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.

General questions

Was I waiting for you in the wrong place?	- Yes, you were./No, you weren't.
Were you reading when I phoned you?	- Yes, I was./No, I wasn't.
Was he staying at home yesterday?	- Yes, he was./No, he wasn't.
Was she wearing a fantastic dress at the party last night?	- Yes, she was./No, she wasn't.
Was it snowing all day?	- Yes, it was./No, it wasn't.
Were we having dinner at 7 o'clock?	- Yes, you were./No, you weren't.
Were you moving out when I phoned?	- Yes, we were./No, we weren't.
Were they flying over the Atlantic at 3 p.m.?	- Yes, they were./No, they weren't.

Exercise 26. Make these sentences into general questions. Give short answers.

Example: He was studying in the library at seven last night. Was he studying in the library at seven last night? - Yes, he was.

1. The baby-sitter was reading little Betty a fairy tale.

2. When Mrs. Robinson entered the room, her children were fighting.

3. Charles wasn't driving very fast when the accident happened.

4. We weren't talking on the telephone for too long.

5. Nobody was talking when the teacher came in.

Exercise 27. Write short answers to the following questions.

Example: Were you sitting here yesterday? - No, I wasn't. Did she see the accident? - Yes, she did.

1. Did they like your present? - Yes, __.

2. Were the children having a good time? - No, __.

3. Did you understand what he was saying? - No,__.

4. Were they leaving when you got there? - Yes, __.

5. Were you skiing in the mountains this time last winter? - No, __.

6. Did she tell you the truth? - No, __.

7. Was it a dead-end situation? - Yes,

Alternative questions

Was I reading a journal or a magazine?	- A magazine.
Were you talking to the headmaster or to one of the teachers?	- To the headmaster.
Was he/she/it growing fast or slow?	- Rather fast.
Were we/you/they watching a thriller or an action film?	- A thriller.

Exercise 28. Ask alternative questions and give short answers.

Example: He (play) the flute/the saxophone when you came in?

Was he playing the flute or the saxophone when you came in?

- The saxophone.

1. You (talk) on the telephone/(watch) TV when the doorbell rang?

2. Carol (cross) the road/(wait) for the bus when she saw the accident?

3. You (have) dinner at home/in a restaurant?

4. Her parents (live) in the centre of Moscow/on the outskirts when she was a child?

5. It (rain)/(snow) all day yesterday?

Special questions

What were you doing at 7 o'clock yesterday?	- I was eating out with some of my friends.
Where was she waiting for you at that time?	- At the bus stop.
Where were you going when I met you?	- To the theatre.
When were they living in Brazil?	- A couple of years ago.
Why were you crying when I saw you?	- My broken leg was hurting rather badly.
Which book were you reading when the doorbell ring?	- 'Death on the Nile' by Agatha Christie.
How fast was he doing an hour?	- I don't know, but he wasn't driving too fast.
How much were you earning for that job?	- Not very much.

Object question

Who	were	you	waiting for when I saw you? - (For) my mother.
Whose lecture	were	they	listening to when the principal came in? - I don't know.
What	was	she	looking through when the lesson started? - Some documents.

Subject question

Who	were	—	laying the table when the guests arrived? - My daughters (were).
What	was	—	going on when I came in? - Sally and another girl were arguing.

Exercise 29. Ask questions about the information in italics.

Example: We were taking the exam in the lecture hall.

Where were you taking the exam?

1. I was looking for some photos when you rang.

2. They were doing 70 miles an hour because they didn't want to be late for the train.

3. My grandfather was serving in the army when the war broke out.

4. They were selling tickets at six pounds each.

5. Joan's husband was fixing the car when he saw a car crash.

6. They were driving home from the theatre when the police stopped them.

Tag questions

I was standing in the queue when it began to rain, wasn't I?	- Yes, you were./No, you weren't.
You were cooking dinner when the fire started, weren't you?	- Yes, I was./No, I wasn't.
He/She was living in Liverpool then, wasn't he/she?	- Yes, he/she was./No, he/she wasn't.
It was snowing rather heavily last night, wasn't it?	- Yes, it was./No, it wasn't.
We were playing cards all evening, weren't we?	- Yes, you were./No, you weren't.
You were arguing when the phone rang, weren't you?	- Yes, we were./No, we weren't.
They were shopping downtown, weren't they?	- Yes, they were./No, they weren't.
I wasn't working overtime on Friday, was I?	- No, you weren't./Yes, you were.
You weren't lying on the beach at this time last year, were you?	- No, I wasn't./Yes, I was.
He/She wasn't driving at top speed, was he/she?	- No, he/she wasn't./ Yes, he/she was.
It wasn't working efficiently, was it?	- No, it wasn't./Yes, it was.
We weren't having a party last weekend, were we?	- No, you weren't./Yes, you were.
You weren't doing anything special last night, were you?	- No, we weren't./Yes, we were.
They weren't sitting the exam at 3 p.m., were they?	- No, they weren't./ Yes, they were

Exercise 30. Give the correct tag to these sentences.

