Daniel Martinez Fuentes

UNIT 2 CLASS 16 Tuesday, may 31, 2016

OBJETIVE: use of the verb could

HOMEWORK: investigate about the past progressive tense in affirmative, negative
and questions with short answers
COMPETENCE: students are able to speak English as a second language
SOURCE: saberingles.com

The PAST PROGRESSIVE TENSE indicates continuing action, something that was happening, going on,
at some point in the past. This tense is formed with the helping "to be" verb, in the past tense, plus the present
participle of the verb (with an -ing ending):

 I was riding my bike all day yesterday.

 Joel was being a terrible role model for his younger brother.

The past progressive indicates a limited duration of time and is thus a convenient way to indicate that
something took place (in the simple past) while something else was happening:

 Carlos lost his watch while he was running.

The past progressive can express incomplete action.

 I was sleeping on the couch when Bertie smashed through the door.

(as opposed to the simple past, which suggests a completed action:

 I slept on the couch last night.

The past progressive is also used to poke fun at or criticize an action that is sporadic but habitual in nature:

 Tashonda was always handing in late papers.

 My father was always lecturing my brother.

How do we form the Past Progressive?

We use a form of to be (was or were), the infinitive and the ending -ing.

to be (was or were) + infinitive + -ing

1. Affirmative sentences in the Past Progressive

 I was playing football.

 You were playing football.
 He was playing football.
 She was playing football.
 It was playing football.
  We were playing football.
 You were playing football.
 They were playing football.

► Use was with I, he, she, it – and were with all other pronouns.

2. Negative sentences in the Past Progressive

 I was not playing football.

 You were not playing football.
 He was not playing football.
 She was not playing football.
 It was not playing football.
 We were not playing football.
 You were not playing football.
 They were not playing football.

. Questions without question words in the Past Progressive

Auxiliary Subject Verb Rest Yes/No Subject Auxiliary (+ n't)
Yes, I was.
Were you reading books? No, I was not.
No, I wasn't.
Yes, he was.
Was Peter playing football? No, he was not.
No, he wasn't.
Yes, they were.
Were they singing a song? No, they were not.
No, they weren't.

2. Questions with question words in the Past Progressive

Question word Auxiliary Subject Verb Rest Answer
What were you doing yesterday evening? I was working on my computer.
Where was Diana going at ten last night? She was going to a concert.
They were carrying the buckets
Why were they carrying the buckets?
because they wanted to clean the car.

► Use was with the 1st and 3rd person singular (I, he, she, it) and in all other persons were.

Add -ing to the infinitive.