What did they do last Sunday?

At 3:00 pm last Sunday, what were

they doing?

The Past Continuous Tense

• Specific time in the past• We use it to talk about actions that

were happening at a specific time in the past.

1st

Use

They were doing the following:

1. Grandfather was reading the newspaper at 3:00 pm last Sunday.

2. Grandmother was knitting at 3:00 pm last Sunday.

3. The girl was listening to music at 3:00 pm last Sunday.

4. Father was sleeping at 3:00 pm last Sunday.

• Parallel Actions• We use the past continuous tense to

talk about two or more actions which were taking place at the same time in the past.

2nd

Use

While

Grandfather was reading the newspaper while grandmother was knitting.

I was studying as my brother was watching T.V.

• Interrupted Actions• We use the Past Continuous to

talk about a long action in the past that was interrupted by another short action.

3rd

Use

What were the couple

doing when the fire broke

out?

The couple were singing songs when the fire

broke out

What was he doing when

the bell rang?

He was playing video games

when the bell rang.

Long action Short action

What was she doing when the fire broke

out?

She was talking on the phone when

the fire broke out.

What were they doing when the

dog barked?

They were playing cards when the dog

barked.

Keywords

• While / As• When

• All day/night/morning• All day yesterday

ExamplesWhy did we use the past continuous

tense in these examples?

• Last night at 6 p.m, I was eating dinner.• I was studying while he was

making dinner• I was studying when she called.

Answers• Last night at 6 p.m, I was eating dinner.

(Specific time in the past)

• I was studying while he was making dinner.(Parallel Actions)

• I was studying when she called.(Interrupted action)

Exercise 1

1.When I phoned my friends, they (play)_________ monopoly.2.Yesterday at six I (prepare)___________dinner.3.The kids (play)______in the garden when it suddenly began to rain.4.I (practice)________the guitar when he came home.5.While Alan (work)______in his room, his friends (swim)____in the pool.6.What (you / do)_______ at 8 p.m. yesterday?7.I (listen)__________to the radio while my sister (watch)_____________TV.8.When I arrived, they___________ (play) cards.9.We (study)____________English yesterday at 1:00 pm .

Answers1. When I phoned my friends, they (play) were

playing monopoly.2. Yesterday at six I (prepare)was preparing dinner.3. The kids (play) were playing in the garden when it suddenly

began to rain.4. I (practice) was practicing the guitar when he came home.5. While Alan (work) was working in his room, his friends (swim)

swam in the pool.6. What (you / do) were you doing at 8 p.m. yesterday?7. I (listen) listened to the radio while my sister (watch) was

watching TV.8. When I arrived, they were playing (play)cards.

9. We (study) were studying English yesterday at 1:00 pm .

Form

Affirmative - I, He, She, It + was + v-ing I was studying. He was playing. - You, We, They + were + v-ing You were reading. They were sleeping.

Negative form- I, He, She, It + wasn’t(not) + v-ing

I wasn’t (not) studying. He wasn’t (not) playing.

- You, We, They + weren’t(not) + v-ing You weren’t (not) reading. They weren’t (not) sleeping.

Negativ

e Form

Question form - Was + He, She, It + v-ing? Was he working? - Were + you, we, they + v-ing? Were they working?

Short answers - Yes, he, she, it + was. you, we, they were. - No, he, she, it + wasn’t. you, we, they + weren’t.

Questio

n Form

• Mandy

Activity.

yesterday

1- Yesterday at 4:00 pm Mandy was feeding her dog.(Affirmative)2- Yesterday at 4:00 pm Mandy wasn’t studying. (Negative)3- Was she feeding her dog yesterday at 4:00pm?(Question) Yes, she was. (Short answer)