English 3 - Past Continuous

FORM

[was/were + present participle]

USE 1 Interrupted Action in the Past

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.

• When the phone rang, she was writing a letter.
• While we were having the picnic, it started to rain.

USE 2 Specific Time as an Interruption

In USE 1, described above, the Past Continuous is interrupted by a shorter action in the Simple Past. However, you can also use a specific time as an interruption.

• At midnight, we were still driving through the desert.
• Yesterday at this time, I was sitting at my desk at work.

USE 3 Parallel Actions

When you use the Past Continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it expresses the idea that both actions were happening at the same time. The actions are parallel.

• I was studying while he was making dinner.
• While Ellen was reading, Tim was watching television.

USE 4 Repetition and Irritation with "Always"

The Past Continuous with words such as "always" or "constantly" expresses the idea that something irritating or shocking often happened in the past. The concept is very similar to the expression "used to" but with negative emotion. Remember to put the words "always" or "constantly" between "be" and "verb+ing."

• She was always coming to class late.
• He was constantly talking. He annoyed everyone.

EXERCISES

http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs3.htm

http://www.eslcafe.com/quiz/past1.html

http://www.aulafacil.com/Ingejerc/Lecciones/Ejerc19.htm

http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/pastsimpleorcontinuous/exercise5.html

http://issuu.com/mariajo/docs/past_simple_or_past_continuous   Pages 3-4