Past Continuous Tense Definition, Examples, & Formula

Grammar test 1 Read the explanation to learn more. Grammar explanation The past continuous and the past simple help us to show how two past actions or situations are connected. Past simple The past simple shows us that an action was in the past, not in the present. Regular past simple verbs have - ed at the end (e.g. called, played, arrived ). Past Simple or Past Continuous Exercise 1 Perfect English Grammar Past Simple and Past Continuous Exercise 1 Here's an exercise to practise the verb tenses. Choose the past simple or past continuous tense. You can review how to use the past simple here and how to use the past continuous here.

Past Continuous Tense (Formula, Usage, Examples) ExamPlanning

Exercise 1 Choose the correct past continuous and past simple forms to complete the sentences below. 1 I while I down the stairs. 2 He very fast when he the accident. 3 It when we home. 4 I your call because I . 5 This morning I and I breakfast for everybody. 6 When I her, she a really nice purple dress. 7 Last Saturday we late and we the train. The past continuous is made from the past tense of the verb be and the -ing form of a verb: We use the past continuous to talk about the past: for something which happened before and after another action: The children were doing their homework when I got home. Compare: The children did their homework when (= after) I got home. The past continuous tense, also known as the past progressive tense, describes ongoing actions in the past, such as I was writing my research paper all night. It uses the same construction as the present continuous tense except with the past tense of the verb to be. Past continuous = I was working Past simple = I worked Choice of emphasis Often there is little difference between the past continuous and the past simple, except that the past continuous suggests that the event (s) were in progress at a time in the past or that they were happening as background or temporary events.

Past Simple & Continuous Test

The past continuous is usually used to refer to events happening at the same time that something important happened in the past. They were doing their homework when she arrived. Jack was studying while Dave was cooking dinner. The past continuous is also used to express what was happening at a precise moment in the past. Firstly, check that you know how to make the past simple with 'be' (subject + was / were). Then just add verb-ing. Click here to download this explanation as a pdf. Click here for practice on how to USE the past continuous. Here's the positive form: I was sleeping. you were working. he was coming. she was reading 'War and Peace'. The Past Continuous tense expresses action at a particular moment in the past. The action started before that moment but has not finished at that moment. For example, yesterday I watched a film on TV. The film started at 7pm and finished at 9pm. There are two tenses in English - past and present. The past tense in English is used: to talk about the past. to talk about hypotheses (when we imagine something) for politeness. There are four past tense forms in English: Past simple: I worked. Past continuous:

Past Perfect Continuous Tense Worksheet with Answers EnglishGrammarSoft

To form the past continuous positive, use subject + (to be) + verb + -ing Examples: "What were you doing when I called you?" "I was studying." She was playing guitar at the party. At 5:30 last night, we were driving home. They saw a starfish while they were walking on the beach. Past Continuous Negative Past Continuous Forms. The past continuous form comes in more than one formula. The positive form is established from the past tense of "to be," the main verb, and the "-ing" ending of the verb's simple form. In other words, past continuous verbs use this formula. Subject + was/were + -ing form of the verb. Negative verb forms follow. February 6, 2013 - The simple past and the past continuous are two tenses commonly used to make general statements about the past. Although they are both past tenses their uses are quite different. The simple past tense is only used to say that something happened at some time in the past. I went to a Chinese restaurant yesterday. f t p. The past continuous (also called past progressive) is a verb tense which is used to show that an ongoing past action was happening at a specific moment of interruption, or that two ongoing actions were happening at the same time. Read on for detailed descriptions, examples, and past continuous exercises.

Narrative tenses Grammar chart, English grammar, Learn english words

Past tense simple and progressive 1. Past tense simple and progressive 2. Past simple / continuous - 1. Past simple / continuous - 2. Past simple / continuous - 3. Past simple / continuous / perfect pdf. Past simple vs continuous - pdf. Past simple vs progressive - pdf. Past simple / continuous: download and print. Past Simple or Continuous? Past simple or progressive - 1 Negative sentences - exercises Past Simple and Continuous - 1 Past Simple and Continuous - 2 Past simple or past progressive Simple past or past progressive Simple past - past progressive Simple past / past continuous Past simple or progressive - 1 Past simple or progressive - 2