A. Study this example situation:
Yesterday Karen and Jim played tennis. They began at 10 o'clock and
finished at 11.30. So, at 10.30 they were playing tennis.
They
were playing = 'they were in the middle of playing'. They had not finished
playing.
Was/were
~ing is the past continuous:
I/he/she/it was playing/doing/working etc.
we/you/they were playing/doing/working etc.
B. We
use the past continuous to say that somebody was in the middle of doing
something at a certain time. The action or situation had already started before
this time but had not finished:
* This
time last year I was living in Brazil.
* What
were you doing at 10 o'clock last night?
* I
waved to her but she wasn't looking.
C.
Compare the past continuous (I was doing) and past simple (I did):
Past
continuous (in the middle of an action)
* I was
walking home when I met Dave. (= in the middle of walking home)
* Ann
was watching television when the phone rang.
Past
simple (complete action)
* I
walked home after the party last night. (= all the way, completely)
* Ann
watched television a lot when she was ill last year.
D. We
often use the past simple and the past continuous together to say that
something happened in the middle of something else:
* Tom
burnt his hand when he was cooking the dinner.
* I saw
you in the park yesterday. You were sitting on the grass and reading a book.
* While
I was working in the garden, I hurt my back.
But we
use the past simple to say that one thing happened after another:
* I was
walking along the road when I saw Dave. So I stopped and we had a chat.
Compare:
* When
Karen arrived, we were having dinner. (= We had already started dinner before
Karen arrived.)
* When
Karen arrived, we had dinner. (= First Karen arrived and then we had
dinner.)
E.
There are some verbs (for example, know/want/believe) that are not normally
used in the continuous (see Unit 4A):
* We
were good friends. We knew each other well. (not 'we were knowing')
* I was
enjoying the party but Chris wanted to go home. (not 'was wanting')
EXERCISES
6.1 What
were you doing at the following times? Write one sentence as in the examples.
The past continuous is not always necessary (see the second example).
1. (at 8
o'clock yesterday evening)
I was
having dinner with some friends.
2. (at 5
o'clock last Saturday)
I was on
a train on my way to London.
3. (at
10.15 yesterday morning)
4. (at
4.30 this morning)
5. (at
7.45 yesterday evening)
6. (half
an hour ago)
6.2 Use
your own ideas to complete these sentences. Use the past continuous.
1. Tom
burnt his hand while he was cooking the dinner.
2. The
doorbell rang while I ---
3. We
saw an accident while we ---
4. Mary
fell asleep while she ---
5. The
television was on but nobody ---
6.3 Put
the verbs into the correct form, past continuous or past simple.
1. I saw
(see) Sue in town yesterday but she --- (look) the other way.
2. I ---
(meet) Tom and Ann at the airport a few weeks ago. They --- (go) to Berlin and
I --- (go) to Madrid. We --- (have) a chat while we --- (wait) for our flights.
3. I ---
(cycle) home yesterday when suddenly a man --- (step) out into the road in
front of me. I --- (go) quite fast but luckily I --- (manage) to stop in time
and --- (not/hit) him.
6.4 Put
the verbs into the correct form, past continuous or past simple.
1. Jane
was waiting (wait) for me when I arrived (arrive).
2. 'What
--- (you/do) this time yesterday?' 'I was asleep.'
3. '---
(you/go) out last night?' 'No, I was too tired.'
4. 'Was
Carol at the party last night?' 'Yes, she --- (wear) a really nice dress.'
5. How
fast --- (you/drive) when the accident --- (happen)?
6. John
--- (take) a photograph of me while I --- (not/look).
7. We
were in a very difficult position. We --- (not/know) what to do.
8. I
haven't seen Alan for ages. When I last --- (see) him, he --- (try) to find a
Job in London.
9. I ---
(walk) along the street when suddenly I --- (hear) footsteps behind me.
Somebody --- (follow) me. I was frightened and I --- (start) to run.
10. When
I was young, I --- (want) to be a bus driver.
Answers
6.1 Example answers:
3 I was
working.
4 I was
in bed asleep.
5 I was
having a meal in a restaurant.
6 I was
watching TV at home.
6.2
Example answers:
2 was
having a shower.
3 were
waiting for the bus.
4 was
reading the paper.
5 was
watching it.
6.3
1 didn't
see ... was looking
2 met
... were going ... was going ... had ... were waiting/waited
3 was
cycling ... stepped ... was going ... managed ... didn't hit
6.4
2 were
you doing
3 Did
you go
4 was
wearing (wore is also possible)
5 were
you driving ... happened
6 took
... wasn't looking
7 didn't
know
8 saw
... was trying
9 was
walking ... heard ... was following ... started
10
wanted
