Прошедшее длительное время Past Continuous (Progressive) Tense

Образование: формы глагола “to be” в прошедшем времени (was, were) + глагол с окончанием -ing (was/were Ving) – was/were working.

Для образования вопросительных и отрицательных форм используются формы глагола “to be” – was/were.

Показатели времени Past Continuous (Progressive): at 3 o’clock yesterday, at that moment, from 3 till 5 o’clock yesterday, the whole day yesterday.

Positive Form	Negative Form	General Question
He was working in the lab at 5 o’clock yesterday. They were working in the lab at 5 o’clock yesterday	He was not working in the lab at 5 o’clock yesterday. They were not working in the lab at 5 o’clock yesterday	Was he working in the lab at 5 o’clock yesterday? Were they working in the lab at 5 o’clock yesterday?

Общий вопрос (General Question) требует краткого ответа:

• Was he working in the lab at 5 o’clock yesterday? – Yes, he was/No, he wasn’t.

Разделительный вопрос (Disjunctive Question):

• He was working in the lab at 5 o’clock yesterday, wasn’t he?

• He wasn’t working in the lab at 5 o’clock yesterday, was he?

Специальный вопрос (Special Question):

Порядок слов:

1) вопросительное слово,

2) вспомогательный глагол (was, were),

3) подлежащее,

4) основной (смысловой) глагол.

• Where was he working at 5 o’clock yesterday?

Вопрос к подлежащему задается в 3 л. в ед. ч.:

• Who was working in the garden at 5 o’clock yesterday?

The Past Continuous (Progressive) Tense употребляется:

1. Для выражения длительного действия, совершавшегося в определенный момент или период в прошлом.

• He was working in the garden at 5 o’clock yesterday.

• He was working in the garden from 3 till 5 o’clock yesterday.

• He was working in the garden when I left the house.

Примечание (Note) 1. С такими же обозначениями момента совершения действия употребляется и Past Indefinite, когда речь идет не о длительном действии:

• He came home at 5 o’clock yesterday.

2. Для выражения двух длительных действий совершавшихся одновременно.

• While he was working in the garden, I was cooking dinner.

Exercises

Ex. 1. Use Past Continuous or Past Indefinite.

1. I (to play) computer games yesterday. 2. I (to play) computer games at five o'clock yesterday. 3. He (to play) computer games from two till three yesterday. 4. We (to play) computer games the whole evening yesterday. 5. What Nick (to do) when you came to his place? 6. What you (to do) when I rang you up? 7. I (not to sleep) at nine o'clock yesterday. 8. What he (to do) the whole evening yesterday? — He (to read) a book. 9. She (to sleep) when you came home? 10. My brother (not to play) tennis yesterday. He (to play) tennis the day be­fore yesterday. 11. My sister (not to play) the pi­ano at four o'clock yesterday. She (to play) the piano the whole evening. 12. When I came into the kitchen, mother (to cook).

Ex.2. Ask your friend what he/she was doing at the exact time.

Образец: – I wonder what you were doing at that time yesterday?

– I was reading a book.

at that time on Sunday; from 7 to 9; at 9 p.m.; when you phoned; last night from 5 to 8; at that time last Saturday; the whole evening yesterday.