The document provides information about and examples of using the past continuous tense in English. It discusses how the past continuous tense expresses an action that was happening at a particular moment in the past and often sets the background for a story. It provides examples of using the past continuous tense to describe parallel or interrupting actions. It also lists verbs that are rarely used in the continuous form, such as abstract verbs and possession verbs. The document concludes with exercises asking the reader to write sentences in the past continuous tense based on prompts.

2. Positive form:
S + was/were + verb+ing + C
Negative form:
S + wasn’t/weren’t + verb + ing + C
Question Form:
(Question Word) + was/were + Subject + verb +ing + C?

3. A.The past continuous tense expresses action
at a particular moment in the past.
The action started before that moment but has
not finished at that moment.
For example, yesterday I watched a film on TV.
The film started at 7pm and finished at 9pm.
At 8pm yesterday, I was watching TV.

4. B. We use it to describe the background
situation at the moment when the action
begins. Often, the story starts with the past
continuous tense and then moves into the
simple past tense.
" James Bond was driving through town. It
was raining. The wind was blowing hard.
Nobody was walking in the streets.
Suddenly, Bond saw the killer in a telephone
box..."

5. C. We use it to indicate that a longer action in
the past was interrupted. The interruption is
usually a shorter action in the Simple Past.
I was watching TV when she called.
When the phone rang, she was writing a letter.

6. D. Parallel Actions: we use it with two actions
in the same sentence, it expresses the idea
that both actions were happening at the same
time.
I was studying while he was making dinner.
While Ellen was reading, Tim was watching
television.

7. These verbs are usually things you cannot see somebody
doing. These verbs are rarely used in continuous tenses.
 Abstract Verbs:
to be, to want, to cost, to seem, to need, to care, to
contain,
to owe, to exist...
 Possession Verbs:
to possess, to own, to belong...
 Emotion Verbs:
to like, to love, to hate, to dislike, to fear, to envy, to
mind...

8. Example:
Michael was watching the World Cup match.
Yesterday at 3 pm the following people were in the
middle of an action.
Write positive sentences in past progressive.
a. you / play / cards
b. Alice / walk / around the lake
c. Caron / listen / to the radio
d. we / read / a book about Australia
e. Linda / look for / her ring
f. Fiona and Sam / visit / the castle
g. Ben / wash / the car
h. Kim and I / wait / in the park
i. My sister / feed / the birds
j. Greg and Phil / count / their money

9. Somebody believes that yesterday at 3 pm the following
people were in the middle of an action. However these
people were not doing those things.
Write negative sentences in past progressive.
a. Sarah and Luke / not / work
b. Mister Miller / not / teach / chemistry
c. Barry / not / drive / a lorry
d. Mandy / not / have / lunch
e. Albert / not / play / tennis
f. Taylor and Bob / not / cycle / home
g. Annie / not / clean / the table
h. Benjamin / not / write / an e-mail
i. Jane / not / exercise / in the gym
j. Robert / not / buy / flowers

10.  Write questions in past progressive.
a. Rachel / feed / the cat
b. the children / paint / a picture
c. Clark / repair / his computer
d. Hazel / swim / in the pool
e. Lucas / have / a shower
f. Jason and Aron / run / down the street
 Ask for the information in the bold part of the
sentence.
a. Henry was living in London last year.
b. Anita was working at a restaurant last week.
c. Joe was reading a book.
d. At six o'clock, Myriam and her family were having
dinner.

11. (run)

12. What were they doing last Sunday?
Dance /
Have fun

13. watch

15.  Aim:
Review of past continuous tense
when describing a picture.

16. Cut herself /
Peel an apple

17. Watch TV/ arrive

18. Play soccer/ rain

19. Last Sunday at 8:00
o´clock there was an
earthquake, these
people live happily in
this building. It was 7:30
pm and they were doing
different
activities. Say what
were they doing when
the earthquake began?
Example:
When the earthquake
began the lady in flat 4 A
was knitting.