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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