Past continuous what does it mean. Past Continuous Tense - past continuous tense in English

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In this article we will look at the past continuous tense in English. We call all past tenses in English Past Tenses, the difference of which lies only in their duration or quality: will it be the simple past - Past Simple, long past - Past Continuous or past perfect - Past Perfect. In this article we will stop and look at Past Continuous Tense.

Past Continuous is a tense used to describe a continuous action in the past. Basically it is a process that lasted at a certain point or period in the past. The moment of action must be clearly defined or understandable in the context of the sentence.

Formation of affirmative sentences in the Past Continuous Tense

When I came to London, it was raining. It was raining when I arrived in London. Martin was studying history from three till eight o’clock. From three to eight o'clock Martin studied history. Lisa was cooking the pancakes, when I entered the kitchen. Lisa was preparing pancakes when I entered the kitchen.

Examples of negative sentences in the past continuous tense

He wasn't sleeping all the night. He didn't sleep all night. They weren't having a class at this time yesterday Yesterday we didn't have a lesson at this time. Last year she wasn't eating fat food as she was on diet. Last year she didn't eat fatty foods because she was on a diet.

Examples of affirmative sentences in the past continuous tense

Was Kate listening to the professor at the lecture? Did Kate listen to the professor during the lecture? How long were they traveling round Russia? How long did they travel around Russia? What kind of music was George playing when I entered the room? What music was George playing when I walked into the room? What were you doing at five o’clock? I was searching the web. What were you doing at five o'clock? I was surfing the Internet.

Using the Past Continuous Tense

Time Indicators

All the time all day long all day at seven o’clock yesterday at seven o’clock the whole Friday during the film from three till eight o’clock from three to eight o’clock

Examples of using sentences in the Past Continuous Tense

I was reading an interesting article at 6 pm yesterday evening. I read interesting article at 6 pm yesterday. My parents were staying in Rome for three months. My parents stayed in Rome for three months. We went to the country. The sun was shining, the birds were singing. We left for the countryside. The sun was shining, the birds were singing.

Watch video on Past Continuous tense

Hello my dear readers.

If you doubt your knowledge of such an important tense as the Past Continuous, then today’s lesson is just for you. Past Continuous: rules and examples - the topic of today's lesson.

You will learn how to form the shape correctly, everything necessary rules, see examples of all the possible ways to use time. Also, not for more difficulty, but for your thorough learning, I will give you the rule in both Russian and English.

Icons used in this article:

V+ing (Ving) - English verb first form with ending -ing.

Time formation rule

The affirmative form of time is formed as follows:

Subject + was/were + Ving

She was making pizza at that moment.- She was preparing pizza at that time.

Of course, you often have to form negative sentences. In this case, to the auxiliary verbs was/were a particle is added not.

She wasn’t making pizza at that moment.- She wasn't preparing pizza at that time.

Past Simple - a grammatical tense that is used to indicate a completed action in the past. This is usually indicated by clue words. For example He finished school in 2002. He graduated from school in 2002. Thus, the indication 2002 is a clue word that requires the use of the Past Simple.

Past Continuous- in this grammatical tense we are primarily interested in the continuous nature of a specific action in the past. Often this time is accompanied by hints in your own words. For example, He was drinking tea with his friends yesterday at 5. That is, we are interested in a specific moment in the past, and special words indicate this.

Hint words

Let us dwell in a little more detail on the clue words of these two tenses.

Past Simple- yesterday, ago, last, the day before yesterday, in...(date), on...(day). Typically, all of the above clue words are used at the end of a sentence. However, in speech it is possible to use these words at the beginning of a sentence.

Past Continuous- at... (indication of time), all day long (all day), from...till... (from... to...). Just like in the Past Simple, hint words are placed at the end of the sentence, but they can also be used at the beginning of the sentence.

How Past Simple and Past Continuous are formed

Past Simple

Affirmative sentences— I started to work at shool in 2001. The subject is put in first place, then the predicate in the second form (for regular verbs the ending ed is added, for irregular verbs the second form is learned).

Interrogative sentences - Did you start to work at school in 2001? The auxiliary verb Did is put in first place, which is not translated in any way, followed by the subject and predicate in the FIRST (initial) form.

Negative sentences— I did not (didn’t) start to work at school in 2001. (After the subject, did not + verb in the initial form is placed)

Past Continuous

Affirmative sentences— We were having breakfast yesterday at 5. The subject is put first, then to be in past form(was/were - depending on the number of the subject. In the singular - was, in the plural - were.) + verb ending ...ing.

