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Past Continuous

The document describes the past continuous tense, which is used to describe an action or event that began in the past and was still ongoing at another point in the past. It provides examples of using the past continuous form for different subjects, including negatives and questions. It also explains the key uses of the past continuous tense: to describe ongoing past actions, unfinished past actions interrupted by other events, and two simultaneous ongoing past actions.

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Jack Droe
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46 views9 pages

Past Continuous

The document describes the past continuous tense, which is used to describe an action or event that began in the past and was still ongoing at another point in the past. It provides examples of using the past continuous form for different subjects, including negatives and questions. It also explains the key uses of the past continuous tense: to describe ongoing past actions, unfinished past actions interrupted by other events, and two simultaneous ongoing past actions.

Uploaded by

Jack Droe
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Past 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.
I was reading.
you were reading.
he was reading.
she was reading.
it was eating.
we were reading.
they were reading.
I wasn´t reading.
you weren´t reading.
he wasn´t reading.
she wasn´t reading.
it wasn´t eating.
we weren´t reading.
they weren´t reading.
Was I reading?
Were you reading?
Was he reading?
Was she reading?
Was it eating?
Were we reading?
Were they reading?
The Past Continuous is used to:

- Talk about an action that had


already started and was still
continuing at a particular time.

At 8.00 O´clock I was sleeping.


It is also used to:

-describe an unfinished action that was


interrupted by another event or action.

I was watching TV when she phoned.


It is also used to:
-describe two actions that were both
continuing at the same time in the past.
In this case we use past continuous for
both actions.

While I was reading. Mary was sleeping.


Notes:
-When you talk about things in the past, when is
most often followed by the simple past, whereas
while is usually followed by past continuous.
-While expresses the idea of “ during that
time”.

I was writing an e-mail when my computer went


off.

While I was writing an e-mail, my computer went


off.

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