Past Tense Continuous

By: Elizabeth Moore

Past Tense Past Tense ContinuousContinuous

Past tense continuous

describes an action or event in a time before now, which began in the past and was still going on at the

time of speaking

Click on the link below: Click on the link below: Watch the video.Watch the video.

Listen and take notice to all the things the person who is not on the screen is doing.

Pay attention to the sentences that appear at the bottom of the screen.

We will be discussing this video and these actions later in the lesson.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEiXedHhOKQ

Mainly 3 reason to Mainly 3 reason to use Past Tense use Past Tense Continuous: Continuous:

Form of Form of Past Tense Past Tense Continuous:Continuous:

The child was sleeping.

They were laughing.

Looking more closely at:Looking more closely at:Interrupted Action in Interrupted Action in

the Pastthe Past

Examples:

I was reading a book, when she called.

We were listening to my iPod, when the fire alarm went off.

He was riding his bike, when the car wrecked.

Use the Past Continuous to

indicate that a longer action in the past

was interrupted. The interruption is

usually a shorter action in the Simple Past. Remember this

can be a real interruption or just an interruption in

time.

Practice time:Practice time:Interrupted Action in Interrupted Action in

the Pastthe Past

Directions:

Watch the video link below to 1:45 (one minute and 45 seconds)

As you are watching the link, listening to all the things people were doing last night when the lights went out on the city.

After you are done listening or during list all the activities people said they were doing when they were interrupted by the lights going out.

You might have to listen to it a few times to get all the activities that were interrupted by the lights going out. You should have a total of 6 activities.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSA0F4kaxds&feature=related

ANSWERS ANSWERS to Practice to Practice time:time:

Interrupted Action in Interrupted Action in the Pastthe Past

Possible answers:

The man was washing the dishes, when the lights went out in the city.

His wife was giving the baby a bath when the lights went out in the city.

They were watching TV when the lights went out in the city.

They were doing their homework when the lights went out in the city

She was washing her clothes at the Laundromat when the lights went out in the city.

He was listening to music when the lights went out in the city.

Do you have any other sentences?

Looking more closely at:Looking more closely at:Specific Time as an Specific Time as an

InterruptionInterruption

Examples:

Last night at 7 PM, I was eating dinner.

At noon, we were lost in the mall.

Yesterday at this time, she was sitting at her desk at work.

Past Continuous is interrupted by a specific time.

Practice Time:Practice Time: Specific Time Past Specific Time Past

ContinuousContinuous..

On your sheet of paper:

1. List the things this man was doing yesterday at 4:00 PM on his way home from work.

Example: After work the man was going to his car.

ANSWERS: Practice ANSWERS: Practice Time:Time:

Specific Time Past Specific Time Past ContinuousContinuous..

Possible Answers you might have are:

At 4:00 pm the man was talking on the phone.

After work the man was carrying a briefcase

At 4 pm the man was walking.

Do you have any other sentences to share?

Looking more closely at:Looking more closely at:Parallel ActionsParallel Actions

Examples:

I was studying while he was making dinner.

While Bekah was drawing, Juan was watching TV.

She wasn’t working, and he wasn’t working either.

When you use the Past

Continuous with two actions in

the same sentence, it

express the idea that both actions were happening

at the same time. The actions

are parallel.

Parallel Partner Parallel Partner Activity:Activity:

Think back to the video: Think back to the video:

Examples: 1.The man was sitting on the couch and he was reading a magazine.

2. The man was yelling and the other man was yelling too.

3. The man was reading a magazine and the other man was going to the store.

If you need to watch the video again:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEiXedHhOKQ

Directions:

The video from the beginning of the lesson is a

good example of parallel action. The one guy was

trying to read and the other guy was doing things.

With your partner come up with two sentences using past tense continuous to

describe the actions taking place in the video.

Possible Answers to Possible Answers to the Parallel Partner the Parallel Partner

Activity:Activity:

Answers that you and your partner might have:

The man was reading a magazine and his roommate was practicing his trumpet.

The man was reading a magazine and his friend was drilling a hole.

The man was reading a magazine and the guy was snoring.

The man was sitting on the couch and his brother was sleeping.

Do you have any other sentences?

Playing Games with Playing Games with Past Tense Past Tense Continuous:Continuous:

Review

Now you know how and when to use Past Tense Continuous

Remember it shows activities in the past at a certain time

The three main reasons for using it is to show parallel action, interruption of an activity, or to show exact time

You need to have was or were and a verb ending in -ing

You are now ready to play a game to test your knowledge of Past Tense Continuous:

Click on the link and enjoy:

www.lks.ac.th/teacher_jonggonee/kaidream/ex_past_cont.html