The Past Continuous Tense

The Past Continuous Tense is used:

to talk about a continuing action at a certain time in the past

At ten o'clock last night I was watching TV.

I saw you last night. You were waiting for a bus.

to talk about an interrupted action in the past

In this case the Past Continuous and the Past Simple tenses are used together in a sentence to say that something happened in the middle of something else.

I was driving along when suddenly a child ran across the road.

While I was doing the ironing, I burnt my hand.

(Just) as I was hanging out the washing, it started to rain.

to talk about actions in progress at the same time

While I was reading, Joan was playing the piano.

to talk about actions that happened too often

When I worked there, I was always making mistakes.

to describe the background history or environment when telling a story

It was a warm summer day. The sun was shining and the birds were singing.

NOTE:

Some verbs e.g. like, understand, remember, etc. are not used in the continuous form.

I was liking the film. => I liked the film.

Positive form

Was/were + Participle I (verb + -ing)

I	was	reading a book all evening.
You	were	doing a test at that time.
He/She/It	was	was working at 10 o'clock yesterday morning.
We	were	playing tennis at 7 o'clock last night.
You		having dinner when I came.
They		listening to the opera last night.

Exercise 23. Complete the sentences putting the verbs in brackets in the Past Continuous Tense.

Example: I was watching television when the phone rang. (watch)

1. We __ to the radio when it suddenly stopped working, (listen)

2. When I saw them, they __ football, (play)

3. When I got out of the house it __. (rain)

4. He cut himself when he __. (shave)

5. You broke your tooth when you __ walnuts, (eat)

Negative form

was not (wasn't) + Present Participle (Verb + -ing)

I	was not (wasn't.)	doing anything special last night.
You	were not (weren't)	working at that time yesterday afternoon.
He/She	was not (wasn't.)	staying at that hotel on Monday.
It	was not (wasn't.)	snowing heavily yesterday in the evening.
We	were not (weren't)	leaving the party when John arrived.
You	were not (weren't)	waiting for the bus when you saw an accident.
They	were not (weren't)	having breakfast when the doorbell rang.

Exercise 24. Put the verbs in the Past Continuous Tense in the negative form.

Example: I was walking home when it began to rain. I wasn't walking home when it began to rain.

1. This time last year you were having a holiday in Spain.

2. Sally took a photograph of me while I was looking at her.

3. It was raining hard when I woke up in the morning.

4. He was driving at 100 kilometers an hour when an accident happened.

5. We were enjoying ourselves at the party last night.

6. My parents were gardening all weekend.

Exercise 25. Use the Past Continuous in the sentences below.

Example: I wasn't listening (not/listen) so I missed what he said.

1. Just as I __ (get) to an interesting part of the story, the telephone rang.

2. When she was younger, she __ (always play) jokes on other people.

3. Yesterday afternoon we __ (not/tidy up) our flat.

4. My parents __ (argue) about something when I walked into the room.

5. Pete __ (not/listen) to the lecturer; he __ (talking) to his friends.

6. A strong wind (blow) right in my face.