Past continuous
Subject + past tense verb 'be' + continuous form verb phrase
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The action happened in the past.
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It happened over a period of time.
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It has stopped.
Past continuous - Explain
Long term
Past
Now
Future
I was living in London.
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The action happened in the past.
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It happened over a period of time.
-
It has stopped.
Conversation:
​
A: Have you travelled a lot?
B: Yes, I've lived in a few countries.
A: Where were you last year?
B: I was living in London.
Past
Now
Future
I was reading a biography of Henry VIII.
-
The action happened in the past.
-
It happened over a period of time.
-
It has stopped.
Conversation:
​
A: Have you read anything good recently?
B: Yes, I was reading a biography of Henry VIII and finished it last week.
A: How long is it?
B: About 400 pages. It took me a few weeks to finish it.
Short term
Past
Now
Future
I was working last night.
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The action happened in the past.
-
It happened over a period of time.
-
It has stopped.
Conversation:
​
A: Morning. Where were you yesterday?
B: Oh, I was working last night.
Past
Now
Future
I was eating dinner at my favourite restaurant.
-
The action happened in the past.
-
It happened over a period of time.
-
It has stopped.
Conversation:
​
A: I saw David yesterday.
B: Really. Where?
A: I was eating dinner at my favourite restaurant and he was there.
B: How is he?
A: He's well.
Present continuous vs Past continuous
Present continuous
Past continuous
Past
Now
Future
Past
Now
Future
Subject + present tense verb ' be' + continuous form
Subject + past tense verb 'be' + continuous form
-
Happening now
-
Not happening now
-
The action has finished
Verbs
Vocabulary
The woman is the customer.
People you work with.
The woman is the customer.
Past continuous - practice
9:00am
7:00pm
Past
Now
Future
I was answering the phone.
​
I was answering the phone from 9:00am to 7:00pm.
Last week
call centre
Past
Now
Future
Answer - I / work
Last week I was working in a call centre.
Yesterday
Past
Now
Future
Answer - She / speaking
Yesterday she was speaking to customers.
Answer - She / speaking / interesting
Yesterday she was speaking to interesting customers.
On Tuesday
Past
Now
Future
Answer - I / help
On Tuesday I was helping a customer.
Answer - I / help / important
On Tuesday I was helping an important customer.
For
We can use 'for' to say:
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why you are doing the action
-
who you are doing the action for
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when you are doing the action for
Past
Now
Future
I was cooking dinner.
​
I was cooking dinner for a party. - Why you are doing the action
​
I was cooking dinner for my wife. - Who you are doing the action for
​
I was cooking dinner for tomorrow. - When you are doing the action for
For - practice
Last week / for my colleagues
Past
Now
Future
Answer - I / writing
Last week I was writing notes for my colleagues.
This morning / for my manager
Past
Now
Future
Answer - I / deal
This morning I was dealing with complaints for my manager.
Past continuous - negative
Subject + past tense verb 'be' + not + continuous form verb phrase
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Subject + wasn't + continuous form verb phrase​
​
Subject + weren't + continuous form verb phrase
Past
Now
Future
Answer - I / deal / today
I was not dealing with complaints today.
Past
Now
Future
Answer - She / answer / this morning
She wasn't answering the phone this morning.
Past continuous - negative - use
A: Were you using the photocopier?
B: I wasn't (using the photocopier).
​
A: Were you using this pen?
B: I wasn't (using the pen).
​
A: Were you writing that report for your boss?
B: No, I wasn't. I finished writing that yesterday.
Past continuous - questions (?)
Past tense verb 'be' + subject + continuous form verb phrase
Past
Now
Future
Answer - you / speak / yesterday
Were you speaking to customers yesterday?
Past
Now
Future
Answer - he / work
Was he working in a call centre?
All + time chunk
If you add 'all' in front of a time chunk it emphasises that the event took place over all of the time chunk.
​
It comes at the end of the sentence.
Saturday
morning
I went to the gym on Saturday.
Saturday
night
Saturday
morning
I went to the gym on Saturday.
Saturday
night
Saturday
morning
I went to the gym on Saturday.
Saturday
night
Saturday
morning
I went to the gym on Saturday.
Saturday
night
Saturday
morning
I went to the gym all Saturday.
Saturday
night
All yesterday / for a magazine
Past
Now
Future
Positive Answer - I / write
I was writing an article for a magazine all yesterday.
Negative Answer - I / write
I wasn't writing an article for a magazine all yesterday.
Question Answer - you / write
Were you writing an article for a magazine all yesterday?
All day
Past
Now
Future
Positive Answer - he / drive
He was driving all day.
Negative Answer - he / drive
He wasn't driving all day.
Question Answer - he / drive
Was he driving all day?