Past continuous
Find out the rule!• It was raining when we went out.• He phoned while we were having dinner.
• Last Monday at 10.45, I was studying my lesson• Yesterday during the whole morning, she was preparing
lunch for her mother in-law
• He was always eating noisily!• They were continually arriving late, even when we called
them an hour earlier!
•The previous action is interrupted by another previous action.Examine the first situation : Yesterday, Lisa and Luke played tennis.They began at 3.00 p.m …….They finished at 5.00 p.m
So, at 4.00, they were playing tennis.
•They were playing => they were in the middle of playing. •( I, he, she, it + WAS ) or ( we, you, they + WERE ) + Ving
=> PAST CONTINUOUS Examine the second situation :Lisa and Luke were playing tennis ( = they were in the middle of playing. )4.15 : Jim arrived ! Jim arrived => PAST SIMPLE ( preterit ) Conclusion :•We often use the past simple ( preterit ) and the past continuous together to say that ...something happened in the middle of something else.
Other examples : It was raining when we went out. He phoned while we were having dinner.
The past progressive is a past tense which emphasizes the ongoing nature of the action described.
WAS/WERE + Verb – INGI was working. He was eating his dinner when the phone rang. The cat was meowing last night while we tried to sleep.
> If an idea could be expressed with the expression "was in the process of doing" or with "was in the midst of doing," the past progressive will be more appropriate than the simple past. Consequently, verbs indicating belief, emotion, possession, etc., are rarely conjugated in the past progressive:
I thought that was right. ["I was in the process of thinking..." would be awkward.] Cheryl owned her own house. ["Cheryl was in the midst of owning..." would be awkward.] > Note: Do not use the past progressive in order to describe habitual actions in the past.Conclusion :•We often use the past simple ( preterit ) and the past continuous together to say that ...something happened in the middle of something else.
While my father ………………….(read) a book yesterday, someone called
him.
At 3.00 yesterday evening, I ………………..(have) a drink with a friend.
The lady fainted while they ………………….. (try) to help her.
Last week, while they …………….(kiss) her father came in.
They continually ……………………….. (quarrel).
When I entered the house, my sister …………(tidy up) her room.
Last week, while I ………….. (talk) to the lady my phone rang.
I ……………… (live) in London when I first met him.
At 8.000 yesterday, I …………………….. (play) football.
He always………………………………. ( ask) for money.
' Last night at 7.45 an English teacher, Mr. Jones, was walking from his school to his car when someone attacked him from behind. The attacker hit him on the head; the police think the attacker was a pupil...maybe a woman ! They are going to interview every student. A policeman interviewed the teacher last night after the attack.'
1. Mr. Jones : Well, ……………..(I / to work) late with other teachers... 2. Policeman : What time ………………… (you / to leave) the staff room ? 3. Mr. Jones : At twenty to eight. I am certain because ……………………….. (I / to look) at my watch. 4. Policeman : What …………………. (you / to do) then ? 5. Mr. Jones : Well, I crossed the yard. ……………………… (I / to walk) to my car ... 6. ... when ……………………..(somebody / to hit) me on the head. 7. Policeman : ……………………….. (you / to see) the attacker ? 8. Mr. Jones : No, …………………..(he / to wear) a stocking over his head. 9. Policeman : Tell me, Mr. Jones ... How ………………………(you / to sprain) your ankle ? 10. Mr. Jones : Err....I'm rather heavy, you see... While ………………………………(they / to try) to put me 11. into the ambulance, ………………….. (they / to drop) me ! 12. Policeman : ………………………………….(I / to see) . That 's bad luck !
I worked
I was walkingDid you do
I looked
He was wearingDid you see
Somebody hit
They Were tryingThey dropped
I see
Did you sprain
Did you leave
As the man was running across the street, suddenly …
Suddenly the man knocked a vase over and it crashed to the floor as …
All of a sudden the cyclist crashed into a pole while …
While the man was talking on a public telephone in his boat, …
Out of the blue, an airplane crossed the road when …
The man was enjoying surfing in the sea when suddenly …
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