ENGLISH CLASSES: PAST CONTINUOUS

PAST CONTINUOUS
[Was/were + present participle]
a) Affirmative Sentences:
Subject + auxiliary verb ("to be") + gerund. (Infinitive +ING)

b) Negative Sentences:
Subject + auxiliary verb ("to be") + not + gerund.

c) Interrogative Sentences:
Auxiliary verb ("to be") + Subject + gerund. ?

USE 1: INTERRUPTED ACTION IN THE PAST

Use the Past Continuous to indicate that a longer action in the past was interrupted.
The interruption is usually a shorter action in the Simple Past. Remember this can be a
real interruption or just an interruption in time.
Examples:

I was watching TV when she called.

What were you doing when the earthquake started?
You werent listening to me when I told you to turn the oven off.
USE 2: PARALLEL ACTIONS

When you use the Past Continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it
expresses the idea that both actions were happening at the same time. The actions are
parallel.

Examples:
I was studying while he was making dinner.
Were you listening while he was talking?
Thomas wasn't working, and I wasn't working either.
I wasn't paying attention while I was writing the letter, so I made
several mistakes.
Together up to the end

ENGLISH CLASSES: PAST CONTINUOUS

WHILE VS WHEN
When you talk about things in the past:
"When" is most often followed by the verb tense Simple Past

"While" is usually followed by Past Continuous, it expresses the idea

of "during that time.

Examples:
When you called, he was watching his baby. (Short interruption; "at the moment")

When you called, he picked up his cell phone. (Series of events; "immediately after")

While he was talking, he was holding his baby. (ongoing; "during

the time")

While he was talking, his baby slept. (ongoing; "during the time")

USE 3: REPETITION AND IRRITATION

The Past Continuous with words such as "always" or "constantly" expresses the idea
that something irritating or shocking often happened in the past. The concept is very
similar to the expression "used to" but with negative emotion. Remember to put the
words "always" or "constantly" between "be" and "verb + ing."

Examples:
She was always coming to class late.
He was constantly talking. He annoyed everyone.
Together up to the end

ENGLISH CLASSES: PAST CONTINUOUS

I didn't like them because they were always complaining.

IMPORTANT: Continuous Verb Tenses
A continuacin tenemos la lista de los verbos que no podemos usar en los tiempos
continuos. La lista se encuentra clasificada en grupos segn el tipo. En general, son verbos
estticos y no de actividad (dinmicos). Algunos de estos verbos pueden tener dos
significados, uno de accin y otro esttico. Si hay ms de un significado para un mismo
verbo, encontrars el significado que no podemos usar en los tiempos continuos con la
traduccin al espaol.
1.

Los verbos de sentido:

feel (el tacto, sentir) hear (el odo, or) see (la vista, ver) smell (el olfato, olor)
taste (el gusto, sabor)
Nota: Si la percepcin es voluntaria, se puede usar la forma continua. Usamos el verbo "to
listen" para oir de forma voluntaria.

2. Verbos emotivos:
believe (creer) dislike (no gustar) doubt (dudar) Imagine (imaginar) hate (odiar)
know (saber, conocer) like (gustar) love (encantar, amar, querer) prefer (preferir) realize (dar
cuenta) recognize (reconocer) remember (recordar, acordarse) suppose (suponer)
think (creer) understand (entender, comprender) want (querer) wish (esperar)

3. Verbos de estado o verbos abstractos:

be (ser, estar)- cost (costar) -seem (parecer) -need (necesitar)
care(importar) contain (contener) exist (existir)
Nota: Normalmente, "to be" es un verbo esttico pero podemos usarlo tambin para
hablar del comportamiento. Entonces, si lo usamos para referirnos a la conducta de
alguien, podemos usar el tiempo continuo.

4.

Verbos de posesin:
Belong, have, possess and own

Cuando usamos "to have" para referirnos a algo que poseemos (una cosa, una
cantidad, etc.), no podemos usarlo en el tiempo continuo. Pero si es parte de una
expresin, podemos usarlo en el continuo.
Nota:

5.

Verbos de comunicacin:

Agree, astonish (asmbrar), deny (negar), disagree, impress, mean, please,

promise, satisfy and surprise

Examples:

I (can) see you

I am seeing you.
I am seeing you later, right?

I see you later, right?

You're lying. I don't believe you!

You're lying. I am not believing you!

I have [I've got] a car.
Together up to the end

ENGLISH CLASSES: PAST CONTINUOUS

I am having a car.

Exercises
I.

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the
appropriate tenses

1. A: What (you, do)

when the accident occurred?

B: I (try)

to change a light bulb that had burnt out.

2. After I (find)

the wallet full of money, I (go,

immediately)

to the police and (turn)

3. The doctor (say)

that Tom (be)

to work and that he (need)

it in.

too sick to go

to stay at home for a couple of

days.
4. Sebastian (arrive)

at Susan's house a little before 9:00

PM, but she (be, not)

library)

5. A: I (call)
not)
B: I (work)

6. When I (walk)
(talk)
busily)
quietly)

Together up to the end

there. She (study, at the

for her final examination in French.

you last night after dinner, but you (be,

there. Where were you?
out at the fitness center.

into the busy office, the secretary

on the phone with a customer, several clerks (work,
at their desks, and two managers (discuss,
methods to improve customer service.

ENGLISH CLASSES: PAST CONTINUOUS

7. Sharon (be)

in the room when John told me what

happened, but she didn't hear anything because she (listen,

not)
.

8. It's strange that you (call)

just)

because I (think,

about you.

9. The Titanic (cross)

the Atlantic when it

(strike)

an iceberg.

10. When I entered the bazaar, a couple of merchants (bargain,

busily)
and (try)
to sell their goods to
naive tourists who (hunt)
(lead)

for souvenirs. Some young boys

their donkeys through the narrow streets on their

way home. A couple of men (argue)

leather belt. I (walk)
fruit and (buy)

over to a man who (sell)

a banana.

11. The firemen (rescue)

(be)

over the price of a

the old woman who

trapped on the third floor of the burning building.

12. She was so annoying! She (leave, always)

dishes in the sink. I think she (expect, actually)

her dirty
me to do

them for her.

II.

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the
appropriate tenses
Last night, while I was doing my homework, Angela (call)
. She said she
(call)

me on her cell phone from her biology classroom at UCLA. I asked

her if she (wait)

Together up to the end

for class, but she said that the professor was at the front

ENGLISH CLASSES: PAST CONTINUOUS

of the hall lecturing while she (talk)

(make)

to me. I couldn't believe she

a phone call during the lecture. I asked what was going on.

She said her biology professor was so boring that several of the students (sleep,
actually)
in class. Some of the students (talk)
about
their plans for the weekend and the student next to her (draw)
of a horse. When Angela (tell)

a picture

me she was not satisfied with the class, I

(mention)

that my biology professor was quite good and

(suggest)

that she switch to my class.

While we were talking, I (hear)

her professor yell, "Miss, are you making

a phone call?" Suddenly, the line went dead. I (hang)

went to the kitchen to make dinner. As I (cut)
phone rang once again. It (be)

up the phone and

vegetables for a salad, the

Angela, but this time she wasn't sitting in

class.

Together up to the end