Interrogative sentences— Were you having breakfast yesterday at 5? The verb to be and the subject change places.

Negative sentences- We were not (weren’t) having breakfast at 5. After the verb to be, the particle not is placed.

Using two tenses together in one sentence

Very often Past Simple And Past Continuous used side by side in the same sentence. The most important thing in this case is to correctly determine which time to use in which case. Consider an example: Sally came when I was having breakfast. Sally came while I was having breakfast. Let's compare the two actions. One of them is of a long-term nature - to have breakfast, the other is of a one-time, quick nature - to come. Thus, when two past actions collide in one sentence, you need to choose, reasoning as to which action lasted longer and which happened quickly. In such cases, two sentences are usually connected using conjunctions when(when) and while(while)

Examples from fiction

A chill wind was blowing that nipped him sharply and bit with especial venom into his wounded shoulder. // Jack London “The Call Of The Wild”

She was trying to see it in a mirror behind the counter without letting the truck driver know, and so she pretended to push a bit of hair to neatness. // John Steinbeck "The Grapes Of Wrath"

The man was limping on towards this latter, as if he were the pirate come to life, and come down, and going back to hook himself up again. // Charles Dickens "Great Expectations"

Exercises on Past Simple / Past Continuous (test)

I suggest you get acquainted with another time from Continuous groups, namely - Past Continuous Tense. Although it is not used very often, either verbally or in writing, you will still need to master it when studying English grammar.

What is Past Continuous Tense?

The Past Continuous is one of several English tense forms that describe an action that has already taken place in the past. The peculiarity of this past tense is that it was continuous. Action in Past Continuous Tense is expressed as lasting (flowing) at a certain moment in the past time. Formation Past Continuous Tense - Past Continuous Tense

Rules for the formation of Past Continuous Tense

Past Continuous Tense is difficult time, formed with the help of the auxiliary verb to be in the Past Simple Tense (was, were) and the present participle of the main verb. Simply put, a present participle is a verb with the ending -ing.

The rules that must be followed when forming the Present Participle can be found in the article Present Continuous

Affirmative form Past Continuous Tense is formed using a verb to be(I/ he/ she/ it was, we/ you/ they were), which is placed after the subject and before the Present Participle of the main verb.

During education interrogative form Past Continuous Tense auxiliary verb to be(was, were) is placed before the subject, and the Present Participle of the main verb is placed after the subject.

Negative form forms a particle not, which is in colloquial speech merges into one with an auxiliary verb to be:

The subject is followed by a verb to be(was, were) combined with negation not, and then the Present Participle of the main verb.

Conjugation table for the verb to dream in Past Continuous Tense

Number	Face	Affirmative form	Question form	Negative form
Unit h.	1 2 3	I was dream ing You were dream ing He/She/It was dream ing	Was I dream ing? Were you dream ing? Was he/ she/ it dream ing?	I was not (wasn't) dream ing You were not (weren't) dream ing He/She/It was not (wasn't) dream ing
Mn. h.	1 2 3	We were dream ing You were dream ing They were dream ing	Were we dream ing? Were you dream ing? Were they dream ing?	We were not (weren't) dream ing You were not (weren't) dream ing They were not (weren't) dream ing

Don't forget!
Quite a lot of verbs are not used in long-term form(Continuous). You will find a detailed list of these verbs in the article Present Simple

Past Continuous Tense is used

1. When expressing an action or state that occurred during a certain moment in the past tense. The period of this action can be indicated by such adverbial phrases as:

at 4 o’clock yesterday - yesterday at 4 o’clock
at that moment/ time last Sunday - at that moment/ at that time last Sunday

or it may be indicated by another action expressed by a verb in the Past Simple Tense. Examples:

They were watching news at 9 o’clock yesterday. — Yesterday at 9 o’clock they were watching the news.
At that time he was talking with me over the telephone. “At that moment he was talking to me on the phone.
They were playing when the teacher came in. — When the teacher came in, they were playing.
You were sleeping when I left. - When I left you were sleeping.

2. Past Continuous is often used to show that an action took too long. Such sentences often contain tense adverbials:

the whole day - the whole day
all the time - all the time
all day long - all day long
from 5 till 8 o’clock - from 5 to 8 o’clock

I was working the whole day. — I worked all day long.
He was repairing his car from 4 to 6 p.m. last Saturday. — He was repairing his car from 4 to 6 pm last Saturday.

