4 BEST WAYS TO UNDERSTAND PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE IN ENGLISH

4 BEST WAYS TO UNDERSTAND PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE IN ENGLISH



MEANINGS AND USES OF PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE 

(1) It is used to talk about something which continued to happen before and after a particular time in the past.

Examples of sentences:

• We were sitting in the kitchen, when they heard the explosion.

• Guest of Honour arrived while the children were singing.

 

(2) Past Continuous is often used to refer to a temporary situation.

Examples of sentences: 

• He was working at home at the time.

• My Secretary was using my office until I came back from Mwanza.

 

(3) Past continuous is used for actions that continued to happen before and after another action, or before and after a particular time. This is often called the 'interrupted past'. You use the past simple for the other action.

Examples of sentences: 

• He was watching television when the doorbell rang.

• We were still waiting for the bus, when the rain started.

 

(4) Past continuous tense is used to show that something is changing, developing, or progressing.

Examples of sentences: 

• Her English was improving.

• The children were growing up quickly.

 

(5) Past continuous is used to talk about a temporary state of affairs in the past.

Examples of sentences: 

• Our team were losing 2-1 at the time.

• It was midnight and she was driving home.

 

(6) When we talk about the future from a point of view in the past, we use 'would', 'was', 'were going to', or the past continuous.

Examples of sentences: 

• He thought to himself how wonderful it would taste.

• Her daughter was going to do the cooking.

• Mike was taking his test the week after.

 

4 BEST WAYS TO UNDERSTAND PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE IN ENGLISH

(RULES AND EXAMPLES) 

The past continuous statements and questions describe something that began in the past and continued to occur for a time before stopping.

Sentence structure: Subject + verb to be in past form + verb in -ing form:

A. Positive sentences 

Sentence structure: Subject + verb to be in past form + verb in -ing form:

Examples of sentences: 

• I was washing my clothes

• She was cooking ugali

• They were playing football

 

B. Negative sentences  

Sentence structure: Subject + verb to be in past form + not + -ing form:

Examples of sentences:

• I was not washing my clothes

• She was not cooking ugali

• They were not playing football

 

C. Interrogative sentences

Sentence structure: Verb to be + subject + present participle form:

Examples of sentences:

Was I washing my clothes?

Was she cooking ugali?

Were they playing football?

 

D. Negative Interrogative sentences

Sentence structure: Verb to be + not (or its short form) + subject + present participle form + Question mark (?):

Examples of sentences:

• Wasn't I washing my clothes?

• Wasn't she cooking ugali?

• Weren't they playing football?


Note: The sentences can also be expressed by using concessions like 'when, while, since, and for'. Examples:

• I was washing clothes while Juma was watering flowers.

When we knocked the door, Asha was cooking food.


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See Also:

ENGLISH STRUCTURE QUESTIONS:

[1] Academic Words Questions 1 - 50

[2] Academic Words Answers 1 - 50

[3] Adjective Questions 1 – 50

[4] Adjective Answers 1 - 50

[5] Adjective Questions 51 – 100

[6] Adjective Answers 51 - 100

[7] Adverbs Questions 1 – 50

[8] Adverb Answers 1 – 50

[9] Article Questions 1 - 50

[10] Article Answers 1 – 50

[11] Conjunction Questions 1 – 50

[12] Conjunction Answers 1 – 50

[13] Vocabulary Questions 1 - 50

[14] Vocabulary Answers 1 - 50

[15] Vocabulary Questions 51 - 100

[16] Vocabulary Answers 51 - 100

[17]  English Grammar questions

[18] 51-100 General Grammar Questions

[19] 51-100 General Grammar Answers

[20] 1-50 General Concessions Questions

[21] 1-50 General Concessions Answers

[22] 1-50 General Sentence Structure Questions

[23] 1-50 General Sentence Structure Answers

[24] 1-50 General Tense Questions

[25] 1-50 General Tense Answers

[26] 1-50 General Literature Questions

[27] 1-50 General Literature Answers

[28] 1-50 General Grammar Questions

[29] 1-50 General Grammar Answers

 

 

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"A Comprehensive Handbook for Ordinary Level Literature" book (PDF)

"A Comprehensive Handbook for Ordinary Level Literature in English" book (PDF)

 

For copies of these books,

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Emmanuel Kachele

Emmanuel Kachele is a founder and Blogger of KACHELE ONLINE Blog, an educational blog where 'O' Level English - 'OLE', 'A' Level English (ALE) and other related teaching and life skills are shared extensively. This is an online center for all Tanzanian Secondary School English Language students and teachers (Forms I-VI) and all interested English Language learners and teachers worldwide.

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