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Past continuous. MultipleSelection_MTY2NDE= Past continuous and past simple. GapFillTyping_MTYzMzI= Level: intermediate. Past continuous and hypotheses. We can also use the past continuous to refer to the present or future in hypotheses (when we imagine something). See these pages: Past tense; Verbs in time clauses and conditionals
Nov 17, 2022 · The present and past continuous are very similar, but the past continuous uses was and were, the past tense of to be. Past continuous tense formula. The past continuous tense formula involves the past tense of to be (was or were) and the present participle of the verb, the –ing form. [was/were] + [present participle]
- USE 1 Interrupted Action in the Past. Use the past continuous to indicate that a longer action in the past was interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action in the simple past.
- USE 2 Specific Time as an Interruption. In USE 1, described above, the past continuous is interrupted by a shorter action in the simple past. However, you can also use a specific time as an interruption.
- USE 3 Parallel Actions. When you use the past continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it expresses the idea that both actions were happening at the same time.
- USE 4 Atmosphere. In English, we often use a series of parallel actions to describe the atmosphere at a particular time in the past. Example: When I walked into the office, several people were busily typing, some were talking on the phones, the boss was yelling directions, and customers were waiting to be helped.
Firstly, check that you know how to make the past simple with 'be' (subject + was / were). Then just add verb-ing. Click here to download this explanation as a pdf. Click here for practice on how to USE the past continuous. Here's the positive form: I was sleeping. you were working. he was coming. she was reading 'War and Peace'.
- Examples of The Past Progressive Tense and Its Uses
- The Negative Version
- The Question Version
- Interactive Verb Conjugation Tables
He was paintingthe door when a bird struck the window.They were sleepingwhen the alarm went off.He was not paintingthe door when a bird struck the window.They were not sleepingwhen the alarm went off.Was John paintingthe door when a bird struck the window?Were they sleepingwhen the alarm went off?Top 10 Regular Verbs Top 10 Irregular Verbs All 4 Past Tenses All 4 Present Tenses All 4 Future Tenses
May 2, 2024 · How to form the past continuous tense? To form the past continuous tense, you need to use the auxiliary verb “to be” in the past tense (either “was” or “were”) and the present participle (-ing) form of the main verb. The structure is as follows: Subject + “was” or “were” + present participle of the main verb. Here are some ...
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Aug 30, 2023 · The past progressive tense (also called the past continuous) is formed using “was/were” and the present participle form of the main verb (e.g., “I was singing”). The past progressive tense is used to refer to an ongoing past action that was interrupted by another past action (in the simple past tense ) or to two past actions that were taking place at the same time.
