The document discusses the past continuous tense (also called the past progressive tense) in English. It covers: 1) The basic structure of the past continuous tense using was/were + verb+ing. 2) Five main usages: to describe an action over a period of time in the past, at a specific past time, when another action interrupted it, when two actions occurred simultaneously, and to express annoyance with words like "always." 3) Exceptions where some verbs like "see" and "think" cannot be used in the continuous form.

1. The Past Continuous Tense
(The Past Progressive Tense)

2. Basic structure:
was / were Ving…
+
S.+
1. Positive statement:
She was playing at that time.
They were waiting.

3. was not / were not Ving…
+
S.+
2. Negative statement:
He was not paying attention in class.
We weren’t chatting.
weren’t
wasn’t

4. Was / Were Ving… ?
+
+ S.
3. Yes/No Question:
Were you sleeping when I called you?
4. Wh- Question:
were you sleeping?
was he eating?
Who was talking?
Question Word + Yes/No Question?
Where
What

5. Usages:
I. To talk about an action in progress during a whole
period of time in the past .
1. They were watching TV from 8 to 10 last night.
2. It was raining all this morning.
4. He wrote a composition last night.
5. He was writing a composition last night.
昨晚他一直在寫作文。
昨晚他寫了一篇作文。
3. I was waiting for you the whole day last Sunday.

6. 1. I (watch)TV at 9 o’clock last night.
II. To talk about an action in progress at a specific time in
the past.
2. They (read)at that time yesterday.
Present
Future
Specific Time Past
3. It (die) at 5 o’clock yesterday.
was watching
were reading
was dying died
Non-continuing Verb
continuing past action

7. Practice 1:
1. They (play)football at 9 o’clock last
Sunday.
2. I first met Lisa three years ago. She 1
(wait) for a bus at that time.
3. Last Christmas Eve, May (wrap)
up gifts all night.
4. I couldn’t sleep last night because the dog 1
(bark) the whole night.
5. He (arrive) at the cinema at 2 o’clock
last Sunday.
6. I (finish)my homework at 7:00 yesterday
evening.
were playing
was waiting
was wrapping
was barking
arrived
finished
Non-continuing
Non-continuing

8. ※
4. When the accident (happen),
I (do) my homework.
Tip1: We used Past Continuous for the long action,
Simple Past for the short action.
short action
long action
later
earlier
Tip2: We used Past Continuous for the earlier action,
Simple Past for the later action.
5. 當他跳過牆的時候，他的鞋子掉了。
When he was jumping over the wall, his shoes dropped.
happened
was doing

9. To talk about a long action that was in progress when
a short action happened suddenly.
III.
1. When/While/As the man was sleeping, the phone rang.
The phone rang when/while/as the man was sleeping.
當那個男人睡覺時， 電話鈴響了起來。
When/As the phone rang, the man was sleeping.
當電話鈴響的时候，那個男人正在睡覺 。
The man was sleeping when/as the phone rang.
那個男人正在睡覺 ,這時電話鈴響了起來。
while: 當。。。時候，is used with continuous tense.

10. 1. We were having dinner when the light went out.
2. We had had dinner when the light went out.
當燈滅的時候我們正在吃飯。
unfinished
finished
當燈滅的時候我們已经吃完飯。

11. Practice 2:
1. When the man (type), a banana 1
(hit) him.
2. When I (watch) TV, the door bell
(ring).
3. They (pick) apples in his garden when I
(arrive).
4. What _____ Jim __________(write) when the teacher
(come) in ?
5. He was cleaning his room (when/while) I called him.
6. When I arrived he (do) his homework, so he
could play with me.
was typing hit
was watching
rang
were picking
arrived
when
was writing
came
had done

12. IV. To talk about two actions that were in progress at the
same time in the past.
now future
reading
past
doing
While Jim was reading
Susan was doing her
homework.
Jim was reading while
Susan was doing her
homework.

13. Practice 3:
1. While my mother (do) some washing, I
(play) games last night.
2. I (listen) to music while I (do)
my homework just now .
3. 他們一邊等車一邊聊天。
4. 昨晚媽媽在看電視，我在畫畫。
was doing
was playing
was listening was doing
They were chatting while they were waiting for the bus .
I was drawing while mum was watching TV last night.

14. V. The past continuous , with words such as
“always” or “constantly”, expresses something
annoying or shocking that often happened in the
past.
The woman is always complaining.
1. In the past he was always smoking.
過去他老是抽煙。
2. I remembered the girl was constantly changing her
mind.
我記得這女孩總是改變主意。

15. ※※Some verbs can’t be used in any continuous tenses,
such as like, have(有), see, hear, think(認為)…
（Refer to the Present Continuous Tense）
He (wave) to me when he
(see) me.
waved
was seeing saw

16. 16
Summary
I. The structure.
II. The usages.
1. A whole period of time.
2. At a specific past time.
3. With an interrupted action in the past.
4. Two actions at the same time.
5. With “ always, constantly, forever”, to express a
strong feeling.
III. The words without continuous tenses.