2. Affirmative:
I was reading
You were reading
He was reading
She was reading
It was reading
We were reading
You were reading
They were reading
We form the Past Continuous with the verb To Be in the Past
and the main verb+ing
Ana Furtado,2007
3. Negative:
I was not reading
You were not reading
He was not reading
She was not reading
It was not reading
We were not reading
You were not reading
They were not reading
We form the Negative with the verb To Be in the Past + not + the main
verb+ing
Ana Furtado,2007
4. Interrogative:
Was I reading?
Were you reading?
Was he not reading?
Was she reading?
Was it reading?
Were we reading?
Were you reading?
Were they reading?
We form the Interrogative with the verb To Be in the Past + subject + the
main verb+ing
Ana Furtado,2007
5. Examples:
I was studying when she called.
While I was studying, she called.
When the phone rang, she was writing a letter.
While we were having a picnic, it started to rain.
Sally was working when Joe had the car accident.
While John was sleeping last night, someone stole his
car.
Ana Furtado,2007
6. We use the Past Continuous to:
Indicate that a longer action in the past
was interrupted. The interruption is usually
an action in the Simple Past. Example:
When I was having breakfast, the
phone rang.
Ana Furtado,2007
7. put emphasis on the course of an action in
the past
Example: He was playing football.
Ana Furtado,2007
8. two actions happening at the same time
(in the past)
Example: While she was preparing
dinner, he was washing the dishes.
Ana Furtado,2007
9. Write sentences using the Past Continuous.
1. you / play / cards
2. Alice / walk / around the lake
3. Caron / listen / to the radio
4. we / read / a book about Australia
5. Linda / look for / her ring
6. Fiona and Sam / visit / the castle
7. Ben / wash / the car
8. Kim and I / wait / in the park
9. My sister / feed / the birds
10. Greg and Phil / count / their money
Ana Furtado,2007
10. Write questions in the Past Continuous.
1. Rachel / feed / the cat
2. the children / paint / a picture
3. Clark / repair / his computer
4. Hazel / swim / in the pool
5. Lucas / have / a shower
6. Jason and Aron / run / down the street
7. Betty / do / her homework
8. Cindy and James / make / dinner
9. Rebecca / watch / Star Trek
10. Anita and Linda / sit / in the kitchen
Ana Furtado,2007
11. Write negative sentences in the Past Continuous.
1. Sarah and Luke / not / work
2. Mister Miller / not / teach / chemistry
3. Barry / not / drive / a lorry
4. Mandy / not / have / lunch
5. Albert / not / play / tennis
6. Taylor and Bob / not / cycle / home
7. Annie / not / clean / the table
8. Benjamin / not / write / an e-mail
9. Jane / not / exercise / in the gym
10. Robert / not / buy / flowers
Ana Furtado,2007
