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USES OF PAST CONTINUOUS

For continuous actions happening at a particular time in the past.

• What were you doing last night? You were so noisy!
• I was practising the guitar.
• I didn't see you last year because I was travelling around Asia. 

Useful vocabulary for continuous actions happening at a particular time in the past: this morning, yesterday, last night/week/month/year, two weeks ago, in (year) 

To describe two or more actions happening at the same time in the past.

• While Emma was cooking, the dog was watching and waiting for crumbs.
• Matthew was reading a book, while his brother was playing video games.

Useful vocabulary for actions happening simultaneously: while, as

Similarly, this is used to describe background events in stories.

• Outside the Sun was shining, the birds were singing and the trees were swaying in the breeze.
• In the lively city square, street performers were entertaining the crowd, children were playing and the fountain was sparkling in the sunlight.

For a background event that was interrupted by another event, combine it with the past simple.

• I was working on my computer when the battery died.
• We were looking at the sky, when suddenly the fireworks started. 

For activities that were repeated a lot.

• We were constantly playing in the streets as kids. 
• The car was always failing at the worst moments.  

Useful vocabulary for activities that were repeated a lot: constantly, always, consistently, regularly, repeatedly, continually, perpetually

STRUCTURE 

For positive sentences, use ‘was’ or ‘were’ after the pronoun, then add ‘-ing’ to the main verb.

• I was walking
• You were walking 
• He was walking 
• She was walking
• It was walking 
• We were walking 
• They were walking 

For negative sentences, add ‘not’ after ‘was’ or 'were'. We usually contract the form with an apostrophe. 

• I was not walking > I wasn't walking 
• You were not walking > You weren't walking 
• He was not walking > He wasn't walking 
• She was not walking > She wasn't walking 
• It was not walking > It wasn't walking 
• We were not walking > We weren't walking 
• They were not walking > They weren't walking 

To ask yes/no questions, change the order of the sentence so ‘was’ or ‘were’ is at the beginning.

• Was I walking?
• Yes, you were
• No, you weren't 
• Were you walking?
• Yes, I was
• No, I wasn't 
• Was he walking?
• Yes, he was
• No, he wasn’t
• Was she walking?
• Yes, she was
• No, she wasn’t
• Was it walking?
• Yes, it was
• No, it wasn’t
• Were we walking?
• Yes, we were
• No, we weren't 
• Were they walking?
• Yes, they were
• No, they weren't 

To ask for more information, add the ‘who, what, where, why, how, when’ question words at the beginning.

• Why was I walking?
• Who were you walking with?
• Where was he walking?
• When was she walking?
• How were they walking?

To do

Practise by using the worksheet on this page, and watch other Tenses with Georgie videos.

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