The Past Continuous

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The Past Continuous
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What is the function of the past continuous?

• Describe a continuous action that happened in the
  past.
• Describe a continuous action that was interrupted
  by another action.
• Describe two continuous and simultaneous actions
  in the past.

I was reading a book
I was washing my hair when the phone rang.
While I was calling my friend, my brother was
talking to my mother.
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Timeline

• Describing a continuous event in the past

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Timeline

• 2) Describing a continuous event in the past that
  was interrupted by another event

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What happened first?
Past continuous form
Max was sleeping
longer action
What happened next?
Past simple form
The phone rang.
short action
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Long action past continuous
Short action past simple
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Timeline
While I was calling my friend
my brother was talking to my mother
NOW
PAST
3) Describing two past and continuous actions
taking place simultaneously!
Both are past continuous!
was calling
was talking
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Past Continuous Form

• Just like the present continuous
• form (remember the glasses?),
• the past continuous form uses
• the helping verb to be - - but
• in the past

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Past Continuous Form
POSITIVE

• Subject was/were verb ing
• Subject was/were not verb ing

I was drinking coffee.
NEGATIVE
I was not drinking coffee.
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• I was drinking coffee
• I was not drinking coffee.

subject
verb ing
to be (past)
subject
NOT
to be (past)
verb ing
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Yes/No Questions

• When we ask yes/no questions using the past
  continuous, the verb (to be) comes first

was / were
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Yes/ no questions

• Was she thinking about it?
• Were they climbing the mountain?

Was/were subject verb ing
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WH questions

• When we ask a WH question using the past
  progressive, the WH word comes first.

What were they doing?
Why was she eating?
When was she drinking?
Where was he going?
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Time Expressions
????

• When past simple
• The past simple follows the use of the word
  when in a sentence.

interrupted by another action
Continuous action
I was taking a shower when the phone rang.
When
rang past simple
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Long action
Short action

• I was taking a shower when the phone rang.
• When I was taking a shower, the phone rang.

Long action
Short action
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Time Expressions
???? ?....

• While or as past progressive
• The past progressive is used after expressions
  such as while or as.

While she was preparing dinner, he was washing
the dishes.
Two actions going on at the same time
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Past Continuous Humor
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John Lennon

• Jealous Guy