English Club: Past Continuous Tense

Intermediate English

March 18, 2016

Past TenseI cooked pasta

Future TenseI will cook pasta

Present Tense

I cook pasta

Present ContinuousI am cooking pasta

Past ContinuousI was cooking pasta

NEW TOPIC: Past Continuous Tense

Positive statements in past continuous tense

Subject + was/were + [verb + -ing]

I was She was studying when I called.

You were We were + sleeping when I got home.

He was They were listening to music for hours.

eating when she left.

Negative statements in past continuous tense

Subject + was/were + NOT + [verb + -ing]

I was She was crying!

You were We were + NOT + making plans with her.

He was They were wearing a sweater.

watching TV.

Questions in past continuous tense

Was/were + Subject + [verb + “-ing”]

Was I Was she doing the right thing?

Were you Were we+ helping him with homework?

Was he Were they sleeping when I called?

visiting their parents?

When do you use past continuous tense?

• Continuing action in the past• Tom was sleeping!

• Interrupted or incomplete actions• Tom was sleeping when I called him.

• Parallel actions• I was studying while John was cooking dinner.

When vs. While

WhenUsually used with past simple tense

• I was running when it started to rain.

• Rachel was doing homework when her mom came home.

• Chris was traveling in Europe when he lost his phone.

WhileUsually used with past continuous

tense

• Dan was walking to school while listening to music.

• Marta was playing soccer while I was playing tennis.

• Paul was drinking coffee while I was ordering food.

Exercise I.

What were you doing last night?

Exercise II.

Who were you talking to 1 hour ago?