The document discusses the past continuous tense in English. It explains that the past continuous is used to describe an ongoing action in the past. It provides the formula of subject + was/were + verb+ing + complement and examples of affirmative, negative, and interrogative sentences using the past continuous. It also includes a table showing the past form of the verb "to be" for different pronouns and an exercise with sentences to complete in the past continuous tense.

1. Hélio Diógenes
http://paracasando.blogspot.com/
Past Continuous
Adapted from http://www.brasilescola.com/ingles/past-continuous.htm
O passado contínuo é usado para se referir a uma situação que estava em andamento em um
determinado momento do passado. A construção do passado contínuo deve ser dada segundo a
forma:
Sujeito + verbo “to be” no passado (was/were) + verbo com “ing” + complemento.
She was working yesterday night. (Ela estava trabalhando ontem à noite).
He was working at the college. (Ele estava trabalhando na universidade).
The dog was barking a lot yesterday night. (O cachorro estava latindo muito noite passada).
Para a forma negativa, basta acrescentar o “not” após o passado do verbo “to be”(was/were):
They were not studying when I arrived home. (Eles não estavam estudando quando eu cheguei em
casa).
I was not traveling last week. (Eu não estava viajando semana passada).
We were not playing cards during the class. (Nós não estávamos jogando baralho durante a aula).
Para elaborar uma frase interrogativa é necessário colocar o passado do verbo “to be” (was/were)
no início da frase:
Was Lisa copying Marianne’s exercises? (A Lisa estava copiando os exercícios da Marianne?)
Was Bob riding a horse with his friends on the farm yesterday? (O Bob estava andando a cavalo
com seus amigos na fazenda ontem?)
Were you two dancing during the P.E. class yesterday? (Vocês dois estavam dançando durante a
aula de Educação Física ontem?)
Se surgir alguma dúvida quanto ao uso do verbo “to be” no passado, basta consultar a tabela
abaixo:
Personal pronouns
Verbo “to be” no presente Verbo “to be” no passado
(Pronomes Pessoais)
I am was
You are were
He is was
She is was
It is was
We are were
You are were
They are Were
Exercise
Adapted from http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/past-progressive/exercises
1) Put the verbs into the correct form (past progressive).
a) When I phoned my friends, they (play) ______________________ monopoly.
b) Yesterday at six I (prepare) ______________________ dinner.
c) The kids (play) ______________________ in the garden when it suddenly began to rain.
d) I (practise) ______________________ the guitar when he came home.
e) We (not / cycle) ______________________ all day.
f) While Aaron (work) ______________________ in his room, his friends (swim)
______________________ in the pool.
g) I tried to tell them the truth but they (listen / not) ______________________.
h) What (you / do) ______________________ yesterday?
i) Most of the time we (sit) ______________________ in the park.