Past Continuous

Past continuous (I was doing) Also called Past Progressive A) Study this example: Yesterday Tom and Jim played tennis. They began at 10 o'clock and finished at 11 o'clock. What were they doing at 10.30? They were playing tennis (at 10.30). 'They were playing' means that they were in the middle of playing tennis. They had started playing but they hadn't finished. This is the past continuous tense: I / he/ she was playing We / they / you were playing We use the past continuous to say that someone was in the middle of doing something at a certain time. The action or situation had already started before this time but hadn't finished: - This time last year I was living in Brazil. - What were you doing at 10 o'clock last nigh? B) The past continuous does not tell us whether an action was finished or not. Perhaps it was finished, perhaps not. Compare: - Tom was cooking the dinner. (past continuous) = He was in the middle of cooking the dinner and we don't know whether he finished cooking it. - Tom cooked the dinner (past simple) = He began and finished it. C) We often use the past continuous (I was doing) and the past simple (I did) together to say that something happened in the middle of something else: - Tom was burnt his hand when he was cooking the dinner. - I saw Jim in the pub. He was drinking gin and talking to the barman. - It was raining when I got up. - While I was working in the garden, I hurt my back. But to say that one thing happened after another, use the past simple: - Yesterday evening Tom was having a bath when the phone rang. He got out of the bath and answered the phone. Compare: - When Tom arrived, we were having dinner. (past continuous) = We had already started dinner before Tom arrived. - When Tom arrived, we had dinner. (past simple) = Tom arrived and then we had dinner. Note: There are some verbs (for example know) which are not normally used in continuous tenses. Direct and Indirect Objects Surprise Visitors It’s Sunday morning, Doug and his mother, Eleonore, are talking about the night before. Vocabulary Nouns Adjectives nightgown facial mask embarassed costume party Doug: Good morning. Eleonore: Good morning, Doug. Did you enjoy the movie last night? Doug: It was so-so. How about you? Did you and Dad have a nice time at the party? Eleonore: Don’t ask. Doug: Why? Eleonore: We thought that Dad’s new boss, Sheila and her husband, Bob, were having a big party last ight. When Dad and I arrived at their house, Sheila was standing in front of a mirror. She was wearing a nightgown and a green facial mask. Bob opened the door. He was wearing pajama bottoms and putting on a T-shirt. Doug: Oh, no. Eleonore: I was really embarrassed. Doug: What about Dad? What did he say? Eleonore: He turned to me and said, “Eleonore, you didn’t tell me it was a costume party.” Doug: Was it a costume party? Eleonore: No. Sheila laughed and said, “Pete, we’re not having a costume party, and our party isn’t tonight.” Then she showed us an invitation. Their party is going to be next Saturday night. We showed up on the wrong day! Doug: What did you say? Eleonore: I didn’t know what to say. Doug: And Dad? Eleonore: He didn’t either. We just said, “Oh, oh, oh.” Doug: Well, does Dad still have a job? Eleonore: Yes, but only because Sheila has a good sense of humor. Comprehension Check That’s right, That’s wrong or I don’t know 1. Doug went to the movies with Noah. 2. Eleonore and Pete enjoyed Sheila’s costume party. 3. Sheila was wearing a suit when Eleonore and Pete arrived. 4. Bob was wearing new pajamas when the Winstons arrived. 5. Sheila and Bob are going to have a party next Saturday night. 6. Sheila and Bob are going to have a costume party next Saturday night. Discover the Grammar: Past Progressive with Interrupted Action Choose the best way to complete these sentences. 1. They were sleeping a. when it turned over and we fell in the water. 2. I was skiing b. when I burned my finger. 3. I was cooking c. when the doorbell rang. 4. She was petting the dog d. when a truck banged into my car. 5. I was eating a carrot e. when he called me 6. We were driving to work f. when it growled and bit her hand. 7. He was standing in the canoe g. when I fell and broke my ankle. 8. I was dreaming about my boyfriend h. when my tooth fell out. A.2 Past Progressive: Affirmative Sentences There was a murder last night. The police believe the murder occurred at 7:00 p.m. They are questioning three people: Mr. Smith, Ms. Brown, and Mr. Clapp. Listen to the conversation. Then listen and write what each person was doing when the murder occurred. 1. Mr. Smith .................................................................................................... 2. Ms. Brown ................................................................................................... 3. Mr. Clapp .................................................................................................... Past Progressive and Simple Past Tense: Continuous Actions and Interruptions Complete the sentences. Use the simple past tense or the past progressive of each verb in parentheses. 1. Last night Carol (read) .......................... a story to Billy when she (fall) .......................... asleep. 2. When the storm (begin) .............................., Eleonore and Pete (drive) ........................... to New Jersey. 3. Doug (play) .............................. soccer when he (break) .............................. his toe. 4. Pete (shave) .............................. when he (cut) .............................. his chin. 5. When the accident (occur) .............................., it (snow) ............................... . 