1. Definition of Past Continuous Tense
The
Past Continuous Tense is used to describe:
- an action
that was in progress at a specific time in the past
- an action
that was happening when another action occurred
- two actions
that were happening at the same time in the past
📌 It emphasizes the process, not the result.
2.
Functions of Past Continuous Tense
We
use the Past Continuous Tense to:
- Show an
action in progress in the past
- Describe a
background action in a story
- Show two
simultaneous past actions
3.
Sentence Patterns
A.
Positive (Affirmative)
Subject
+ was/were + Verb–ing
- I / He / She
/ It → was
- You / We /
They → were
Examples:
- I was
studying last night.
- She was
cooking when I arrived.
- They were
playing football at 5 p.m.
B.
Negative
Subject
+ was/were + not + Verb–ing
Examples:
- I was not
sleeping at that time.
- She was
not listening to the teacher.
- We were
not watching TV.
C.
Interrogative (Question)
Was/Were
+ Subject + Verb–ing ?
Examples:
- Was he studying last night?
- Were they waiting for you?
- Was she crying when you called?
4.
Past Continuous with Simple Past
Often,
the Past Continuous is used with the Simple Past:
- Past
Continuous → longer
action
- Simple Past → shorter action that interrupts
Example:
- I was
taking a shower when the phone rang.
- They were
walking when it started to rain.
5.
Signal Words (Time Expressions)
Common
signal words for the Past Continuous Tense:
- while
- when
- at that time
- at 7 p.m.
yesterday
- all day / all
night (emphasizing duration)
Examples:
- She was
studying while I was cooking.
- We were
sleeping at midnight.
6.
Examples of Sentences
- I was
reading a book at 9 p.m.
- She was
doing her homework when her mother came.
- They were
not paying attention.
- Was he driving too fast?
- The children were
laughing loudly.
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