Lesson 3.7: Past Continuous Tense - Actions in Progress in the Past

Past Continuous Tense: Actions Ongoing *at a Point* in the Past!

The Past Continuous tense (also called Past Progressive) is used to describe actions that were in progress at a specific point in time in the past. It emphasizes that an action was ongoing or happening over a period of time in the past, rather than just a simple completed action. It often sets the scene or background for other past events.

Key Uses of the Past Continuous Tense:

Actions in Progress at a Specific Time in the Past: To say what someone was doing at a particular moment in the past. This specific time can be stated or implied.
Background Actions in Past Narratives: To describe the scene or background setting in stories or when narrating past events. It often sets the stage for a main event.
Interrupted Actions in the Past: To describe an action that was ongoing when another (usually shorter) action interrupted it. Often used with "when" and Past Simple for the interrupting action.
Parallel Actions in the Past: To describe two or more actions happening at the same time in the past. Often used with "while".
Describing Atmosphere or Setting in the Past: To paint a picture of a past atmosphere or environment.
Repeated Actions in the Past (Expressing Irritation - Less Common): Similar to Present Continuous for annoying habits, but for past habits (often with "always," "constantly," "forever").

Forming the Past Continuous Tense:

The Past Continuous tense is formed using two parts:

Past tense of "to be" (was, were): This is the helping verb.
Present participle of the main verb (base form + -ing): This is the main verb, showing the action in its ongoing form.

Formula: Subject + was/were + Present Participle (verb + -ing)

Subject - "to be" form (past) - Present Participle Examples:

I/He/She/It - was - walking/eating/singing/living/studying
You/We/They - were - walking/eating/singing/living/studying

Remember the spelling rules for the present participle (-ing form) from the Present Continuous lesson! They apply here as well.

Examples of Past Continuous in Use:

Actions in Progress at a Specific Time in the Past:
- "At 8 pm last night, I was watching TV." (Specific time stated - 8 pm last night)
- "Yesterday afternoon, she was working in her office." (Specific time period - yesterday afternoon)
- "They were playing football all morning." (Extended period - all morning)
- "What were you doing at 10 am?" (Asking about activity at a specific past time)
Background Actions in Past Narratives:
- "The sun was shining, and the birds were singing when I woke up." (Setting the scene - background atmosphere)
- "It was raining heavily, and the wind was blowing fiercely." (Describing the weather background in a story)
- "People were chatting and laughing at the party." (Describing the general atmosphere at the party)
Interrupted Actions in the Past (with "when"):
- "I was walking home when I met my friend." (Ongoing action "walking" interrupted by shorter action "met". Past Continuous for ongoing, Past Simple for interrupting.)
- "She was cooking dinner when the phone rang." (Cooking interrupted by phone ringing)
- "As he was getting into the car, it started to rain." (Getting into the car interrupted by rain starting)
- "They were playing cards when suddenly the lights went out." (Playing cards interrupted by lights going out)
Parallel Actions in the Past (with "while"):
- "While I was studying, my brother was listening to music." (Two actions happening simultaneously in the past)
- "She was cooking dinner while he was setting the table." (Parallel actions preparing dinner)
- "As the children were playing, their parents were relaxing." (Simultaneous activities)
- "While it was raining outside, we were reading books inside." (Simultaneous actions during a weather condition)
Describing Atmosphere or Setting in the Past:
- "The streets were crowded, and music was playing from every corner." (Creating a sense of a lively past atmosphere)
- "The old house was standing on a hill, overlooking the valley. A light was shining in one of the windows." (Setting a scene - describing the house and light)
Repeated Actions in the Past (Expressing Irritation - Less Common):
- "He was always complaining about everything." (Past annoying habit - similar to Present Continuous for complaints, but in the past)
- "She was constantly interrupting me when I tried to speak." (Past repeated annoying behavior)

Negative and Question Forms of Past Continuous:

For negative and question forms of the Past Continuous, we use the "to be" verb (was, were):

Negative: Subject + was/were + not + Present Participle (e.g., I was not walking, She were not eating) - Contractions: *wasn't*, *weren't* (e.g., I wasn't walking, They weren't eating)
Question: Was/Were + Subject + Present Participle? (e.g., Was you walking? Were she eating?)

Examples of Negative and Question Forms:

"I was not listening to the radio then." / "I wasn't listening to the radio then." (Negative - action not in progress at that time)
"They were not working at 9 am." / "They weren't working at 9 am." (Negative - action not in progress at that time)
"Were you sleeping when I called?" (Question - checking if action was in progress at a past time)
"Was it raining this morning?" (Question - asking about condition in progress at a past time period)
"What were they doing yesterday evening?" (Question with question word "what")
"Why was he running so fast?" (Question with question word "why")

Time Expressions with Past Continuous: Indicating a Point or Period in the Past

We often use time expressions that specify a point or period in the past when the action was ongoing with the Past Continuous tense. Common time expressions include:

at 5 pm yesterday, last night, yesterday morning, all day yesterday, all morning, from 2 to 4 pm, while, as, when, in those days, etc.

"When" and "while/as" are particularly common to connect Past Continuous with other past actions (often in Past Simple). Time expressions help to anchor the ongoing action in a specific past time frame.

Key takeaway: The Past Continuous tense describes actions that were in progress at a specific point in time in the past. It is formed with "was/were + verb-ing" and is essential for setting scenes, describing background actions, interrupted actions, parallel actions, and painting a picture of the past. Next, we will explore the Past Perfect Simple Tense!