Past forms include the past simple, past continuous, past perfect, and past perfect continuous. The past continuous uses "was/were + verb-ing" to describe actions that were ongoing or in progress at a specific time in the past. It is used to talk about background scenes, actions interrupted by other events where the longer action is in the past continuous and shorter in the past simple, and simultaneous past actions. Key uses are to describe actions happening at a stated past time, interrupted or background actions, and multiple simultaneous past actions.

1. Past Forms
Lectured by T. KHON MIN SET
14.January.2015
E.G.T.I. (E.P.); B.A.(English); Dip in (E.L.T); M.A Part One (English) (Mandalay University)

3. What are past forms?

4. What are past forms?
1. Past simple (V2)
2. Past Continuous (was/were + V-ing)
3. Past Perfect (had + V-3)
4. Past Perfect Continuous (had + been + V-ing)

5. Past
Continuous
was/were + V-ing

6. S Be V-ing
I
You
We
They
Plural
He
She
It
Singular
were
V-ing
Affirmative
was
S Be not
I
You
We
They
Plural
He
She
It
Singular
were
V-ing
Negative
was
not
S Be
I
you
we
they
plural
he
she
it
singular
Were
V-ing ?
Question
Was

7. + ing - ie  y + ing - e  ing double consonant + ing
rub
rubbing
go
going
lie
lying
cry
crying
come
coming
tie
tying
travel
travelling
bring
bringing
run
running
use
using
die
dying
dive
diving
put
putting
hope
hoping
listen
listening
Verb Form – Change the following verbs into Present Participle (V-ing)

8. When is Past Continuous
used?
What are the speech situations of it?

9. • We use Past Continuous to talk about actions in the middle of happening
at a stated past time.
For example –
1. I was having dinner at 8 yesterday.
Past Present Future
------------
----
7:45 8:0
0
8:15
I was having dinner at 8.
2. She was reading at 9 last night.

10. • We use Past Continuous to talk about Past action interrupted by another action. The longer
action is in past continuous and the shorter is in past simple.
Past Present FuturePast Simple : Shorter Action
------------
----
Past Continuous : (Longer Action)
For example –
1. I was doing homework when she phoned me.
2. She phoned me while I was doing homework.
3. The light went out while she was watching TV.
4. She was watching TV when he went out.

11. • We use Past Continuous to talk about
For example –
1. While I was reading, she was doing Math.
2. They were playing football and she was watching.
3. While she was sunbathing, we were swimming.
4. I was listening to music while the teacher was teaching.
two or more simultaneous past actions.

12. • We use Past Continuous to talk about
Past Continuous
I was standing outside the bus station.
It was getting late and I was feeling
tired. I was waiting for a man called
Johnny Mars.
Past Simple
background scene and the Past Simple for
events and actions.
Suddenly, a woman came round the
corner and
walked right up to me. ‘Are you Mr.
Marlowe?’ she asked.

13. Points to remember………
1. actions in the middle of happening at a stated past time.
2. Past action interpreted by another action. The longer action is in Past continuous
and the shorter is in past simple.
3. two or more simultaneous past actions.
4. background scene
We use Past Continuous to talk about

14. Time expression used with Past Simple
at 9 yesterday, while, when, as … etc.