english4theworld
learners' centre
grammar reference
PAST CONTINUOUS
to talk and ask about how long before now a past completed action happened
with always, forever, and constantly for actions that happened in the past but were not planned
to express a habit that existed only for a limited time in the past
to sound polite, or to show respect or tact
with no time expression to express a gradual development or change
for future plans seen from a point in the past
using the Past Continuous can indicate a more casual, more routine, less deliberate action than if we use the Past Simple
FORM
The Past Continuous form of verbs is usually made in the following way:
to be (Past Simple) + verb + ing
Affirmative I
was, you were, he/she/it was working
we were, you were, they were working
Question was
I, were you, was he/she/it working?
were we, were you, were they working?
Negative I
wasn't, you were, he/she/it wasn't working
we
weren't, you weren't, they weren't working
USE: GENERAL POINTS
We use the
Past
Continuous
for an action that was already in progress at some point during a definite
finished time in the past. It does not continue up to the present moment.
We do not know when the action began or ended, but we do know that the
action lasted only for a limited time (i.e. it is temporary - not permanent).
Examples:
- Who were you talking to at the party?
- When they got up, Sarah was already having a shower.
- I was reading a great book last night.
The definite finished time is clear to the speakers, because it is said at some point in the conversation by the speaker(s) (e.g. yesterday, last year, at 7 p.m.).
Examples:
- I wasn't watching TV last night. I was doing my homework.
- This time last year, I was lying on a beach in Florida.
- I was talking to Liz the other day, and she gave me your number.
Another reason why the definite finished time will clear to the speakers, is because it understood or assumed by the speakers. The present context of the speakers (e.g. the time now, where they are now, what they both know) makes it perfectly clear to them that the action was in progress at some point during a definite finished time in the past and does not continue up to the present moment.
Examples:
- What
were you doing in my room?
[When you were in my room - but you're here now.] - What
was John shouting at you about before he
left?
[When John was here - but he's no longer here.] - I
was talking to someone at work about that.
[When I was at work - but I'm here now.]
Complete Actions v Incomplete Actions
It is important
to remember that we use the Past
Simple
for an action that is completed in the past.
We use the Past
Continuous
for an action that was already in progress at some point during
a time in the past.
Compare:
- At
8 o'clock he was having breakfast.
[The action started before 8 o'clock and ended after 8 o'clock i.e. it was already in progress at 8 o'clock. We do not know exactly when the action started or ended, but it is not important to us.] - At
8 o'clock he had breakfast.
[We know the action started at 8 o'clock and we think of the action as a complete action - the complete action of having breakfast.] - He
was having breakfast from 8 o'clock to
9 o'clock.
[We know that the breakfast was in progress for that hour, but we still do not know when it started or ended.]
- He
had breakfast from 8 o'clock to 9 o'clock.
[We know the exact limits of the breakfast - when it started and ended.]
More examples:
- He
was dying of cancer.
[Incomplete action - he was still alive] - He
died of cancer.
[Complete action - he was dead] - I was
reading a book last night.
[Incomplete action - I didn't finish the book] - I read
a book last night.
[Complete action - I finished the book]
USE: SPECIFIC POINTS
We can use
the Past
Continuous
for the background situation when we tell stories or jokes or we give
summaries of plays, books and films.
We use the Past
Simple
for the actions that happen one after the other in the story.
Example:
- In the film, this man called Kevin was going out with a girl called Stacy and they were living together. One day, Kevin met his girlfriend's father who was working for the CIA, and Kevin tried to show him that …
When there is more than one action in the same past time - but not a sequence of actions (i.e. not one action after the other) - we use the Past Continuous for the action that began, continued through, and (often) ended after the other (Past Simple) action. We use the Past Continuous here to describe the background situation in which the Past Simple action happened.
The Past Simple action happened at some point during the Past Continuous action.
Examples:
- I bought a paper while I was waiting for the bus.
- The phone rang when I was having a bath.
- I saw Nina when I was driving home.
We use the Past Continuous (or the Past Simple) with the word ago to talk and ask about how long before now a past completed action happened. We measure back from now to a point in the past.
Examples:
- I was talking about you to John a few days ago.
- He was working in this company two years ago.
- How long ago were you living there?
We use the
Past
Continuous
to express parallel actions that are in progress at some point during
a definite finished time in the past.
Parallel actions are made clear by the use of while, when,
and as.
Examples:
- While I was having a bath, Chris was watching TV.
- When you were talking to her, I was listening to every word.
- As I was going to work, my husband was coming home from work.
We can use the Past Continuous with always, forever, and constantly for actions that happened in the past but were not planned. There is usually quite a strong emotion connected to this use - surprise, interest, pleasure, annoyance.
Examples:
- I was constantly losing my keys when I was a child!
- When she was here, my aunt was always giving me presents.
- I was forever bumping into Mrs Roberts in the supermarket.
We use the Past Continuous to express a habit that existed only for a limited time in the past. This limited time is made clear by an expression of time.
Note: The action was a not permanent habit. If it had continued for long enough, we would have seen it as a habit and would then have used the Past Simple to talk about it.
Examples:
- In those days, I was getting up at four in the morning.
- At that time, we were working six days a week.
Sometimes we use a verb in the Past Continuous or the Past Simple (instead of a present tense) to sound polite, or to show respect or tact. The meaning is very present.
Examples:
- Were you wanting to see me?
- Did you want to see me?
- I was wondering if I might have a word with you?
- I wondered if I might have a word with you?
- I was hoping we could have a quick word before the meeting.
- I hoped we could have a quick word before the meeting.
We use the Past Continuous with no time expression to express a gradual development or change.
Examples:
- It was getting colder and the wind was rising.
- He was growing up and becoming a man.
We use the Past Continuous for future plans seen from a point in the past. It is not clear if the action took place.
Compare:
- We
were leaving for London the next day.
[This was the plan, but we don't know if it took place.]
- We
left for London the next day.
[This action happened. The Past Simple here does not express a plan.]
- He
was meeting me after the match for a meal.
[This was the plan, but we don't know if it took place.]
- He
met me after the match for a meal.
[This action happened. The Past Simple here does not express a plan.]
Generally, using the Past Continuous can indicate a more casual, more routine, less deliberate action than if we use the Past Simple. This is quite common in everyday conversation. It is very often used without any reference to a particular past time.
Compare:
- I talked to Elsa the other day. She said…
[The impression given here is that I started the conversation and speaking to Elsa was a deliberate action. It also gives the idea that the speaker is thinking of the complete conversation.]
- I was talking to Elsa the other day. She said…
[Here, responsibility is removed from the speaker - it doesn't matter who started the conversation. Also, there is no idea here that the speaker is thinking of the complete conversation.]
- My sister told me about that terrible plane crash.
[The impression given here is that my sister started the conversation and speaking to me was a deliberate action. It also gives the idea that I am thinking of the complete conversation and that my knowledge of the plane crash is complete.]
- My sister was telling me about that terrible plane crash.
[Here, responsibility is removed from my sister, and it doesn't matter who started the conversation. Also, there is no idea here that I am thinking of the complete conversation or that my knowledge of the plane crash is complete.]