Past Continuous Tense

Past Continuous Tense

Forms

• was / were + the present participle (-ing form)

• e.g. At 2 p.m. yesterday, they were swimming in the pool.

• e.g. She was not paying attention in class.

Open Ended

Use the past continuous tense to describe (v.) 描述 what they were doing.

Open Ended

Use the past continuous tense and the simple past tense to describe this picture.

Multiple Choice

Which was the longer action?

• sleep

• steal

Use when to talk about a shorter action.

Use while / when --> a longer action.

Open Ended

[ When Mum arrived home I was tidying my room. ]

Is it correct?

If no, why?

When mum arrived home , I was tidying my room.

I was tidying my room when mum arrived home.

While I was listening to music , mum knocked on the door.

Mum knocked on the door while I was listening to music.

past tense? past continuous tense?

A: I called you last night at about ten, but nobody answered the phone.

B: Sorry, I didn't hear the phone ring.

I was having a shower.

Use 'when' or 'while' and the words given to write sentences.

Use the correct form of the verbs.

Add commas where necessary.

e.g. I / phone Ben - he / have dinner

When I phoned Ben, he was having dinner.

Open Ended

Use 'when' or 'while' and the words given to write sentences.

Use the correct form of the verbs.

Add commas where necessary.

1) the principal / walk into the room - the students / work hard

Open Ended

2) my mobile phone / ring - I / wait for the bus

Open Ended

3) we / stand outside the station - it / start to rain