Lesson of Past Continuous Tense

PAST CONTINOUS TENSE

(Active Voice)

“Past Continuous Tense” is a tense that describes an action which was going on for some time in the past. It may be mentioned time or not in the sentences.

Subject + was / were + (verb +ing)

• • I was playing hockey.
  • We were playing hockey.
  • You were playing hockey.
  • He/she was playing hockey.
  • They were playing hockey.
  • What was she doing last Sunday?

Note:

• • To describe parallel action as such;
    • While I was washing the dishes, I heard a loud noise.
  • To describe what someone was doing at a particular point in time such as;
    • I was working in the garden all day yesterday.
  • To express Interrupted action in the past such as;
    • I was driving to work when I crashed my bike.
  • To describe repetition and irritation such as;
    • He was always complaining in class.
  • Past Continuous Tense is often used together with a Past Indefinite Tense when two clauses in the past tense are joined with ‘when’, or ‘while’.
    • I saw Ali while he was playing football.
    • I was raining when I reached school
    • When she was having her breakfast, I went to see him.
    • When I saw him, he was playing chess.
    • When the bell rang, I was saying my prayer.

Affirmative Sentences

Subject + was/were + v-ing + Object

1. 1. 1. Fatima was going.
      2. I was taking breakfast.
      3. The sun was shining.
      4. He was running fast.
      5. You were telling a story.
      6. They were selling their car.
      7. She was weeping g bitterly.
      8. Horses were grazing in a field.
      9. The dog was barking at night.
      10. My father was waiting for his friends.

Negative Sentences

Subject + was / were + not + v-ing + Objec

1. 1. 1. The woodcutter was not felling a tree.
      2. They were not going.
      3. We were not bathing in the canal.
      4. You were not buying fruit.
      5. They were not doing their work.
      6. The peon was not ringing the bell.
      7. The rich man was not giving alms to the poor.
      8. The boy was not solving the sum.
      9. We were not travelling together.
      10. They were not making false promise.

Interrogative Sentences

Was / were + Subject + v-ing + Object +?

1. 1. 1. Was he leaving for Bahawalpur?
      2. Were they welcoming the guest?
      3. Was I making a noise?
      4. Were we swimming in the river?
      5. Were you telling a lie?
      6. Was she taking part in the games?
      7. Were you shivering with cold?
      8. Why were they walking on foot?
      9. When was I looking at the sky?
      10. Who was asking about you?

Interrogative & Negative Sentences

Was/were + Subject + not + V-ing + Object +?

1. 1. 1. Was he not running fast?
      2. Was it not raining?
      3. Were you not combing your hair?
      4. Whose socks were they not darning?
      5. Were they not lighting the fire?
      6. Where was the loin not roaring in the morning?
      7. Were they not listening to their teacher attentively?
      8. Where was the doctor not examining the patient?
      9. How many men were not assembling in the garden?
      10. Were people not reaching the station quickly?