English 1 Unit 3: The Past Continuous (Form and Use)

Sources: http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/past-continuous.html, http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/past-continuous-use.html

The Past Continuous

(or past progressive tense)

How can we make the past continuous? Firstly, check that you know how to make the past simple with 'be' (subject + was / were). Then just add verb-ing.

Here's the positive form:

• I was sleeping
• you were working
• he was coming
• she was reading 'War and Peace'
• it was raining
• we were shopping
• they were watching a film

Next, here's the negative - it's very easy, just add 'not':

• I was not (wasn't) sleeping
• you were not (weren't) working
• he was not (wasn't) coming
• she was not (wasn't) reading 'War and Peace'
• it was not (wasn't) raining
• we were not (weren't) shopping
• they were not (weren't) watching a film

Here's an exercise about the positive and negative verb forms
And, just like the past simple with 'be', to make a 'yes / no' question, put 'was / were' in front of the subject:

• Was I listening?
• Were you working?
• Was she working?
• Was he living in Paris at the time?
• Was it snowing when you arrived?
• Were we eating?
• Were they studying?

To make a 'wh' question (of course) put the question word at the beginning:

• Why was I working?
• Where were you living?
• How was she travelling?
• Where was he going?
• Why was it snowing in the summer?
• What were we eating?
• Why were they studying?

Here's an exercise about past continuous questions (both 'yes/no' and 'wh')


Mixed exercise 1 (includes all positive, negative and question forms)

Mixed exercise 2 (includes all positive, negative and question forms)

Using the Past Continuous

(or past progessive tense)

The past continuous tense in English is used quite often, especially when telling stories.

1	A continuous action in the past which is interrupted by another action or a time: I was taking a bath when the telephone rang. At three o’clock, I was working.
2	Background information, to give atmosphere to a story: It was a beautiful day. The birds were singing, the sun was shining and in the cafes people were laughing and chatting.
3	An annoying and repeated action in the past, usually with ‘always’: He was always leaving the tap running. (In the same way as the Present Continuous)
4	For two actions which happened at the same time in the past: I was watching TV and he was reading.

NB:Remember you can’t use this tense or any continuous tense with stative verbs.

• Try exercise 1 about the past continuous and the past simple here
• Try exercise 2 here