were talkingtalking..

While I While I was readingwas reading, he , he was writingwas writing..

Form: Using past and Form: Using past and past continuous togetherpast continuous together

Use past continuous Use past continuous to say what was in to say what was in progressprogress

I I was crossingwas crossing the the street …street …

Use simple past for Use simple past for the interrupting the interrupting actionaction

when the driver when the driver ranran the the red light.red light.

Other examplesOther examples::

I I was sleepingwas sleeping when the telephone when the telephone rangrang and and wokewoke me upme up..

He He was drivingwas driving too fast when he too fast when he crashedcrashed the carthe car..

More ExamplesMore Examples::

We We were watchingwere watching the news when the the news when the announcer announcer mademade a special live report. a special live report.

I I was tryingwas trying to study when you to study when you calledcalled..

Practice: Practice: Do you have a good memory?Do you have a good memory?Are you a good witnessAre you a good witness??

Directions:Directions: Look at the following picture Look at the following picture for one minute. Try to remember as for one minute. Try to remember as

many details as you can, but don’t write many details as you can, but don’t write anythinganything..

Only one minuteOnly one minute … …

Ready, goReady, go.… .…

One minuteOne minute……

What do you rememberWhat do you remember??

1.1. How many people were there?How many people were there?2.2. Where were the people?Where were the people?3.3. What was hanging from the ceiling?What was hanging from the ceiling?4.4. What was the bank robber holding?What was the bank robber holding?5.5. What was the bank robber wearing?What was the bank robber wearing?6.6. What color was his hair?What color was his hair?7.7. Was the bank robber right-handed or left-handed?Was the bank robber right-handed or left-handed?8.8. What was the bank manager doing?What was the bank manager doing?9.9. What was the bank teller doing?What was the bank teller doing?10.10. Who was walking into the bank?Who was walking into the bank?11.11. What time was it?What time was it?12.12. What was under the bank manager’s desk?What was under the bank manager’s desk?

Form of Past ContinuousForm of Past Continuous

SubjectSubject + + was / werewas / were + + verb+ingverb+ing

Negation:Negation:SubjectSubject + + was / werewas / were + + notnot + + verb+ingverb+ing

Yes/ No Question:Yes/ No Question:Was / WereWas / Were + + subjectsubject + + + + verb+ing ?verb+ing ?

Information Question:Information Question:(WH)(WH) + Was + Was / Were / Were + + subjectsubject + + + + verb+ing ?verb+ing ?

Remember –ing spelling rulesRemember –ing spelling rules??

Verb ending inVerb ending in...... How to make the -ING formHow to make the -ING form ExamplesExamples

))Most verbsMost verbs(( Add -INGAdd -INGsay - sayingsay - saying

go - goinggo - goingwalk - walkingwalk - walking

11 vowel + 1 consonantvowel + 1 consonant Double the consonant, then add -INGDouble the consonant, then add -INGswim - swimmingswim - swimming

hit - hittinghit - hittingget - gettingget - getting

11 vowel + 1 consonant + Evowel + 1 consonant + E

Final –ieFinal –ie

Remove E, then add –INGRemove E, then add –ING

Change –ie to y, then add -INGChange –ie to y, then add -ING

come - comingcome - cominglose - losinglose - losinglive – livinglive – living

die – dyingdie – dyingtie -- tyingtie -- tying

A: Was the man writing at 6p.m. yesterday?B: No, he wasn’t. The man was not writing . He was reading a newspaper.

A: Were they chatting at 8 yesterday?B: No, they weren’t. They weren’t chatting . They were discussing a project.

A: Was the girl singing at 4p.m. yesterday?B: No, she wasn’t. She was not singing . She was dancing to the music .

read

discuss a project

dance

Negative sentences

What was/were … doing at that time?

The worm was eating while the dog was reading .

Two long actions went on at the same time .

We were clapping our hands while the performers were marching across the park .

A: What was he doing when you arrived?

B: He was doing his maths homework

Past Continuous Tense+ when

He was doing his maths homework when I arrived.

A: What happened while you were having

supper?

B: My friend came to see me.

My friend came to see me while I was having

supper?

He was doing his maths homework when I arrived.

While Amy was reading yesterday, Suzy____________ on the sofa.

The telephone ___________ while Suzy _____________ on the sofa.

was sleeping

While Eddie was sleeping yesterday,

Daniel ____________the computer game.

Kitty ___________ beside Daniel.

was playing

was standing

was looking

gave

Peter ___________ at some photos

when Millie _______ him a pencil.

rangwas sleeping

Punctuation Punctuation with with WhenWhen and and WhileWhile

WhenWhen and and whilewhile at the at the frontfront of a sentence, of a sentence, use a use a comma:comma:

When you calledWhen you called,, I was watching TV. I was watching TV.

While he was washing the clothesWhile he was washing the clothes,, I was doing I was doing the dishes.the dishes.

WhenWhen and and whilewhile in the middle of a sentence, in the middle of a sentence, no commano comma

I was watching TV when you called.I was watching TV when you called.I was doing the dishes while he was washing the I was doing the dishes while he was washing the

clothes.clothes.

Final TipsFinal Tips… …

Use Use whilewhile for two actions in progress at for two actions in progress at the same time in the past: the same time in the past:

She was talking while he was driving.She was talking while he was driving. Use Use whenwhen when telling about sequence of when telling about sequence of

events (one action that was in progress events (one action that was in progress that was interrupted by another event in that was interrupted by another event in the past):the past):

I I was just leavingwas just leaving when you when you calledcalled..(first action in progress)(first action in progress) (interrupting event)(interrupting event)