1. Nobody was waiting for you when you arrived at the station, __?

2. Your parents were giving you love and emotional support, __?

3. She wasn't feeling well when she got up in the morning, __?

4. They weren't enjoying themselves at that rather boring party, __?

5. Mrs. Williams was always complaining about bad service, __?

6. After the quarrel we weren't talking to each other for a long time, __?

Past Continuous vs. Past Simple

Past Continuous	Past Simple
1. We use it for an incomplete or continuing action in the past. The doctors were looking for a cure. (An incomplete action) I was cleaning my apartment for most of the morning. (A continuing action)	1. We use it for a single and complete action in the past. Alison took the newspapers from Andy and walked out of the shop. (A single action) He set his alarm clock for a quarter to seven. (A complete action)
2. We use it for an interrupted action in the past. When Sue came home, Dick was making some tea. (Dick was in the middle of making some tea. Then Sue came home.)	2. We use it to say that one thing happened after another. When Sue came home, Dick made some tea. (Sue came home. Then Dick made some tea.)
3. We use it for repeated actions in the past with, e.g. always. She was always criticizing people.	3. We use it to talk about past habits or regular actions in the past. Albert used to work on his grandparents' farm in his schooldays.
4. We use it to describe a round scene. I was standing outside the bank. It was getting dark was feeling tired. I was waiting for a woman Joan Smith.	4. We use it to describe past events and actions. Suddenly, a woman came round the corner and walked right up to me. "Are you Steve Berlin?" she asked.
5. ____	5. We also use it with verbs not used in the Continuous Tense. Nobody knew Jack Kennedy completely. Steve was a fortunate man. We often went fishing when we were kids. I always wanted to be an athlete.

Exercise 31. Complete the sentences with the Past Continuous or the Past Simple.

Example: We were having (have) dinner when a friend of ours arrived (arrive).

1. Roy __ (see) Alice and Tina when he __ (go) to work this morning.

2. I __ (break) a cup last night. I (do) the washing-up when it __ (slip) out of my hand.

3. We __ (not/go) out because it __ (rain).

4. It __ (be) midnight. We __ (drive) home.

5. The Industrial Revolution __ (begin) in the 18th century.

6. Christopher Columbus __ (sail) in the Santa Maria when he __ (discover) America.

Exercise 32. Complete each sentence with when and while.

Example: Robin was climbing a mountain when he slipped and fell.

While Victor was riding his motorcycle, he witnessed a terrible car accident.

1. __ we were driving in the storm, we had to stop and clear the snow off the car.

2. The plane crashed __ it left the runway, but luckily no one was hurt.

3. My sister and I were studying __ my parents were watching TV.

4. Paul was playing the guitar __ some of his friends came to see him.

5. Last night I was reading in bed __ suddenly I heard a scream.

6. __ the doorbell rang I got up and answered it.

Exercise 33. Put in the correct form of the verbs in brackets. Use either the Past Continuous or the Past Simple.

Thomas Edison (1) __ (start) work on the railway when he was twelve, selling newspapers and snacks. There were long periods with nothing for him to do, so he (2) __ (build) himself a little laboratory in the luggage van where he could carry out experiments when he (3) __ (not/sell) things to the passengers. Another way that he (4) __ (occupy) himself with was by reading. He (5) ___ (join) a library and (6) __ (read) every single book in it. One day, when he (7) ___ (wait) at a station he (8) __ (notice) a small boy who (9) (play) by the track, unaware that a train (10)___ (approach). Edison (11) ___ (run) out and (12) __ (grab) the child just in time. The child's father (13) __ (be) so grateful that he (14) __ (offer) to teach Edison to be a telegraph operator. Edison (15) __ (accept) the offer and soon he (16) __ (have) regular lessons. After a year, he (17) __ (be) good enough to get a job in the telegraph office. He (18) ___ (continue) to read and experiment, whenever he (19) __ (have) time. At twenty-one he (20) __ (leave) the telegraph office to devote all his time to being an inventor. He (21) __ (go) on to invent the electric light bulb, the phonograph and the movie camera.