Portfolio Entry # 6 - Past Continuous Tense

MEANING, USE & FORM

1. MEANING AND USE 

* The past continuous shows us that the action was already in progress at a certain time in the past.

What were you doing at 8 p.m. last night? I was studying.

This means that I started studying before 8 p.m. and I continued after 8 p.m.

* The past continuous can also show that activity was in progress for some time, not just for a moment.

We were cleaning the house all morning.

2. FORM 

We make the past continuous with was or were and the -ing form of the verb.

AFFIRMATIVE 

STRUCTURE:  PRONOUN + WAS (HE - SHE - IT)   +  VERB -ING  

                                                WERE (YOU - WE - THEY)  + VER -ING 

She couldn't come to the party. She was working.

Three years ago, we were living in my home town.

NEGATIVE 

STRUCTURE:      PRONOUN + WAS NOT (WASN´T) + VERB -ING 
                              PRONOUN + WERE NOT (WEREN´T) + VERB -ING 

I tried to give him some advice, but he wasn't listening.


QUESTIONS

STRUCTURE:    WH-  + WAS + PRONOUN + VERB - ING ? 
                            WH-  + WERE + PRONOUN + VERB - ING? 

What were you doing this time last year?