Easy Word | Luyện ngữ pháp


Luyện ngữ pháp - English Grammar in Use - Intermediate (Unit 6: Past continuous))


Past continuous

A

Study this example situation:

Yesterday Karen and jim played tennis. They started at 10 o'clock and finished at 11.30.
So, at 10.30 they were playing tennis.

They were playing = they were in the middle of playing.
They had not finished playing.

Was/were -ing is the past continuous:

I/he/she/it
we/you/they  		 was
were		 playing
doing
working etc.
B

I was doing something = I was in the middle of doing something at a certain time. The action or situation had already started before this time, but had not finished:

  • This time last year I was living in Brazil.
  • What were you doing at 10 o'clock last night?
  • I waved to Helen, but she wasn't looking.
C

Compare the past continuous (I was doing) and past simple (I did):

Past continuous (in the middle of an action)
  • I was walking home when I met Dan.
    (in the middle of walking home)
  • Kate was watching TV when we arrived.
 Past simple (complete action)
  • I walked home after the party last night.
    (= all the way, completely)
  • Kate watched television a lot when she was ill last year.
D
We often use the past simple and the past continuous together to say that something happened in the middle of something else:
  • Matt phoned while we were having dinner.
  • It was raining when I got up.
  • I saw you in the park yesterday. You were sitting on the grass and reading a book.
  • I hurt my back while I was working in the garden.

But we use the past simple to say that one thing happened after another:
  • I was walking along the road when I saw Dan. So I stopped, and we had a chat.

Compare:

  • When Karen arrived, we were having dinner. (= we had already started before she arrived)
  • When Karen arrived, we had dinner. (= Karen arrived, and then we had dinner)
 
E Some verbs (for example, know and want) are not normally used in the continuous (see Unit 4A):
  • We were good friends. We knew each other well. (not We were knowing)
  • I was enjoying the party, but Chris wanted to go home. (not was wanting)
Exercises - 6.1


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