Form

2. To form a sentence in the Past Continuous, you need: The proper conjugation of the auxiliary verb "to be" in the past form The Present Participle of your verb (verb + ing .
1. Auxiliary verb "to be" The past form of the au!iliary verb "to be" is: #or the first and third person singular: "$as" #or all others: "$ere"

Examples: %he $as doing her home$or&. They $ere singing loudly.

2. The Present Participle The present participle is of a verb is a verb form that appears $ith the present tenses. The present participle is formed by adding -ing to the verb.

'!amples: (read+ing)reading (spea&+ing)spea&ing

Exceptions in spelling ""ing##

hen a!!ing

*final e is dropped (but: ee is not changed Ex.:take-taking,but:agree-agreeing. *after a short, stressed vo$el, the final consonant is doubled Ex.:knit-knitting -l as final consonant after a vo$el is doubled (in +ritish 'nglish Ex.:travel-travelling *final ie becomes y Ex.:die-dying

Positive form:
, $as dra$ing -e.%he.,t $as dra$ing /ou.0e.They $ere dra$ing

1egative form
, $as not ($asn2t building. -e.%he.,t $as not ($asn2t building. /ou.0e.They $ere ($eren2t not building.

,nterrogative form
0as , ironing3 0as he.she.it ironing3 0ere you.$e.they ironing3

$se
1.The past continuous is usually used $hen
one action began before another, and finished after it. , $as playing $hen mum entered.
%ote:The Past Continuous is interrupted by a shorter action in the %imple Past. -o$ever, you can also use a specific time as an interruption. /esterday at this time , $as drin&ing Co&e.

2.0e can also use the tense $hen $e tal&

about an action that had already started and $as still continuing at a particular time. At 7 oclock,it was snowing.

$e can use this tense to describe T04 actions that &. #inally, $ere +4T- continuing at the same time in the past. ,n this case, $e use the past continuous for both actions: While I was studying, u was cooking.

'.,n 'nglish, $e often use a series of parallel

actions to describe the atmosphere at a particular time in the past. 0hen , arrived at the 5niversity several pupils $ere busily doing their home$or&,some $ere eating ice*cream,the teacher $as $riting in the register and t$o boys $ere laughing.

(.The Past Continuous $ith $ords such as

"al$ays" or "constantly" e!presses the idea that something irritating or shoc&ing often happened in the past. The concept is very similar to the e!pression "used to" but $ith negative emotion. 6emember to put the $ords "al$ays" or "constantly" bet$een "be" and "verb+ing." !he was always talking rude. "e was constantly laughing."e annoyed the teacher.

).0e also use this tense to tal& about t$o or more

activities happening at the same. 0e usually use $hen or$hile to lin& the t$o sentences. , $as $riting a letter and %ara $as jumping.

0e $ere eating the lunch and tal&ing. 0hen 7le! $as $or&ing in the garden,his mum $as ironing.

,f $e $ant to as& a polite 8uestion, $e can *. use the Past Continuous. I was wondering i# you could hel$ e to ake this salad.

+.6emember that you can also e!press

irritation over somebody or something in the past. %he $as al$ays telling lies.

,mportant--------,n the %imple Past, a specific time is used to sho$ $hen an action began or finished. ,n the Past Continuous, a specific time only interrupts the action. /esterday at 9 P:,, read a boo&.(, started reading at 9 P: /eaterday at 9 P:,, $as reading a boo&.(, started earlier;and at 9 P:,, $as in the process of reading that boo&

.hile vs. .hen Clauses are groups of $ords $hich have meaning, but are often not complete sentences. %ome clauses begin $ith the $ord "$hen" such as "$hen she called" or "$hen it bit me." 4ther clauses begin $ith "$hile" such as "$hile she $as sleeping" and "$hile he $as surfing." 0hen you tal& about things in the past, "$hen" is most often follo$ed by the verb tense %imple Past, $hereas "$hile" is usually follo$ed by Past Continuous. ".hile" expresses the i!ea o/ "!uring that time." %tudy the e!amples belo$. They have similar meanings, but they emphasi<e different parts of the sentence.

'!amples:
= >ate $as sleeping $hen the telephone rang.

= 0hile she $as s$eeping her friend entered.

= ,t is important to remember that 1on* Continuous ?erbs cannot be used in any continuous tenses. 7lso, certain non*continuous meanings for :i!ed ?erbscannot be used in continuous tenses. ,nstead of using Past Continuous $ith these verbs, you must use %imple Past. = I was understanding hi when he retold e the case. not correct = I understood hi when he retold e the case. correct

0erbs hich cannot be use! /or a 1ontinuous tense:

= Perception verbs (to see,to taste,to smell,to hear@ = 4ther verbs as:to be,to have,to thin&,to believe,to li&e,to love,to hate,to &no$,to understand,to $ant,to prefer,to mean,to seem,to belong,to remember@

Time e!pressions:
(0hile (0hen (7s (7ll day.night.morning, etc.
0hen.$hile.as + past continuous (longer action

0hen + pas simple (shorter action

7dverb placement:
The e!amples belo$ sho$ the placement for grammar adverbs such as: al$ays, only, never, ever, still, just, etc. They come after the verb ,,to be22 in the past and before the continuous verb. I was always s iling at her.

"e was never driving in the city when he was %&.

'rs.(andecar was still sewing when she was $regnant.