The Past Continuous Tense

Form
&
Usage
 Affirmative
sub+was/were+vb.+ing
• I was cooking
• You were cooking
• He was cooking
• She was cooking
• It was cooking
• We were cooking
• You were cooking
• They were cooking
 Negative
sub.+was not/were not+vb+ing
• I was not cooking • I wasn’t cooking
• You were not cooking • You weren’t cooking
• He was not cooking • He wasn’t cooking
• She was not cooking • She wasn’t cooking
• It was not cooking • It wasn’t cooking
• We were not cooking • We weren’t cooking
• You were not cooking • You weren’t cooking
• They were not cooking • They weren’t cooking
 Interrogative
Was/Were+sub.+vb+ing ?
• Was I cooking?
ing
• Were you cooking?
ing
• Was he cooking?
ing
• Was she cooking?
ing
• Was it cooking?
ing
• Were we cooking?
ing
• Were you cooking?
ing
• Were they cooking?
ing
 Short Answers
Was he /were they cooking?
• Yes, I was. • No, I wasn’t.
wasn’t
was
• Yes, you were. • No, you weren’t.
weren’t
were
• Yes, she was. • No, he wasn’t.
wasn’t
was
• Yes, he was. • No, she wasn’t.
wasn’t
was
• Yes, it was. • No, it wasn’t.
wasn’t
was
• Yes, we were. • No, we weren’t.
weren’t
were
• Yes, you were. • No, you weren’t.
weren’t
were
• Yes, they were. • No, they weren’t.
weren’t
were
 Usage
(Mod de folosire)
• Past Continuous arata o actiune aflata in
desfasurare la un anumit moment in trecut:
Example:
They were reading books yesterday at five
o’clock.
She was playing tennis when I called her.
Mary was talking on the phone when I arrived.
arrived
Paul and I were washing the dishes at around
eight last night.
 Past Continuous poate fi folosit pentru a
exprima mai multe actiuni aflate in
desfasurare in trecut.
Example:
• While mother was cooking,
cooking father was
washing the car.
• The boy was drinking coffee while his
boss was sweeping the floor.
• The children were playing in the garden
while their grandfather was taking a nap.
 Exercises
1) Transform the verbs into the negative and
interrogative:
• Mary was making phone calls yesterday afternoon.
• Jane was typing letters at three yesterday.
• Tony and Sheila were cleaning the house.
• Mother and father were shopping last Saturday.
• We were drinking coffee yesterday at lunchtime.
• It was raining when I looked out the window.
• She was drawing pictures when the lights went out.
• They were living in London this time last year.
• People were running when it started to rain.
 2) Give short answers to the questions:

• Was Sarah reading a magazine yesterday? 

• Were the students listening to the teacher? 
• Was the dog barking when you entered? 
• Were they sleeping when you returned? 
• Was Toby working at midnight? 
• Were the wolves howling? 
• Were they writing e-mails? 
• Was the secretary typing letters? 
• Were the workers doing anything? 
• Was you brother sleeping when I phoned? 
 3) Put the verbs in parentheses into the Past
Continuous tense:
• I (go) …. to the cinema when I met her.
• She (play ) …with the dog while they (do) …their
homework.
• Paul and Jane ( sleep)….when I arrived home.
• He (have)…breakfast when I called.
• We (drink) …..coffee yesterday at seven.
• What (you/watch)…..when I knocked at the door?
• Where (they/go) …..when I saw them?
• People ( dance) ….when I got at the party.
• I (ride) ….my bike when I saw the accident.
 4) Put the verbs in parentheses into the Past
Simple or the Past Continuous:
• Many people (have) ….lunch at the restaurant
yesterday.
• What (you/do) ….when I phoned you?
• I was making a pie when I (hear) …a strange noise.
• Jane (prepare)…dinner when she saw the robber.
• I( try) ….to resuscitate him when the ambulance
(come)…. .
• The child (wash) …the dishes while grandmother
(read) … him a story.
• You ( do) …..some exercises while your friend (listen)
….to music.
• When I (arrive)….the boys were already sleeping.