The Past Continuous Tense

The Past continuous tense

The past progressive represents actions in progress at a specific moment in the past.

was

were

playingsingingdrinking

IHe SheIt

YouWe They

Affirmative

The Past Continuous Tense

• An action in progress in the past.

I was painting red flowers with my paint brushes.

not

playingsingingdrinking

was

were

IHe SheIt

YouWe They

negative

The Past Continuous Tense

NOT

They were not drawing a chicken with their pencil.

Was

Were

playing ?singing ?drinking ?

IHe SheIt

YouWe They

interrogative: YES / NO QUESTIONS

The Past Continuous Tense

• Short answer:

No, I was not / wasn'tNo, he was not / wasn't No, they were not / weren't

• Long answer:

No, I was not / wasn't running...No, he was not / wasn't listening...No, they were not / weren't swimming...

VS

Negative Answers

• Short answer:

Yes, I wasYes, she wasYes, we were

• Long answer:

Yes, I was playing...Yes, she was dancing...Yes, we were singing...

Affirmative answers

was

were

(complement) ?

Why

What

When

playing singing drinking

IHe SheIt

YouWe They

interrogative: INFORMATION QUESTIONS

The Past Continuous Tense

What was she doing?She was sketching some dog photographies.

ING Spelling

reading

going

eating

read

go

eat

In general, we just add -ING to the base form of a verb

General rule

writing

riding

dancing

write

ride

dance

Remove the silent E from the base form of the verb and add -ING

Verbs ending in consonant + silent E

seeing

agreeing

being

see

agree

be

Do not remove the E in this cases; just add -ING

Be careful!

tying

lying

dying

tie

lie

die

Remove the IE from the base form of the verb and add -YING

Verb ending in IE

stopping

running

cutting

stop

run

cut

When a verb with one syllable ends in a C + V + C we double the final consonant before adding -ING .

Consonant + vowel + consonant

playing

fixing

snowing

play

fix

snow

Do not double the final letter at the end of the verb when it is W, X, or Y.

EXCEPTIONS!

Submitting

Forgetting

Beginning

Submit

Forget

Begin

If the verb has two or more syllables and the last one IS stressed, double the final letter.

Last syllable IS stressed

visiting

opening

happening

Visit

Open

Happen

If the verb has two or more syllables and the last one is NOT stressed, do not double the final letter.

Last syllable is NOT stressed

controlling

traveling

equaling

controlling

travelling

equalling

control

travel

equal

Double the final L (British E.)Do not double the final L unless is stressed (American E.).

Consonant + Vowel + Letter L

Yesterday

4 Months ago

This morning

Last week

Last year

Time expressions

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