3. When expressing disapproval or impatience of a past tendency or habit. Adverbs are often used in such sentences:

always - always
constantly - constantly
ever - forever

My father was always saying not to come late. — My dad always asked me not to come late.
I was always ringing him up after my work. — I always called him after work.

4. To indicate an action that was in progress, in subordinate clause time after prepositions:

while - at that time
when - when

In the main clause the verb is used in Past Simple Tense. Examples:

She watched a film, while the children were playing in the garden. — She was watching a film while the children were playing in the garden.
While Nansy was cooking breakfast, her husband read the newspaper. — While Nastya was preparing breakfast, her husband was reading the newspaper.

5. In order to show that an action in the past developed gradually:

The wind was rising. — The wind was getting stronger.
It was getting dark. — It was getting dark.

6. When expressing an action that was planned in the past for the near future from the point of view of the past.

Affirmative form

Subject + was/were + Infinitive without to ending -ing

1. We were talking to each other when Sam suddenly interrupted us - We were talking to each other when Sam suddenly interrupted us.

talking – infinitive without to with ending -ing

2. Yesterday at 2 o"clock I was having lunch with my friend - Yesterday at 2 o'clock I had lunch with my friend.

having – infinitive without to with ending -ing

3. I burnt my finger when I was cooking dinner - I burned my finger when I was cooking dinner.

was – auxiliary verb to be in the Past Simple in singular form
cooking – infinitive without to ending in -ing

Negative form

Subject + was/were + not + Infinitive without to with -ing ending

1. I was not using my computer when Emily took it - I was not using my computer when Emily took it.

was – auxiliary verb to be in the Past Simple in singular form
not – negative particle
using – infinitive without to with ending -ing

2. They were not listening to the teacher when he asked this question - They did not listen to the teacher when he asked this question.

were – auxiliary verb to be in the Past Simple in plural form
not – negative particle
listening – infinitive without to with ending -ing

3. Yesterday at 10 o"clock at night Anthony still was not sleeping - Yesterday at 10 o'clock in the evening Anthony was still not sleeping.

was – auxiliary verb to be in the Past Simple in singular form
not – negative particle

Question form

was/were + Subject + Infinitive without to with -ing ending

1. Were you working last week at this time? – Were you working at this time last week?

were – an auxiliary verb that stands still before subject to form a question
working – infinitive without to with ending -ing

2. What was he doing when you came to visit him? -What was he doing when you came to see him?

after question word what and before subject to
doing – infinitive without to with ending -ing

3. Where was the cat sleeping when you were looking for it? – Where was the cat sleeping when you were looking for him?

was is an auxiliary verb that stands after question word where and before subject to
sleeping – infinitive without to with ending -ing
were – auxiliary verb to be in the Past Simple in plural form
looking – infinitive without to with ending -ing

#2 Cases of using Past Continuous

1. To express an action that was in the process of happening at a certain moment in the past. This moment may be determined by time or another action in the past.

I saw this ad when I was watching TV last night - I saw this advertisement when I was watching TV last night. (the action expressed by the Past Continuous (was watching) began in the past and continued at the moment when another action occurred (saw), expressed by the Past Simple)
Yesterday at 5 o"clock he was writing his essay - Yesterday at 5 o'clock he was writing an essay. (action expressed Past Continuous (was writing) began in the past and was at the moment of completion at a certain time in the past (yesterday at 5 o" clock ))

2. To express a continuous action that continued at a certain time in the past, although not necessarily continuously during that period of time.

During her probation my sister was driving to work – During the internship, my sister went to work by car. (action expressed Past Continuous (was driving) continued at a certain time in the past (during her probation), although not necessarily continuously during this period of time)
In August they were preparing to relocate - In August they were preparing to move. (action expressed by Past Continuous (were preparing) continued at a certain time in the past (in August), although not necessarily continuously during this period of time)

3. To express two actions that occurred in the past at the same time. Please note that the Past Simple can also be used in this situation.

My mother was washing up the dishes while I was doing my homework - My mother washed the dishes while I was doing my homework. (two actions in the past, expressed by Past Continuous (was washing up and was doing) occurred at the same time in the past)
Some were swimming in the lake while others were lying in the sun – Some were swimming in the lake, while others were sunbathing. (two actions expressed by Past Continuous (were swimming and were lying) occurred at the same time in the past)