Mr.ET Sopheak
Tel: 012289363 / 0976469625
Past Continuous
Positive sentence: Subjective+ was/ were+ Verb-ing+ Complement.
Negative Sentence: Subjective+ was/ were+ not+Verb-ing+ Complement.
Question: Was/ Were+ subjective+Verb-ing + Complement?
The Past Continuous is used:
- To describe Parallel Actions
The Past Progressive is often used to denote an action that was interrupted by an event, or for two actions taking place in parallel.
Ex: While I was washing the dishes, I heard a loud noise.
While you were washing the dishes, Sue was walking the dog.To express specific Time as an Interruption.
- To describe what someone was doing at a particular point in time
Ex: I was working in the garden all day yesterday.
That could also be expressed using the simple past, as I worked…, which implies that the action is viewed as a unitary event (although the effective meaning is not very different).
- To express interrupted Action in the Past
Often the Past Progressive is mixed with the Past Simple to show what was happening when something happened.
Ex: I was driving to work when I crashed my car.
I watched a movie while I was flying to Dubai.
-To describe repetition and irritation.
He was always complaining in class.
Note
For stative verbs that do not use the progressive aspect, the simple past is used instead.
Ex: At three o’clock yesterday we were in the garden.
- Time Expressions Used with the Past Progressive Tense
When; While; Always; Constantly; At that time; In those days; All day; All the evening; For hours; …
The Past Continuous is used:
- To describe Parallel Actions
The Past Progressive is often used to denote an action that was interrupted by an event, or for two actions taking place in parallel.
Ex: While I was washing the dishes, I heard a loud noise.
While you were washing the dishes, Sue was walking the dog.To express specific Time as an Interruption.
- To describe what someone was doing at a particular point in time
Ex: I was working in the garden all day yesterday.
That could also be expressed using the simple past, as I worked…, which implies that the action is viewed as a unitary event (although the effective meaning is not very different).
- To express interrupted Action in the Past
Often the Past Progressive is mixed with the Past Simple to show what was happening when something happened.
Ex: I was driving to work when I crashed my car.
I watched a movie while I was flying to Dubai.
-To describe repetition and irritation.
He was always complaining in class.
Note
For stative verbs that do not use the progressive aspect, the simple past is used instead.
Ex: At three o’clock yesterday we were in the garden.
- Time Expressions Used with the Past Progressive Tense
When; While; Always; Constantly; At that time; In those days; All day; All the evening; For hours; …
Thanks,
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