6. While we (dance) .............................., he (sleep) .............................. on my toe. 7. I (try) .................................... to answer the last question when the bell (ring) .............................., but the teacher took my paper away. 8. While she (prepare) .............................. dinner, the lights (go) .............................. out. 9. Norma (drive) .................................. to Newton when a man (hit) ................................ her car. 10. When it (start) ................................ to rain, Eleonore (play) .............................. tennis. Past Progressive: Yes/No Questions and Wh-Questions Last Friday afternoon there was a blackout. Look at the pictures and write questions about what the people were doing when the lights went out. Then answer the questions. 1. What / Doug / do / when the lights went out A: What was Doug doing when the lights when out? B: He was taking a test. 2. Doug / sit / next to / the window A: ............................................................................................................... B: ............................................................................................................... 3. Who / talk / on the phone / when the lights went out A: ............................................................................................................... B: ............................................................................................................... 4. Pete / wear / a suit and tie / when the lights went out A: ............................................................................................................... B: ............................................................................................................... 5. Where / Sally / eat / lunch / when the lights went out A: ............................................................................................................... B: ............................................................................................................... 6. Sally / eat / a sandwich A: ............................................................................................................... B: ............................................................................................................... 7. Sally / drink / a glass of water A: ............................................................................................................... B: ............................................................................................................... 8. Eleonore / read / a magazine / when the lights went out A: ............................................................................................................... B: ............................................................................................................... 9. Who / work / at a computer A: ............................................................................................................... B: ............................................................................................................... JILL AND GEORGE HAVE BEEN WATCHING A COWBOY FILM IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE. THEY ARE NOT SURE WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN IT. NOW THEY ARE DISCUSSING THE FILM. COMPLETE THE CONVERSATION USING THE WORDS IN BRACKETS. J In the desert scene, I thought (the girl / try) ........................... to escape from the cowboy. G No, (she / not / try) ............................... to escape from him. (They / ride) ...................... off together to escape from the baddies. J I don't think so. I'm sure (he / chase) ......................... her. G What (they / do) ........................... on the scene on the cliff? (They / climb) .................................. up the cliff to surprise the bandits? J Surely not. (not / they / climb) ........................................... down into the old mine to find the gold? Those men in the bar (make) ................................ plans to rob the bank, weren't they? G Yes. But one of them (work) .................................. for the sheriff all the time. J Oh no! (He / not / work) ................................... for the sheriff. (He / plan) .......................... to take all the money himself! G In the final shoot-out, why (not / he / aim) .............................. at the leader of the bandits? Did you notice that? (He / shoot) ........................................... above his head. J That's right. (He / hope) ......................... to capture the leader alive and find out where the girl was. J I'm afraid (I / not / watch) ...................................... the film all the time. G Why (not / you / watch) .......................................... it ? I thought it was rather fun. J Oh, George, (you / not / watch) ............................ it all the time either! In fact (you / snore) ....................................... in the middle of it! COMPLETE THE SENTENCES AS IN THE EXAMPLE I (watch) Dallas / the telephone (ring) I was watching Dallas when the telephone rang. 1. My friends (arrive) / I (do) my homework 2. I (clean) the house / I (find) your watch 3. The pilot (speak) to the control tower / suddenly the plane (crash) 4. Karen (meet) her boyfriend / she (ski) in France 5. We (have) lunch / our friends (arrive). 6. She (faint) / she (telephone) the doctor. 7. The plane (take off) / the engine (stop). 8. The telegram (arrive) / we (tour) in Spain. 9. Ramon (lose) his keys / he (visit) the Tower of London. 10. We (drive) to London / the accident (happen). 11. Ted (smoke) a cigar / teacher (come) in. Past Progressive: Affirmative and Negative Statements Think about a telephone call you received. The first student tells what he or she was doing when the telephone rang. The second student tells if he or she was doing the same thing as the first student. E.g.: A: I was doing my homework when the telephone rang. B: I wasn’t doing my homework. I was sleeping when the telephone rang. GRAM-ACT/PAST-CON 5