Past Continuous Tense ( Past Progressive) - English grammar tutorial video lesson

Past continuous tense video lesson. This tutorial is about the past continuous. In this lesson I'm going to show you how to form a past continuous and when to use a past continuous but before we get started, it's good to know how to conjugate the verb 'to be'
in it's past tense.

For the singular forms:
I was, you were, he was, she was and it was.
For the plural forms
we were, you were, they were.
It's also good to note that when I say a vowel I mean an a, e, i, o or u
Consonants are all the other letters in the alphabet.

Now let's get started. Take a look at these sentences:
I was talking on the phone
We were cookin dinner.

Both these sentences are in the past continuous tense. How to form the past continuous? We use the past tense of the verb to be so either was or were the base form of the verb and 'ing'

I was working late.
You were talking too fast.
He was watching television.
She was walking to school.
It was raining.

For the plural forms we do the same.
We were singing a song.
You were doing your homework.
They were looking for a hotel.

Now we need to pay extra attention to verbs that end in an 'e', such as take, make and close. These verbs drop their 'e.'
For example:
I was taking the bus to school
He was making dinner.
They were closing the window.
Please note that these verbs no longer have their 'e'. We also need to pay attention to verbs that have one syllable end in a consonant and are preceeded by a vowel, because they double their final consonant. These verbs are verbs such as sit,
get and run. Take a look at the examples:
I was sitting outside.
You were running fast.
It was getting late.
We were letting ourselves go.
They were swimming in the river.

Let's have a look at the past continuous in questions. Again we used a past simple
form of the verb 'to be.' was or were. The base form of the verb and 'ing.'
Was I getting close?
Were you running late?
Was he taking a bus?
Was she playing tennis?
Was it snowing?
For the plural forms we do the same.
Were we going in the right direction?
Were you arriving by ferry?
Were they eating their lunch?

Now let's have a look at the past continuous in negations. Again we use the past simple form of the verb to be. So either was or were but we add 'not' to it contracting it into wasn't or weren't the base form and 'ing.'
For example:
I wasn't waiting for you
You weren't looking for me.
He wasn't sleeping late.
She wasn't talking on the phone.
It wasn't freezing.
For the pural forms,
We weren't putting up a tent
You weren't speaking at the same time
They weren't cutting paper.

Now let's have a look and when to use a past continuous. First we use the past continuous for a temporary activity in the past. It started in the past and it was finished in the past.
I was watching television at that moment.
It was raining last night.
They were swimming in the river yesterday.
We want to emphasize that it lasted for some time. We also use the past continuous for a temporary activity in the past interrupted by a short action. This short action is usually expressed by the past simple.
I was watching television when he called.
It was raining when the car broke down.
They were swimming,, when they saw a crocodile.
We also use a past continuous for something that was planned before a certain time in the future. For example:
I was flying to Dubai but his meeting was cancelled.
Weren't you meeting her at the airport yesterday?
They were going to that concert, but her car broke down.
I thank you for your attention.
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Видео Past Continuous Tense ( Past Progressive) - English grammar tutorial video lesson канала englishgrammarspot